SJ upzoning plans critiqued
Families & Homes, San Jose's leading citywide neighborhood advocacy group, contends that City staff is misreading the plain language of San Jose's Housing Element (state-mandated housing planning for current and future housing) in an effort to deliver an irreversible increase in housing density citywide. F&H's letter to city leaders, below, along with commentary from Pat Waite, Citizens for Fiscal Responsibility.
F&H letter to city
October 10, 2026
We write to express significant concern regarding the City staff’s interpretation of Housing Element Program P-35 ("Missing Middle Housing"). Program P-35 establishes an objective to allow "…at least four units and up to 10 units in locations throughout the city" on single-family parcels.
However, in translating this per-lot recommendation into citywide General Plan density parameters, staff has mapped this requirement to a baseline zoning density of 32 to 80 Dwelling Units per Acre (DU/AC).
The staff (and Council) is interpreting the requirement as “…at least 32 DU/AC and up to 80 DU/AC units in locations throughout the city."
Even proposing or interpreting that “Missing Middle” could be up to 80 DU/AC in standard single-family residential parcels distorts the core objective of Missing Middle housing. It would create severe spatial and planning contradictions relative to the City’s designated commercial corridors. We respectfully request that this density misinterpretation be corrected. It is obviously in error.
We consider this imperative since the upzoning proposed would be permanent and irreversible.
--Families & Homes SJ
Read the whole letter with supporting data
Waite: Don't rely on magic wands to promote more housing
The San Jose City Council’s recent decision directing staff to study options for increasing residential density throughout the city wastes taxpayer’s dollars. Building more residential housing of all types is needed, but many projects do not make financial sense. Developers want to develop, that’s how they make money. Since 2018 San Jose Planning has entitled or approved projects totaling over 21,000 market-rate units. Over that same time only 9,859 building permits were issued. Simply put, our housing market is stuck. Waving a magic wand to change allowable density does nothing to make projects pencil out.
The city council should focus on solutions for unlocking the market. Policies like the Council-approved Multifamily Housing Incentive Program are much more likely to increase housing production than would densification. Our community would be better served by focusing staff on finding those solutions and it would be a better use of scarce taxpayer dollars.--Pat Waite, Citizens for Fiscal Responsibility
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