The Ad Hoc Housing Element Committee  began meeting in August 2021, and will serve through December 2022. Committee members are anticipated to:

• Provide recommendations to the Town Council on an updated Housing Element that provides means to accommodate additional housing units
• Explore options to minimize the impacts of additional housing units on the Town’s character, safety concerns, and traffic.
• Maximize public participation in the update by encouraging residents, business owners, and the Town’s diverse workforce to attend meetings and share ideas
• Communicate information on the Committee’s progress and recommendations to residents

The Ad Hoc Housing Element Committee’s charge is to develop a Housing Element that complies with State law and will be certified, while maintaining Town values. Agendas would be structured to facilitate completion of the Housing Element on the timeline required by the State. 

Jeff Aalfs - Town Council Subcommittee

Aimee Armsby

Sarah Dorahy

Erik Doyle

William Kelly

Anne Kopf-Sill  - Planning Commissioner Representative 

Andrew Pierce – Race and Equity Committee Representative

Al Sill  - ASCC Representative, Vice-Chair

Jocelyn Swisher - Chair

Nicholas Targ  - Planning Commissioner Representative 

Bob Turcott

Janey Ward

Sarah Wernikoff - Town Council Subcommittee

Helen Wolter

Click Here to View Table of Meetings and Documents Related to the Housing Element 

November 11, 2022 Meeting

August 15, 2022 Meeting

June 20, 2022 Meeting

May 24, 2022 Meeting

May 2, 2022 Meeting

April 22, 2022 Upzone Opt-in Focus Group Discussion

April 19, 2022 ADU Focus Group Discussion (main room only, no breakout room recording)

April 18, 2022 Meeting

March 21, 2022 Meeting

February 28, 2022 Meeting Part 1 

February 28, 2022 Meeting Part 2 

February 22, 2022 Meeting

January 31, 2022 Meeting 

January 18, 2022 Meeting

November 15, 2021 Meeting

October 18, 2021 Meeting

September 20, 2021 Meeting

August 16, 2021 Meeting

General Resources

• Memo to Town Council - Real Property Interest Exceptions
• Council Discussion on Regional Housing Needs Allocation Process from June 23, 2021
• Housing Element Glossary of Housing Terms
• The 2015-2022 Housing Element
• The General Plan
• Portola Valley Housing Element Consultants
• Environmental Justice Guidelines - Office of Planning and Research

November 10, 2022

• Staff Memo
• Staff Presentation

August 15, 2022

• Staff Memo
• Staff Presentation
• Approved Meeting Minutes

June 20, 2022 Meeting 

• Meeting Summary
• Staff Presentation
• Staff Memo

May 24, 2022 Special Meeting

• Meeting Summary
• Review Partial Housing Element Update - Presentation
• Staff Memo (with Attachments)

May 2, 2022 Meeting

• Meeting Summary
• 05-02-22 Presentation slides

April 18, 2022 Meeting

• Meeting Summary
• El Mirador and Neely Properties Constraints Map
• Ford Field Constraints Map
• Housing Sites Inventory, Part VI - Presentation
• Policies and Programs - AFFH Presentation
• Staff Memo - Affirmatively Fair Housing
• Staff Memo - Housing Sites Inventory
• Town-Owned Parcels Hazards Composite Map

March 21, 2022 Meeting

• Meeting Summary for March 21 
• Policies and Programs Discussion from March 21 2022
• Additional Public Comment (see meeting agenda for initial comments)

February 28, 2022 Meeting

• Meeting Summary for February 28
• Housing Element Survey Summary and Detailed Results
• Housing Element Update - General Intro from February 28 2022
• Housing Sites Inventory Part III Discussion from February 28 2022
• Parcels 2 Acres or more
• Potential Housing Sites - Land Use Constraints Maps
• Potential Housing Sites
• Visualizing Density from February 28 2022

February 22, 2022 Meeting

• Housing Sites Inventory Part II Discussion
• Woodside Fire Protection District Presentation 
• Meeting Summary for February 22

January 31, 2022 Meeting

• Affiliated Housing Discussion from January 31 2022
• SB9 Ordinance from January 31 2022
• Meeting Summary for January 31

January 18, 2022 Meeting

• Housing Element and Safety Element Timeline Presentation from January 18, 2022
• Fire District Process and Key Considerations – Don Bullard (WFPD) Presentation from January 18, 2022
• Wildfire Resilience and Recovery – Susan Hartman (Town of Paradise) Presentation from January 18 2022
• Meeting Summary for January 18

November 15, 2021 Meeting:

• ADU Presentation from November 15 2021
• Feedback from Community and TC-PC Meetings Presentation from November 15 2021
• Meeting Summary for November 15, 2021

October 18, 2021 Meeting:

• Housing Sites Scenarios presentation from October 18, 2021
• Housing Sites Scenarios detail from October 18, 2021

September 20, 2021 Meeting:

• Existing Housing Element Organization Presentation September 20 2021
• Housing Affordability Income Categories Presentation from September 20 2021
• Portola Valley Demographic and Housing Trends (Draft Data) Presentation from September 20 2021
• Values Decorum and Public Comment Presentation from September 20 2021

August 16, 2021 Meeting:

• What is a Housing Element Presentation from August 16 2021
• Work Plan Presentation from August 16 2021

The Ad Hoc Housing Element Committee is only one part of the Housing Element Process.  Go to the Housing Element Update for 2023-2031 for an overview.

The Housing Element update is an opportunity to address what has happened before and change course based on what a community needs and values now.

Housing Elements are housing plans that are one part of the General Plan – a guide to all the ways each city, town or county is planned and managed, from our roads to our parks and neighborhoods. With an update required every eight years by the State of California, this Housing Element update will create a foundation for all the policies and programs related to housing. 

While city governments do not build housing themselves, they create the rules that affect where housing can be built, how much, and how it gets approved. Each jurisdiction’s housing plan needs to help ensure that there will be enough capacity and supportive policies to meet the projected need over the next 10 years.

Housing Element Update Process FAQ 1-19-23

Housing Element FAQ 

California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) FAQ