On October 29, 2013, the County Board of Supervisors adopted the 2013-2021 Housing Element to the Adopted General Plan. State housing element law requires every local government to update the housing element by the due date specified in statute, generally for either a five-year or eight-year planning period. The previous Housing Element was adopted on July 1, 2008 and amended on April 21, 2009.

The Housing Element is part of the County's General Plan designed to address the existing and projected housing needs of all economic segments of the community. The Housing Element serves as a framework to assess the County’s housing needs and establishes the County's housing policies. It is intended to ensure that decent, safe, and affordable shelter is provided for all residents of unincorporated areas of the county.

The Housing Element update process began in January 2012 and was completed with extensive public outreach including public workshops and community meetings, interviews with community residents, surveys, and other input. In November 2013, the County received a certification of compliance from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) for its adopted 2013-2021 Housing Element.