State Housing Element Law (Govt Code 65580 et. seq.) requires regional Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) to identify each member jurisdictions’ “fair share allocation” of the Regional Housing Need Allocation (RHNA) provided by the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). Each jurisdiction holds the responsibility for meeting their RHNA numbers and is required to report progress annually through the submittal of the Annual Progress Report on April 1 of every calendar year. 

Hayward’s RHNA for the reporting period of 2023-2031 is 4,624 total units. The RHNA is broken down by income level categories based on definitions in the California Health and Safety Code (Section 50079.5) and Hayward's RHNA in each income category is as follows: 547 Extremely Low Income, 528 Very Low Income, 617 Low Income, 817 Moderate Income and 2,115 Above Moderate Income units. The target numbers are the RHNA amortized over the eight year reporting period. It is essential to note that the City does not have control over when developers apply for building permits because factors like local and global market, environmental and labor conditions affect the feasibility of proposed projects. As a result, it is expected that the City will exceed the RHNA requirement by income level during some years, and will not meet the target in other years. The goal is to meet each income level target by the end of the eight year Housing Element cycle which runs from 2023 to 2031.