Carmel-by-the-Sea adopts housing-element amendment after state review

The Carmel City Council adopted an amendment to the city’s certified 2023-2031 Housing Element on July 7, 2026, completing a state-reviewed update to the city’s housing policy framework.

The council approved the change through Resolution 2026-054. The City of Carmel-by-the-Sea identifies the action as the city’s sixth-cycle 2023-2031 Housing Element amendment.

The amendment governs the city’s housing policies and the sites inventory used in planning for future residential development. Its adoption gives Carmel an updated framework for planning required housing production and reviewing future residential applications.

State review preceded adoption

The California Department of Housing and Community Development issued a letter on May 28 finding the proposed amendments substantially compliant with state law. The finding followed a response that the city submitted to HCD comments on May 19.

Before sending that response, Carmel held a second seven-day public-review period from May 6 through May 13. That period provided another opportunity for the public to review the proposed Housing Element changes before the amendment advanced toward adoption.

The Planning Commission was scheduled to review the amendment on June 10. The City Council’s July 7 vote came after that scheduled commission review and HCD’s substantial-compliance finding.

What the action changes

A Housing Element is the part of a city’s general planning framework that addresses housing policies, development opportunities and sites identified for potential residential use. For Carmel, the amendment affects the framework used to plan for the 2023-2031 cycle.

That framework can matter to property owners, housing applicants and residents because future residential proposals may be evaluated within the amended Housing Element. It also provides the policy and site-inventory context for the city’s planning work related to required housing production.

The adoption of the amendment does not itself approve a specific housing project, establish that a particular number of homes will be built or guarantee construction. The city’s public timeline identifies the amendment and the steps leading to adoption but does not enumerate every policy, site-inventory or implementation change contained in the adopted text.

The July 7 resolution is the formal council action putting the state-reviewed amendment into Carmel-by-the-Sea’s Housing Element for the 2023-2031 planning period. Future housing planning and residential applications may proceed within that amended framework.