Housing Toolkit

Welcome to the Grand Boulevard Initiative Housing Toolkit! Developed in collaboration with GBI member organizations, this Toolkit is an information-sharing resource to support El Camino Real Corridor jurisdictions in their housing efforts for all levels of affordability to create people-friendly places from Daly City to San Jose. This Toolkit marks the first time such information for the Corridor, across two counties, has been compiled into one resource.
In this Toolkit, you will find Existing Conditions information summarizing the current Corridor setting, a compilation of policies and planning tools that Corridor jurisdictions are using, as well as other programs and implementing mechanisms that can be considered to address the current housing demand pressures and future planned growth in our region.

Read more about the toolkit.

Existing Conditions

Explore current El Camino Real Corridor conditions – key data points are provided to inform local decisions and set a benchmark to measure and evaluate future change and progress.


Demographics Housing Income & Employment Transportation & Mobility

Programs & Policies

Learn about Corridor housing strategies and best practices for local consideration. This information can empower planners and decision makers with tools to support housing approaches that best fit their community needs.

Programs & Policies in Use by Corridor Jurisdictions New Housing: Planning/Land Use and Developer Incentive Tools Existing Housing: Preservation and Affordability Tools
Other Best Practices to Consider in the El Camino Real Corridor

Implementing Mechanisms

See a variety of funding options for housing development and community engagement approaches to build support for and address concerns about housing growth and preservation of affordability in the Corridor communities. Section Under Construction – Coming Soon!

Funding Mechanisms Impact Fees and Affordable Housing Funds Home Owner/Renter Assistance Programs Grant Programs Value Capture
Community Outreach & Education

About the Housing Toolkit

The Housing Toolkit supports Grand Boulevard Initiative Guiding Principles #1 and #2 to target housing and job growth in strategic areas along the El Camino Real Corridor and encourage compact mixed-use development. Planners and decision-makers considering particular housing practices in their communities can turn to this resource to learn what other Corridor jurisdictions have implemented and obtained lessons learned on how they can be applied to their respective community.

In addition to housing programs and policies, this Toolkit addresses the significance of employment and transportation in the housing realm. While the region’s economy is booming, a significant portion of the workforce is challenged with finding housing affordable to them near their work, and with finding employment opportunities near where they live. This pattern is a contributing factor to the region’s housing affordability and results in people having to travel long distances between their homes and jobs, impacting regional traffic congestion, greenhouse gas emissions, and economic development potential. The Toolkit information supports local jurisdictions in working collaboratively to address these regional challenges.

While targeted housing growth is embedded in the Grand Boulevard Initiative Vision, there are common challenges for communities planning for infill housing development, including the scarcity of developable parcels, mismatch between land use policies and market conditions, and limited public resources. Many of these challenges are intensified by limited public resources for local governments to facilitate development. To learn more about the Corridor challenges and strategies that cities and counties in the Corridor can take to facilitate and attract economic development, refer to the Grand Boulevard Initiative Economic and Housing Opportunities Assessment, Phase II.

Acknowledgments: Grand Boulevard Initiative Task Force | Grand Boulevard Initiative Working Committee | Grand Boulevard Initiative Staff | San Mateo County Department of Housing | Santa Clara County Department of Housing | 21 Elements

Disclaimer: The Grand Boulevard Initiative Housing Toolkit is for information sharing purposes only and is not prescriptive. The Toolkit is a compilation of resources specific to the El Camino Real Corridor to support local goals; an analysis of housing development impacts, such as impacts to school capacity, and discussion of homelessness are not addressed as part of this effort.