El Cerrito · Building on your lot

Affordable units in new housing (inclusionary) in El Cerrito

El Cerrito's own rules on affordable units in new housing (inclusionary), with the code text for every value.

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Each rule below links to the section of the El Cerrito Municipal Code it was read from, with the code text one click away (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.

What El Cerrito's code says

El Cerrito code What El Cerrito's code adds
How long units stay affordable	The affordability term is 45 years. Applies: Applies to inclusionary units offered for sale; the term resets upon resale. § 19.30.060 · code text The affordable sales price for inclusionary units shall be restricted for a period of forty five years pursuant to an affordable housing agreement recorded against the property and resets upon resale of the unit(s). The affordability term is 55 years. Applies: Applies to inclusionary units offered for rent. § 19.30.060 · code text The monthly affordable rent for inclusionary units shall be restricted for a period of fifty five years pursuant to an affordable housing agreement recorded against the property. A longer term of affordability applies. Applies: Applies when the development receives a subsidy and the subsidy program requires a longer term. § 19.30.060 · code text A longer term of affordability may be required if the residential development receives a subsidy of any type, including but not limited to loan, grant, mortgage financing, mortgage insurance, or rental subsidy, and the subsidy program requires a longer term of affordability.
Exemptions	Accessory dwelling units are exempt. § 19.30.030 · code text Accessory Dwelling Unit(s).
Fee instead of units	An in-lieu fee applies for the fractional unit. Applies: Applies to a fraction less than one-half. § 19.30.040 · code text the applicant shall have the option of either rounding up to next whole number and providing an additional inclusionary unit affordable to moderate-income households or paying an in-lieu fee as provided in Chapter 19.30.50 for the fractional unit.
Projects it applies to	Inclusionary rules apply to developments of 9 or more units. Applies: Applies to for-sale residential development. § 19.30.030 · code text All for-sale residential development that consist of nine or more units; Inclusionary rules apply to developments of 10 or more units. Applies: Applies to rental residential development. § 19.30.030 · code text All rental residential development that consist of ten or more units;
Share of affordable units	12 percent of units must be affordable to moderate income households. Applies: Applies to for-sale residential development projects with 9 or more dwelling units. § 19.30.040 · code text For for-sale residential development projects with nine or more dwelling units, twelve percent of the total dwelling units in the residential development shall be built on-site and made available for purchase at an affordable housing cost to moderate income households. 5% of units, affordable to moderate income households. Applies: Rental projects of 10 or more units electing to provide units; if each 5% gives under 1 unit, 10% of all units are moderate income. § 19.30.040 · code text five of the total dwelling units in the residential development shall be made available for rent at an affordable housing cost to moderate income households 5% of units, affordable to lower income households. Applies: Rental projects of 10 or more units electing to provide units; if each 5% gives under 1 unit, 10% of all units are moderate income. § 19.30.040 · code text five percent of the total dwelling units in the residential development shall be made available for rent at an affordable housing cost to lower income households. 10 percent of units must be affordable to moderate-income households. Applies: Applies to rental projects of 10 or more units, when 5 percent for each income category is less than one unit. § 19.30.040 · code text the number of inclusionary units required shall be calculated by multiplying ten percent by the total number of dwelling units, and the required inclusionary units shall be affordable to moderate-income households.

Who this affects

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Frequently asked questions

Does El Cerrito require affordable units in new housing?

El Cerrito's code: The affordability term is 45 years. (Applies to inclusionary units offered for sale; the term resets upon resale.) (§ 19.30.060); The affordability term is 55 years. (Applies to inclusionary units offered for rent.) (§ 19.30.060).

General information, not legal advice.

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