Affordable Housing Production Policies Initiative (AHP Policies)

What is Inclusionary Zoning?

Inclusionary Zoning is a policy that requires new housing developments to contribute to the number of affordable homes in a community. Generally, this means that developers include a fixed percentage of affordable units in their market-rate developments or contribute to affordable housing production through alternate means. Inclusionary Zoning can apply to new rental and ownership developments. Inclusionary Zoning can be customized to work for various places with different resident needs and housing and economic markets.

As of 2019, 162 California cities and counties have Inclusionary Zoning programs. In the Bay Area, specifically, 82 cities and counties (75 percent of jurisdictions) in the region have Inclusionary Zoning policies. All incorporated cities in Alameda County (with the exception of Piedmont, which is currently developing a policy) have either Inclusionary Zoning or a related program in place. The cities of San Leandro and Hayward have had Inclusionary Zoning programs since 2004, and the cities of Pleasanton and Livermore since 2000.

Source: Metropolitan Transportation Commission, Alameda County Planning Department.

Click here to watch a short two-minute explainer video about how Inclusionary Zoning works to increase the number of affordable homes over time.