Fremont City Council Meeting: 03/10/26 07:00 PM
3300 Capitol Avenue Div/Dept: Planning
Fremont, CA 94538 Category: Plans, Policies and Studies
SCHEDULED
Sponsors:
COUNCIL STAFF REPORT (ID # 5659) DOC ID: 5659
Updated: 3/6/2026 10:09 AM by Dina Lewis Page 1
2025 ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GENERAL PLAN AND HOUSING ELEMENT (PLN2026-00093) – Public Hearing (Published Notice) to consider an annual report on the status of implementation of the General Plan and the 2023 – 2031 Housing Element; and to consider exemptions from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to, without limitation and each on a separate and independent basis CEQA Guidelines §15061(b)(3) (No possibility of significant effects), §15183 (Projects Consistent with a Community Plan, General Plan, or Zoning), and §15378 (Government administrative actions with no significant effect).
Contact Persons:
Name: Winnie Mui
Title: Associate Planner
Div/Dept: Planning
Phone: 510-494-4453
E-Mail: [email protected]
Executive Summary: Government Code §65400 et seq. (Administration of General Plan) requires local jurisdictions to provide an Annual Progress Report (APR) on the status of the General Plan and progress towards implementing the Housing Element to the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI) and State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). The City of Fremont’s Calendar Year (CY) 2025 APR is included as Exhibit “A” (General Plan APR) and Exhibit “B” (Housing Element APR Tables).
This Staff Report provides additional context to the APR and is organized into the following sections:
A) Progress towards meeting the City’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA).
B) Status of Housing Element actions and programs.
C) Additional annual reporting requirements.
D) Status of General Plan activities.
The period covered in this report is January 1 to December 31, 2025. This report reflects the accomplishments for the third year of the 2023-2031 Housing Element.
BACKGROUND: The City Council adopted a comprehensive General Plan update in December 2011. On January 10, 2023, the City Council adopted Fremont’s sixth cycle Housing Element, which covers the 2023-2031 planning period. HCD certified the City’s sixth cycle Housing Element on March 22, 2023. The City submitted an APR to LCI and HCD every year for the fifth cycle Housing Element planning period (2015-2023) and for the first and second year of the sixth cycle Housing Element planning period (2023-2031). As required under State law, Staff will submit the 2025 APR to LCI and HCD for the current cycle Housing Element.
Planning Commission Hearing
Council Staff Report (ID # 5659) Meeting of March 10, 2026 Updated: 3/6/2026 10:09 AM by Dina Lewis Page 2
On February 26, 2026, the Planning Commission considered the APR and voted 6-0, with one Commissioner absent, to recommend that the City Council direct staff to submit the APR to LCI and HCD. The subject item had one public speaker who spoke about housing production and the City’s progress towards meeting its assigned Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA).
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS: The City of Fremont’s CY 2025 APR is included as Exhibit “A” (General Plan APR) and Exhibit “B” (Housing Element APR Tables). The Housing Element APR Tables are prepared on standard forms provided by HCD and include all data required to be reported under Government Code §65400. Following review by the Planning Commission and City Council, Staff will submit the City’s CY 2025 APR to LCI and HCD.
Under State law, the CY 2025 APR must be submitted to LCI and HCD on or before April 1, 2026.
The CY 2025 APR is the third APR for the 2023-2031 planning period.
A) Progress Towards Meeting the City’s Regional Housing Need Allocation (RHNA) The State of California periodically provides population growth and housing need estimates to each regional Council of Governments. The Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), which is the regional Council of Governments in the Bay Area, is then charged with distributing the regional housing need to jurisdictions and counties within the ABAG region.
Each city’s needs are further categorized by income category. The goal of the RHNA process is to ensure that local General Plans can accommodate projected future household growth for all income levels in each jurisdiction. Housing production across all income levels is needed to address California’s existing challenges regarding housing supply and affordability.
Table 1 identifies the City’s RHNA for the 2023-2031 planning period. Fremont’s Housing Element is required to demonstrate an ability to accommodate the City’s RHNA at the various income levels through vacant or underutilized land designated to allow residential development and housing production.
Table 1. 2023 – 2031 RHNA by Income Category
Income Category Percentage of Area Median Income (AMI) RHNA Very Low 30 – 50% of AMI 3,640 (28%)
Low1 50 – 80% of AMI 2,096 (16%)
Moderate 80 – 120% of AMI 1,996 (16%)
Above Moderate 120%+ of AMI 5,165 (40%)
Total 12,897 (100%)
Source: Regional Housing Need Plan-San Francisco Bay Area 2023-2031, ABAG.
Table 2 contains the number of building permits the City issued for new housing units during the third year of the sixth-cycle planning period, which spans from January 31, 2023
1 The term may also be used to mean 0% to 80% of AMI.
Council Staff Report (ID # 5659) Meeting of March 10, 2026 Updated: 3/6/2026 10:09 AM by Dina Lewis Page 3
to January 31, 2031. For more detail, please refer to Table B in attachment Exhibit “B” (Housing Element APR Tables).
Table 2. Building Permits Issued and Progress Towards RHNA Income
Category RHNA
Projectio
n Period2
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
2028
2029
2030
2031 Total
Units
to Date
Total
Remainin
g RHNA
Very Low3 3,640 3 53 40 53 149 3,491
Low4 2,096 28 103 40 56 227 1,869
Moderate 1,996 34 23 40 55 152 1,844
Above
Moderate 5,165 338 165 74 385 962 4,203
Total 12,897 403 344 194 549 1,490 11,407
Total Housing Production
In 2025, a total of 549 new housing units received building permits, which makes up approximately 4.26 percent of the City’s total RHNA target. The majority of the building permits consisted of accessory dwelling units (ADUs), which made up approximately 32-percent (177 units) of the total issued permits. The remaining balance of the units included: 1) Veranda Mixed-Use (28 units) in the Centerville Community Plan Area; 2) Warm Springs Lot 10 (336 units) in the South Fremont Community Plan Area; and 3) new single-family residences (8 units).
Affordable Housing Production
In 2025, several affordable housing projects were entitled, including three projects that received City funding during the 2023 Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for new affordable housing projects. These projects would result in 756 new affordable housing units (202 very low-income units, 430 low-income units, and 124 moderate-income units) once constructed. The following table provides information on housing development projects containing affordable units that received entitlement in the reporting year (2025).
Table 3. 2025 Entitlement – Affordable Housing Development Units
Project Name
Very
Low
Income
Low
Income
Moderate
Income
Above
Moderate
Income
Total
Dream 2 Housing
(PLN2025-00003) - 3 - 19 22
2 The “projection period” spanned from June 30, 2022 to January 31, 2023. 3 Units serving extremely low income households are included in the totals for very low income.
4 The term may also be used to mean 0% to 80% of AMI.
Council Staff Report (ID # 5659) Meeting of March 10, 2026 Updated: 3/6/2026 10:09 AM by Dina Lewis Page 4
Units
Project Name
Very
Low
Income
Low
Income
Moderate
Income
Above
Moderate
Income
Total
Capital Development
(PLN2024-00188) 26 92 - 218 336
Centerville Plaza Apartments5
(PLN2024-00184) 93 195 - 2 290
Temple Peralta Development
(PLN2023-00270) 2 - 1 24 27
Maracor Warm Springs
Apartments6
(PLN2024-00151)
60 60 118 2 240
Canvas7
(PLN2025-00171) 21 70 - 1 92
Mission at Orchard
(PLN2025-00094) - 10 5 90 105
Total 202 430 124 356 1,112
It is anticipated that building permits will be issued in the next couple of years for these affordable housing projects.
Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Production
In 2025, the City issued building permits for 177 ADUs. This number is approximately a 33-percent increase from last year.8 The Housing Element estimated an annual projection of 60 ADUs each year, which each year of the six-cycle planning period has exceeded thus far.
Staff anticipates the momentum behind ADUs to continue due to the City amending its ADU Ordinance in Fall 2023 and State laws that continue to reduce barriers and streamline the approval of ADUs.
In 2024 and 2025, ABAG collected rental data on ADUs in the region and prepared analysis to support assumptions on the affordability levels of ADUs in the San Francisco Bay Area. 9 The affordability assumptions are as follows:
5 The Centerville Plaza Apartments project was awarded $12.85 million City funding during the 2023 Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for new affordable housing projects. 6 The Maracor Warm Springs Apartment project was awarded $12 million in City funding during the 2023 Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for new affordable housing projects. 7 The Canvas project was awarded $10 million in City funding during the 2023 Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for new affordable housing projects. 8 In 2024, the City issued building permits for 133 ADUs. 9 ABAG Technical Memorandum – ADU Affordability Survey Findings and Recommendations, January 2026.
Council Staff Report (ID # 5659) Meeting of March 10, 2026 Updated: 3/6/2026 10:09 AM by Dina Lewis Page 5
1) 30 percent of ADUs are affordable to very-low-income households.
2) 30 percent are affordable to low-income households.
3) 30 percent are affordable to moderate income households.
4) 10 percent are affordable to above-moderate income households.
The 177 ADUs permitted in 2025 were assigned to different income categories in the APR based on ABAG’s affordability assumptions, as shown in the table below.
Table 4. 2025 ADU Affordability Assignments
Income Category Percentage of Total Permitted ADUs
Very Low (30 – 50% of AMI) 30% 53
Low10 (50 – 80% of AMI) 30% 53
Moderate (80 – 120% of AMI) 30% 53
Above Moderate (120%+ of AMI) 10% 18
Total 100% 177
Conformance with SB 35
In 2017, Governor Brown signed SB 35 into law, which established a streamlined approval process for new housing development projects that meet certain criteria. Local jurisdictions are subject to SB 35 when the number of units that have been issued building permits is less than the locality’s share of the regional housing needs, by income category, for that RHNA reporting period. Based on housing production reported in the City’s CY 2022 APR, the City has made insufficient progress toward its lower income RHNA (very-low and low income), and therefore, HCD has determined that the City is subject to SB 35 for proposed developments with at least 50-percent affordability. If the City also makes insufficient progress towards its above moderate income RHNA, then the City would also be subject to the more inclusive streamlining for developments with at least 10-percent affordability.
In 2025, the City did not receive or issue any entitlement applications pursuant to SB 35.
Conformance with SB 9
SB 9, titled the California Housing Opportunity and More Efficiency (HOME) Act, went into effect in 2022. The bill added Government Code §§ 65851.21 (“Two Unit Developments) and 66411.7 (Urban Lot Splits) and amended Government Code §66452.6 (Subdivision Map Act). SB 9 has two major components:
1) The right to develop more than one home on a single-family residential lot; and
2) The right to subdivide a single-family residential lot.
10 The term may also be used to mean 0% to 80% of AMI.
Council Staff Report (ID # 5659) Meeting of March 10, 2026 Updated: 3/6/2026 10:09 AM by Dina Lewis Page 6
If certain criteria are met, SB 9 requires local jurisdictions to ministerially approve Two Unit Developments and Urban Lot Splits. SB 9 was adopted to minimize the restrictions and limitations of traditional single-family zoning by allowing additional housing units on single-family lots and/or allowing for single-family lots to be split into two parcels with additional residential units constructed on each lot. This law allows by right, two residential units per lot of at least 800 square feet that could be conveyed (sold separately). Under SB 9, new units and subdivisions need not comply with the City’s “standard” development regulations for the Single-Family Residential (R-1) zoning district and Planned Districts that allow for single-family homes. Effectively, the law limits the City’s ability to regulate these developments and prohibits a discretionary review process for qualified projects. However, the City does have the ability to apply certain objective standards to development and subdivisions allowed by SB 9, so long as the objective standards do not preclude two 800 square foot units. On December 5, 2023, the City Council adopted Ordinance 07-2023, amending various chapters of the Fremont Municipal Code, including adopting a local SB 9 ordinance.
In 2025, eleven SB 9 applications were submitted to the City. As noted in the table below, the City approved nine SB 9 applications in 202511. Three building permits were issued for a housing unit in 2025 for an application submitted pursuant to SB 9. Staff anticipates the SB 9 interest to continue due to the City adopting an SB 9 Ordinance in 2023 and State laws that continue to streamline the approval of SB 9 applications.
Table 5. 2025 SB 9 Applications
SB 9 Application Type Submitted Approved
Two-Unit Development12 2 5
Urban Lot Split13 9 4
Two-Unit Development & Urban Lot
Split14 0 0
Total 11 9
B) Status of Housing Element Actions and Programs
The 2023-2031 Housing Element identifies six goals, 24 policies, and 94 programs. Table D in Exhibit “B” details the various programs implementing the Housing Element goals and policies, with their status. Many of the successful programs in the 2015-2023 Housing Element were carried over to the 2023-2031 Housing Element, and some programs were
11 In 2024, five SB 9 applications were approved (1 two-unit development, 3 urban lot splits and 1 two-unit development & urban lot split).
12 This category involves the development of no more than two new units. The new units can be a mix of a primary dwelling, an ADU, or a JADU. This category does not involve a subdivision of the existing parcel.
13 This category involves the subdivision of an existing parcel into two lots via a tentative parcel map. This category does not involve the creation of new units. 14 This category involves a subdivision and the creation of up new units: up to four on a vacant lot (two on each newly-created lot), or two on an existing lot that is developed with a unit.
Council Staff Report (ID # 5659) Meeting of March 10, 2026 Updated: 3/6/2026 10:09 AM by Dina Lewis Page 7
modified or refocused to better address housing goals. A summary of notable accomplishments in 2025 toward implementation of 2023–2031 Housing Element goals and policies is provided below.
Table 6. 2025 Summary of Notable Accomplishments
Related Program, Goal, and Policy
Implementation
Program
No.
Goal Policy
Identity and Abate Substandard
Rental Housing. The Code Enforcement
Division investigated 120 complaints
related to substandard housing in 2025.
Of these, 19 cases are currently under
investigation; 30 cases were investigated
and the complaint was determined to be
unfounded; 44 cases were abated
through the enforcement process; 19
cases are open and in the process of
enforcement; and 8 cases were referred
to other departments or agencies for
additional follow up
01 Goal 1: Preserve,
Maintain, and
Improve the
Existing Housing
Supply.
Policy 1.01:
Identify and
Remedy
Substandard
Housing Conditions
Offer Preliminary Review Procedure
(PRP) Process. The Planning Division
continues to promote the PRP process as
a valuable steppingstone to formal
entitlement submittal. In 2025, the
Planning Division received 16 PRP
applications for new housing
developments.
20 Goal 3: Promote
Production of New
Affordable and
Market-Rate
Housing.
Policy 3.02:
Improve Efficiency
of Entitlement
Process for Housing
Developments.
Offer “Over the Counter” (OTC) Type
Plan Checks for Qualifying
Residential Projects. The Community
Development Department continues to
offer a virtual appointment plan check
program and express permits that
intends for same-day permit issuance.
24 Goal 3: Promote
Production of New
Affordable and
Market-Rate
Housing.
Policy 3.02:
Improve Efficiency
of Entitlement
Process for Housing
Developments.
Facilitate Environmental Review
Process.
The Planning Division continues to utilize
CEQA exemptions and streamlining
provisions to balance environmental
protection with the urgent need for more
housing.
27 Goal 3: Promote
Production of New
Affordable and
Market-Rate
Housing.
Policy 3.02:
Improve Efficiency
of Entitlement
Process for Housing
Developments.
Housing Education Campaign. The
City continues to maintain a Housing
28 Goal 3: Promote
Production of New
Policy 3.02:
Improve Efficiency
Council Staff Report (ID # 5659) Meeting of March 10, 2026 Updated: 3/6/2026 10:09 AM by Dina Lewis Page 8
Related Program, Goal, and Policy
Implementation
Program
No.
Goal Policy
Resources webpage to provide a variety
of resources and information about
housing options in Fremont. The
resource page includes information
about affordable housing programs, first-
time homebuyer programs, and other
resources for renters and homeowners.
Affordable and
Market-Rate
Housing.
of Entitlement
Process for Housing
Developments.
Seek Funding for Capital
Improvements in Lower-Income
Communities. The Public Works
Department continues to prioritize
infrastructure improvements in lower-
income communities. The Active
Transportation Plan, which was adopted
in May 2025, conducted targeted
community outreach to identify
pedestrian and bicycle improvements
that have high safety needs and benefit
to the equity priority or disadvantaged
community areas.
39 Goal 1: Preserve,
Maintain, and
Improve the
Existing Housing
Supply.
Policy 1.03:
Improve
Infrastructure
within Existing
Residential
Neighborhoods.
Assist Affordable Developers to
Acquire Land for Affordable Housing.
In 2024, the City Council awarded $34M
in funding to three affordable housing
projects. In 2025, all three projects
received entitlement and will result in
over 600 affordable rental units once
constructed.
56 Goal 4: Maximize
Support and
Resources for
Affordable Housing
Production.
Policy 4.03: Assist
Affordable Housing
Developers.
Prioritize Affordable Housing on
Public Property. In 2025, the City
Council approved funding for technical
design and environmental professionals
to provide technical services for the
project. Staff will continue preliminary
design work leading to an RFP to assess
a path forward for the project that
balances affordable housing production,
economic return, and community
benefits. Additionally, City staff has
participated in BART-hosted community
events and have provided written
comments to BART’s Board of Directors
expressing general support for the
63 Goal 4: Maximize
Support and
Resources for
Affordable Housing
Production.
Policy 4.05:
Pursue Unique and
Innovative
Opportunities for
Providing
Affordable Housing.
Council Staff Report (ID # 5659) Meeting of March 10, 2026 Updated: 3/6/2026 10:09 AM by Dina Lewis Page 9
Related Program, Goal, and Policy
Implementation
Program
No.
Goal Policy
project.
Promote Housing on Underutilized
Church Property. The Temple Peralta
project was approved in June 2025 for
27 units on a previously underutilized
church site. In addition, the Fremont
Family Apartments project, which
includes 54 affordable units on a
formerly underutilized church property,
was completed in 2025.0
64 Goal 4: Maximize
Support and
Resources for
Affordable Housing
Production.
Policy 4.05:
Pursue Unique and
Innovative
Opportunities for
Providing
Affordable Housing.
ADU Monitoring. In 2025, the City
issued building permits for 177 ADUs,
which represents an increase from the
133 ADUs permitted in 2024. This
number exceeds the annual projection of
60 ADUs estimated in the Housing
Element. The City will continue to
promote and facilitate ADU production
and will employ additional strategies as
necessary during the planning period.
88 Goal 6: Maintain a
Compliant Housing
Element and
Zoning Ordinance.
Policy 6.02:
Annually Review
Progress Towards
Housing Goals.
A) Additional Annual Reporting Requirements
APR Table C – Sites Identified or Rezoned to Accommodate Shortfall Housing Need The City’s 2023-2031 Housing Element is required to demonstrate an ability to accommodate the RHNA at the various income levels through vacant or underutilized land designated to allow residential development. Under SB 166 (2017), codified as Government Code §65863, a city must demonstrate that there is enough land identified to meet the unmet housing need at each income level prior to approving any project with fewer units by income category than identified in the housing element land inventory. If there is not sufficient land identified, then a city must identify additional sites within 180 days of approving a reduced-density project. Beginning in the CY 2018 APR, jurisdictions were required to report any sites that had been rezoned to comply with SB 166 as Table C of their APR.
To ensure that sufficient capacity exists in the housing element to accommodate the RHNA throughout the planning period, Fremont’s Housing Element Sites Inventory includes a buffer of more capacity than is required. For the lower-income categories, a buffer of approximately 15-percent has been provided. An approximate 15-percent buffer has also been provided for the moderate-income category. Since the vast majority of Fremont’s above moderate-income category is anticipated to be satisfied through pipeline projects and the risk of non-residential development or low-density residential development on inventory Council Staff Report (ID # 5659) Meeting of March 10, 2026 Updated: 3/6/2026 10:09 AM by Dina Lewis Page 10
sites is relatively low, no buffer has been provided for the above-moderate income category.
Overall, an approximate 10-percent buffer is provided over the total RHNA.
The overall remaining unit capacity on sites listed in the 2023-2031 Housing Element remained over 8,000 units in 2025. Because the City has sufficient capacity under its existing zoning, to accommodate unmet housing needs in 2025, no additional land was rezoned in 2025.
APR Table D – Program Implementation Status
Pursuant to Government Code §65583, the City is required to report on the progress and status of the programs and policies included in its Housing Element. Specifically, the City needs to report on the progress made towards achieving the specific goals and objectives outlined in the Housing Element. This could include targets for increasing affordable housing units; reducing housing displacement; improving access to housing for specific groups like low-income families or people with disabilities; and/or any changes made to the City’s zoning regulations or development standards that affect the implementation of the Housing Element.
APR Table E – Commercial Development Bonus
AB 1934 (2017), codified as Government Code §65915.7, allows for commercial developers to construct additional floor area beyond the permitted floor area ratio (FAR) or utilize other concessions from the City in exchange for building affordable housing on-site, donating land for affordable housing, or making a payment to an affordable housing developer.
The City of Fremont did not receive or approve any applications for a Commercial Density Bonus in 2025.
APR Table F – Units Preserved, Rehabilitated, or Acquired for Alternative Adequate Sites
Pursuant to Government Code §65583.1(c), a city may only count units preserved, rehabilitated, or acquired towards its RHNA if it includes in its housing element a program that obligates sufficient available funds to make the preserved, rehabilitated, or acquired units affordable and available for occupancy within two years of its adoption. While the City of Fremont does not have such a program, and therefore, does not report units preserved, rehabilitated, or acquired towards its RHNA, the City works to preserve restricted and naturally affordable units. In 2025, the City supported the re-financing of Irvington Terrace, a City-assisted affordable housing project. The refinancing will enable the project sponsor to undertake substantial rehabilitation on the property, preserving 99 affordable units.
APR Table F2 – Above Moderate Income Units Converted to Moderate Income Multifamily units that have been converted into deed-restricted moderate-income housing pursuant to Government Code §65400.2 may be credited up to 25% of the jurisdiction’s moderate income RHNA for units converted to moderate income. There were no multifamily units converted into deed-restricted moderate-income housing in 2025.
APR Table G – Locally Owned Lands Included in the Housing Element Sites Inventory
AB 1486 (2019), codified as Government Code §65400.1, requires jurisdictions to report in Table G of the APR any city-owned housing element inventory sites that were sold, leased, Council Staff Report (ID # 5659) Meeting of March 10, 2026 Updated: 3/6/2026 10:09 AM by Dina Lewis Page 11
or otherwise disposed of during the reporting year. The City of Fremont did not initiate any new sales, leases, or disposal of City-owned housing element inventory sites in 2025.
APR Table H – Locally Owned or Controlled Lands Declared Surplus In 2019, Governor Newsom directed the Department of General Services to conduct a comprehensive survey of all state-owned land and create a digitized inventory of all land in excess of state agencies’ foreseeable needs. AB 1255 (2020), codified as Government Code §54230, extends that mandate to cities and counties by requiring them to create their own inventory of surplus lands. The intention behind this inventory of surplus land is to identify excess government-owned property that could be used for affordable housing, homeless shelters, or other housing needs.
Beginning 2020, the APR requires that properties designated by a City as surplus lands are reported in the APR along with a description of each parcel and its current use. The City currently owns five properties that have been declared as surplus lands since 2013. These properties are reported in Table H of the APR.
APR Table J – Student Housing Development For Lower Income Students Pursuant to Government Code §65400(a)(2)(B), the City is required to report the number of units in a student housing development for lower income students for which the developer of a student housing development was granted a density bonus. There were no student housing development projects approved in 2025.
APR Table K – Tenant Preference Policy Adopted
Pursuant to Government Code §7061, a local government adopting a tenant preference policy shall provide, on an annual basis to HCD, a current link to the webpage, as described in Government Code §65400(a)(2). The City’s live/work policy, adopted on January 10, 2023 via Ordinance 01-2023 is reported in Table K.
APR Table L – Historical Resources
AB 2580 (2024), which amended Government Code § 65400(a)(2), requires jurisdictions to report on all historic designations listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the California Register of Historic Resources, or a local register of historic places in the past year and the status of any housing development projects proposed for the new historic designations. There were no new historic designations in Fremont that were added to the National Register of Historic Places, the California Register of Historic Resources, or the local register in 2025.
LEAP Reporting
Pursuant to Health and Safety Code §50515.04, recipients of Local Early Action Planning (LEAP) grants shall annually report by April 1 of the year following receipt of those funds on the status of proposed uses in the application. The report shall address the housing impact within the jurisdiction, including a summary of building permits, certificates of occupancy, or other completed entitlements. The City received a LEAP award of $500,000, and to-date, reimbursements for the entirety of the LEAP grant has been received. The LEAP tasks, status, and other updates are reported in Exhibit “B.”
A) Status of General Plan Activities
Government Code §65400 mandates that cities and counties submit an annual report on the status of the General Plan and progress on its implementation to their legislative bodies, Council Staff Report (ID # 5659) Meeting of March 10, 2026 Updated: 3/6/2026 10:09 AM by Dina Lewis Page 12
LCI, and HCD by April 1 of each year. The intent of this report is to demonstrate the City’s ongoing compliance with Government Codes §65300 et. seq, governing the required elements of a general plan, and provide a summary of implementation actions that have occurred within the past year. The City must submit a General Plan Annual Progress Report each year. The CY 2025 General Plan APR is attached as Exhibit “A”.
General Plan Amendments
Under Government Code §65358(b), no mandatory element of the General Plan may be amended more than four times per year, although each amendment may include more than one change to the General Plan. In 2025, two General Plan amendments were adopted by the City Council. The two General Plan amendments are described in more detail in Exhibit “A”.
FISCAL IMPACT: None.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: The APR is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), pursuant to, without limitation and each on a separate and independent basis, CEQA Guidelines:
1) §15061(b)(3) [Review for Exemption] in that in the APR is an administrative action that has no potential to cause a direct or indirect significant effect on the environment.
2) §15183 [Projects Consistent with a Community Plan, General Plan, or Zoning] and/or §15162 [Subsequent EIRs and Negative Declarations] in that the APR is consistent with the policies in Fremont’s General Plan, for which an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) [SCH #2010082060] was previously prepared and certified, and none of the circumstances necessitating further environmental review are present. The APR does not involve peculiar impacts that were not previously analyzed or discussed as significant effects in prior EIR(s) on the general plan and zoning with which the project is consistent. The APR is necessary to comply with state law. 3) §15378 [Project] in that the APR does not meet CEQA’s definition of a “project,” the City’s preparation, acceptance and submittal to the State of this APR is an administrative function of the City that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment.
ATTACHMENTS:
• Exhibit A - General Plan APR
• Exhibit B - Housing Element APR
• Informational Item 1_Memo_Condominium Conversion Tracking • Informational Item 2_Low and Moderate Income Housing Asset Fund Annual Report
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Find the APR is exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), pursuant to, without limitation and each on a separate and independent basis CEQA Guidelines §15061(b)(3) (No possibility of significant effect), §15183 Council Staff Report (ID # 5659) Meeting of March 10, 2026 Updated: 3/6/2026 10:09 AM by Dina Lewis Page 13
(Projects Consistent with a Community Plan, General Plan, or Zoning), and §15378 (Government administrative actions with no significant effect).
2. Accept Exhibit “A” and Exhibit “B,” which depict the status of the General Plan and Housing Element, and direct Staff to submit the APR to LCI and HCD.