• Entitled units are those that have received all the required land use approvals necessary for the issuance of a building permit.
• Permitted units have been found to comply with all health, safety, and building code standards. The issuance of a building permit signals that construction on a project may begin - at this time, the unit is considered“permitted”. Only building permits for the construction of new housing units may be counted as progress towards the goals established by the Regional Housing Needs Allocation.
• Completed units have passed a final building inspection, which checks to ensure that the unit is in compliance with codes, the approved plans, and any conditions of approval, signaling that the unit is ready for occupancy.

• Single Family-Detached Unit (SFD) – A one-unit structure with open space on all four sides. The unit often possesses an attached garage. 
• Single Family-Attached Unit (SFA) – A one-unit structure attached to another unit by a common wall, commonly referred to as a townhouse, half-plex, or row house. The shared wall or walls extend from the foundation to the roof with adjoining units to form a property line. Each unit has individual heating and plumbing systems. 
• 2-, 3-, and 4-Plex Units per Structure (2-4) – A structure containing two, three, or four units and not classified as single-unit attached structure. 
• 5 or More Units per Structure (5+) – A structure containing five or more housing units, also known as “Multifamily Housing Projects.” 
• Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) – A unit that is attached, detached, or located within the living area of an existing dwelling or residential dwelling unit which provides complete independent living facilities for one or more persons. This category also includes Junior ADUs.
• Mobilehome Unit/Manufactured Home (MH) – A one-unit structure that was originally constructed to be towed on its own chassis.

All jurisdictions in California are required to develop plans to meet the housing needs of their present and future residents. To determine housing needs, the State Department of Housing and Community Development (State HCD) works with regional planning bodies -- in Oakland’s case, the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) -- and other state departments to analyze population trends and housing conditions within each region. Based on this analysis, a regional housing need determination (RHND) is developed. To pave the way for the development of housing units in alignment with the RHND, the regional planning body allocates housing development targets to individual jurisdictions based on an HCD-approved methodology. Each jurisdiction must develop a plan to meet the portion of the RHND they have been allocated, known as the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA). This plan is the Housing Element. There are many laws governing the RHND, the RHNA, and the Housing Element update process, which are collectively known as Housing Element Law. 

Oakland is currently implementing the City’s 6th Housing Element Update, which covers the years 2023-2031. Per the RHNA, Oakland must plan for 26,251 new housing units between 2023 and 2031. In addition to the construction of more housing and the preservation of existing housing, the Housing Element also sets forth strategies to protect residents from displacement and prevent homelessness, to close the gap between market rate and affordable housing, expand resources for unhoused residents, and promote neighborhood stability and health. Read the full 2023-2031 Housing Element Update for more details on goals and actions. 

California Government Code Section 65400 and 65700 require that the City prepare and submit annual reports – known as the General Plan and Housing Element Annual Progress Reports (APRs) – to the California Office of Planning and Research (State OPR) and to State HCD by April 1 of each year, using forms and definitions adopted by State HCD. The General Plan APR must describe progress toward implementing and updating the General Plan each year. The Housing Element APR must describe progress made by the City to implement policies adopted in the Housing Element and to meet the City’s share of RHNA.