Planning Code, Zoning, and General Plan

The City of Oakland has released a draft set of Downtown Oakland Specific Plan (DOSP) Zoning Amendments designed to encourage affordable housing, support arts and culture, promote transit, encourage economic opportunity, enhance green spaces, and protect historic areas.

The draft General Plan Housing Element outlines the strategies and policies the City will implement over the next eight years in order to meet Oakland’s housing needs. The Housing Element was last updated in 2015 and is now being updated with public input to reflect the recent housing opportunities, challenges, and approaches that have emerged in the Oakland community, as well as to comply with new state laws.

The City of Oakland has developed a program to encourage the construction of detached Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) by offering a selection of pre-approved building plans for use on properties with Single-Family, Two-Family, or Multi-Family homes that can be downloaded from our website at no charge.