Belvedere falls short of housing goals for 2015-2023

Belvedere fell short of meeting its regional-housing needs goals to end the state’s 2015-2023 cycle, permitting no new affordable units of the seven allocated to the city for the eight-year period.

In a twist, a city with median home prices hovering around $4 million didn’t permit enough above-moderate-income units either, combining to potentially expose the city to by-right approval of multiunit projects with no environmental review or public hearings.

Belvedere’s annual housing report, prepared for the California Department of Housing and Community Development and accepted by the Planning Commission without discussion on May 21, shows the city issued permits for eight new units between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2023. Seven were accessory dwelling units for moderate-income households and one was a single-family home for an above-moderate-income household, according to Director of Building and Planning Rebecca Markwick.

While the latest report doesn’t show cumulative totals, the annual report approved last July did, showing Belvedere had issued permits for 10 total units by the end of 2022, combining for 18 permits issued for the housing cycle. Sixteen of those were for moderate incomes and two were for above-moderate incomes — none for low or very-low incomes.

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