Housing Policy to Pay Attention to Right Now in Sacramento

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– What’s in (and out of) the state budget

– The housing bills gaining traction and the ones quietly dying

– How this legislative session could shape housing access in our region for years to come

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July 30, 2025

Campbell, Sunnyvale, and Los Altos Just Earned Pro-Housing Status—Is San Jose Next?

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San Jose may soon join the growing list of Santa Clara County jurisdictions recognized for their proactive housing efforts. With a draft application now open for public comment through August 17, the City is actively pursuing the State of California’s Pro-housing Designation which would unlock additional resources and signal its commitment to accelerating housing production.

We at SV@Home are excited to share that three more Santa Clara County jurisdictions—Campbell, Sunnyvale, and Los Altos—have officially earned the State of California’s Prohousing Designation. This distinction, awarded by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), recognizes jurisdictions that are going above and beyond state housing law to remove barriers and accelerate housing production. These new designations build on regional momentum set by the City of Mountain View, which became the first jurisdiction in the county to earn the designation in early 2024. Mountain View has already put its status to work—securing $870,000 in Prohousing Incentive Program (PIP) funds to support local affordable housing initiatives.

The benefits of a Prohousing Designation go beyond recognition. Designated cities receive extra points when applying for competitive state funding, such as Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) funds, and become eligible for the aforementioned PIP grants, which can fund everything from affordable housing preservation to development gap financing. With an $8 million pool currently available in the latest round of PIP funding, there’s real money on the table to help jurisdictions meet their housing goals. San José has also announced its intent to apply for the designation and is currently seeking public feedback on its draft application through August 17. Securing this designation would strengthen San José’s ability to attract funding for housing projects and further align the city’s goals with state priorities.

However, earning the designation is just the start, cities must continually demonstrate tangible progress in housing production to retain their status. Earlier this year, Fresno became the first city in California to have its Prohousing Designation revoked after failing to approve a major affordable housing project. The state clarified that the designation is not a one-time achievement, but rather a sustained commitment. As more Santa Clara County cities join the Prohousing ranks, we celebrate their leadership—and remain vigilant in ensuring that policy commitments translate into real housing outcomes.

Stay engaged: Let’s hold our pro-housing cities accountable to their commitments, and be sure to submit a comment on San José’s application by August 17 to acknowledge progress, raise concerns, and advocate for stronger action where it’s needed.

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