El Cajon · Land use · Residential care home (7 or more)
Where is a residential care home for 7 or more people allowed in El Cajon?
In El Cajon, a residential care home for 7 or more people is needs a conditional use permit in 12 (PRD, RS-40, RS-20, RS-14, RS-9 and 7 more, all with a condition) (El Cajon use tables, read October 2026).
Key points
- Needs a permit: PRD, RS-40, RS-20, RS-14, RS-9, RS-6, RM-6000, RM-4300 and 4 more
Find your lot's zone on the city zoning map, then read its row. Every status below was read from the El Cajon Municipal Code use tables (read October 2026). Base zones only. General information, not legal advice — check with the city before you apply.
Zones where a residential care home for 7 or more people can go
El Cajon's code calls this use “Residential care facility for 7 or more”. Each row links to the use table it comes from. A zone marked “see note” has a condition in the code, for example upper floors only or a larger lot.
| Zone | Status | Code |
|---|---|---|
| PRD | Needs a conditional use permit — see note Note 4: Use prohibited in SP-182. | § 17.140.210 |
| RS-40 | Needs a conditional use permit — see note Note 4: Use prohibited in SP-182. | § 17.140.210 |
| RS-20 | Needs a conditional use permit — see note Note 4: Use prohibited in SP-182. | § 17.140.210 |
| RS-14 | Needs a conditional use permit — see note Note 4: Use prohibited in SP-182. | § 17.140.210 |
| RS-9 | Needs a conditional use permit — see note Note 4: Use prohibited in SP-182. | § 17.140.210 |
| RS-6 | Needs a conditional use permit — see note Note 4: Use prohibited in SP-182. | § 17.140.210 |
| RM-6000 | Needs a conditional use permit — see note Note 4: Use prohibited in SP-182. | § 17.140.210 |
| RM-4300 | Needs a conditional use permit — see note Note 4: Use prohibited in SP-182. | § 17.140.210 |
| RM-2500 | Needs a conditional use permit — see note Note 4: Use prohibited in SP-182. | § 17.140.210 |
| RM-2200 | Needs a conditional use permit — see note Note 4: Use prohibited in SP-182. | § 17.140.210 |
| RM-1450 | Needs a conditional use permit — see note Note 4: Use prohibited in SP-182. | § 17.140.210 |
| RM-HR | Needs a conditional use permit — see note Note 4: Use prohibited in SP-182. | § 17.140.210 |
What else applies
- Row "Residential care facility for 6 or fewer": P in all 12 residential zones. Commercial table "Residential care facility" (no size): C in O-P, C-N, C-G, C-R; X in C-M (note 1: prohibited in SP 182). M table "Residential care facility": C.
- State law: A licensed care home for six or fewer residents is a residential use under state law (Health and Safety Code § 1566.3); this page covers larger homes.
- Not covered here: Specific plan zones (SP 182, SP 462, SP 32 etc.); M-U overlay adds residential to underlying zones (S3/S4). Overlay zones and specific plans can also change the answer.
Other uses in El Cajon
Who this affects
Frequently asked questions
Can I have a residential care home for 7 or more people in the PRD zone in El Cajon?
Only with a conditional use permit. El Cajon's use table lists it that way in PRD (§ 17.140.210). The code adds a condition: “Use prohibited in SP-182.”
General information, not legal advice.
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