Benicia

In Compliance
Out of Compliance
Unincorporated Area
Unincorporated Area
Unincorporated Area

Overview

Population
27040
Density
2091
Avg. Household Income
$
124375
Experiencing Rent Burden
58
Providing adequate housing options is a key function of local governments. To help residents ensure their local government is meeting this need, we’ve compiled important information about this jurisdiction’s housing efforts below.
Housing Element is In Compliance
This city is currently working on implementing its housing element.
Housing Element is Out of Compliance
This city is currently working on implementing its housing element.
Good Progress
This city is currently on track to meet their RHNA housing targets.
Making Slow Progress
This city is falling behind. It is not on track to meet its housing targets.
Housing Targets
Every 8 years California assesses housing need and assigns each city with a target they must hit. If 
Benicia
 repeats its efforts from the previous cycle 
it will only meet 17% of the identified need.
Current RHNA Target
2022
 
-
 
2030
On Target
Behind
Hit Target
Missed
8
 / 
750
 units
Very Low Income
Low Income
Median Income
Above Median Income
State Statutes
Organizers fighting for fair housing can use many state laws to ensure that jurisdictions meet their housing targets.
Builder’s Remedy
When a city’s Housing Element is out of compliance, the Builder’s Remedy allows developers to bypass the zoning code and city general plan for qualifying affordable housing projects. If a Builders Remedy project application was submitted prior to 1/1/2025, there are virtually no limits on the size and density of a project proposed. Subsequent to 1/1/2025, in exchange for more certainty in the entitlement process, AB 1893 limits the density for Builders Remedy projects.
Does not apply
Does not apply
Does not apply
SB 423
When cities lack a compliant housing element or are behind on RHNA, this statute streamlines approval of projects that meet a threshold of affordable units.
10% Affordable & 20% Moderate
10% Affordable & 20% Moderate
Conditions in 
Solano County
HE Compliance
How does
 
Benicia
 
compare to its neighboring cities?
This city is currently doing a worse job than its neighbors at meeting housing needs.
Progress
-19
-19
Income
15
15
Density
-6
-6
Benicia
's Plan
Add Policy
Key parts of
Benicia
’s housing element are currently being worked on. Get involved to hold them accountable for meeting their deadlines.
Impactful Housing Element Policies:
No prioritized policies
There are no prioritized housing element policies for this jurisdiction which are currently being tracked. If you'd like to submit a policy to be tracked, please fill out the policy submission form.
Other Tracked Housing Element Policies:
No other policies
There are no other housing element policies for this jurisdiction which are currently being tracked. If you'd like to submit a policy to be tracked, please fill out the policy submission form.
Join the Fun!
Join
Our volunteers, watchdogs, push cities to enact good housing policy and keep tabs on the city’s policy progress. Sign up to help push
Benicia
 reach its housing targets.
Solano County
's Volunteers
2
Current Watchdogs
  
Level I
2/10 Volunteers
Upcoming Opportunities
Add Event
These upcoming events and tasks are great opportunities to make a difference in your community.
Event Name
Date
Type
Stop by Drinks & Agendas
Each Friday at 12:00PST our team gets together via Zoom to monitor local agendas so we can direct watchdogs to key meetings where decisions are being made about housing.
Become a Volunteer
Watchdog Reports
Add Report
Our watchdogs are on the ground observing and taking part in the fight for fair housing. Read their reports below.
Benicia
's Reports
Anonymous
Anonymous
  
07
/
25

In a nutshell, Benicia relies heavily on a "Housing Opportunity Overlay" which appears to have been adopted concurrently with the housing element. This overlay makes it so a lot of sites can be developed as housing and it has already been adopted from the looks of it.

​

There are a total of 47 proposed sites they are using to get to 1600+ units. I checked the largest contributors accounting for over 1000 units and they all check out either through the housing overlay or mixed use infill (a lot of reliance on adding housing to old commercial ground floor properties).

​

Notable:

The single largest site is a shoreline industrial land use property with projected 500+ units that has been rezoned to High Density Residential and they've done a lot of flooding studies and have developer interest, but it just seems a bit bonkers / doesn't really pass the sniff test for me personally.

​

Spot checked a dozen smaller projects and noticed that there are repeats from previous cycles on the site list, where they don't seem to be trying very hard. For example, multiple adjacent city-owned parcels in their downtown core (TC) zoning but it has not been developed due to "public dissent".

Read More
   
/
 Loss
/
 Pro Housing
   
/
 Win
/
 Pro Housing
   
/
Deferred
/
 Pro Housing
Anonymous
Aaron
  
05
/
22

Zoning looks good, a few questionable sites included 

Read More
   
/
 Loss
2
/
6
 Pro Housing
   
/
 Win
2
/
6
 Pro Housing
   
/
Deferred
2
/
6
 Pro Housing
Anonymous
Aaron
  
03
/
22

Mayor said he agreed that they needed to do better on housing. A city council member added me on Facebook afterwards? So I think it went well. 

Read More
   
/
 Loss
1
/
1
 Pro Housing
   
/
 Win
1
/
1
 Pro Housing
   
/
Deferred
1
/
1
 Pro Housing
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