As home prices continue to rise and layoffs are taking place in the Bay Area, the demand and need for affordable housing will undoubtedly increase even more. With the recent certification of the San Carlos Housing Element by the State Department of Housing and Community Development, a total of 1,602 affordable housing units are set to be built in San Carlos within the next several years.
San Carlos currently has 137 units designated under Affordable Housing, and 73 more to be built in the near future. For the rest of the targeted 1529 units, the San Carlos Housing Element has designated most of those to be built in San Carlos Downtown.
About Affordable Housing in San Carlos
The steep housing costs in the San Carlos area primarily stem from the low rate of new construction. For instance, the Bay Area has seen just one new home built for every eight jobs created in the past several decades. Over half of the jobs offer middle to low wages, posing challenges for residents to afford rents, let alone homeownership.
Moreover, even higher-earning households in San Carlos feel the pinch of housing costs, which now constitute a significant portion of their incomes. Low-income households, constituting 20% of San Carlos and earning under $50,000 annually, encounter substantial affordability hurdles. In San Carlos, households of four with an annual income of $210,000 or less qualify for moderate-income Below Market Rate units. More info in the chart below:
California State Income Limits by Household Size (2023)
Effective 6/06/23 – Area Median Income $175,000 (based on a household of 4)
| HOUSEHOLD SIZE | ||||||||
| Income Category | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| Extremely Low (30% AMI)* | $39,150 | $44,750 | $50,350 | $55,900 | $60,400 | $64,850 | $69,350 | $73,800 |
| Very Low (50% AMI)* | $65,250 | $74,600 | $83,900 | $93,200 | $100,700 | $108,150 | $115,600 | $123,050 |
| Low (80% AMI)* | $104,400 | $119,300 | $134,200 | $149,100 | $161,050 | $173,000 | $184,900 | $196,850 |
| Median (100% AMI)* | $122,500 | $140,000 | $157,500 | $175,000 | $189,000 | $203,000 | $217,000 | $231,000 |
| Moderate (120% AMI)* | $147,000 | $168,000 | $189,000 | $210,000 | $226,800 | $243,600 | $260,400 | $277,200 |
* 2023 State Income limits provided by State of California Department of Housing and Community Development
Looking for Temporary Affordable Housing In San Carlos?
Check out the website of the City in San Carlos, which has the information on how to Apply for Affordable Housing.
Affordable Housing in the SC Housing Element 2024
If you’d like to read more about the City’s Plans for Affordable Housing, you may read it HERE:
About San Carlos CA
About The Hosts of San Carlos Life
Mark Martinho and Viv Kelvin are the owners of Vabrato Real Estate
