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What is the General Plan and why update it now?

The General Plan is a statement of goals, objectives, policies and actions that describe the community’s priorities for the next 20 years. California State law requires that every city adopt and maintain an up to date, internally consistent general plan. The City’s current General Plan has not been comprehensively updated since 1990, and many new and important challenges are facing the Alameda community. The draft General Plan addresses climate change, affordable housing, equity and inclusiveness, safe streets, open space and park funding priorities, and disaster preparation.

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WHAT ARE WE PLANNING FOR?

Located at the center of a growing and evolving San Francisco Bay Area, Alameda’s next 20 years will be a period of change.

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Population Growth + Housing

By 2040, the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area is projected to grow to include 4.5 million jobs and 9.3 million people. The continued growth in employment and population will continue to create both housing challenges and economic opportunities both regionally and locally. The General Plan anticipates that Alameda will continue to provide for its share of the growing regional housing need as required by State Housing Law and Alameda’s regional housing needs allocation, which is expected to generate the need for construction of approximately 6,000 to 10,000 new units, which will increase Alameda’s population from approximately 80,000 in 2020 to between 94,000 residents and 104,000 residents in 2040. The General Plan directs growth to the former Naval Air Station, the former industrial lands along the northern waterfront, and the Park Street and Webster Street transit corridors. Alameda’s existing historic neighborhoods and commercial main streets will look very similar in 2040 as they do today.

Job Growth and Employment

Over the next 20 years, the San Francisco Bay Area is expected to remain a global leader and center for the development of new technologies, research, development, and innovation. The growing Bay Area economy is expected to create opportunities for business and job growth in Alameda and increased on-island employment opportunities for Alameda residents. Over the next 20 years, Alameda Point, the Northern Waterfront and in the Harbor Bay Business Park have the opportunity to 10,000 to 13,000 new jobs that will be added in Alameda during the next twenty years.

Transportation and the Climate Crisis

Over the next twenty years, transportation and climate change are expected to pose major challenges for the Alameda community. Housing shortages and employment growth will continue to contribute to worsening congestion on the regional freeway and transit systems, including Alameda’s connecting network of streets, roads, and transit systems. Additional vehicle trips will continue to increase regional greenhouse gas emissions. As described in the Transportation Element and Land Use Element, the community will continue to develop alternative, more climate friendly transportation options for a growing population and prepare the community for the impacts of climate change and sea level rise in Alameda.