Humboldt County Grapples with Housing Needs and Coastal Resilience

The Humboldt County Association of Governments (HCAOG) held a hybrid meeting on August 21, 2025, to address critical issues facing the county: a significant housing shortage and the need for coastal resilience in the face of climate change. The meeting, attended by key officials including Chair Johnson and representatives from various municipalities and the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), centered on the 7th Cycle Regional Housing Needs Determination (RHND) and the Eureka Arcata Corridor Comprehensive Adaptation and Implementation Plan (CAIP).

Addressing the Housing Crisis: The 7th Cycle RHND

The primary focus of the meeting was a presentation on the HCAOGs 7th Cycle RHND. This process, explained by presenters, involves determining the total housing need for the region and allocating that need to cities and counties, considering factors like household growth, size, formation rates, overcrowding, vacancy rates, cost burdens, job-housing relationships, and homelessness data. Significant updates to the methodology since the 6th cycle include adjustments for homelessness, jobs-housing balance, and replacement needs for seasonal housing. The presentation detailed the housing unit needs by income category for Humboldt County.

Marissa Prasse, Fair Housing Section Chief at HCD, fielded questions from the board, clarifying data sources and methodology. Mayor Pro Tem Kenny of Trinidad raised concerns about the accuracy of income statistics in Humboldt County, given the prevalence of under-the-table income. The potential consequences of not meeting RHNA numbers were also discussed.

Coastal Resilience: The CAIP and OM270 Project

The meeting also covered the Eureka Arcata Corridor Comprehensive Adaptation and Implementation Plan (CAIP), a crucial component of the Eureka-Arcata Highway 101 Corridor Improvement Project. Leslie Castellano from Caltrans Climate Adaptation Branch provided an overview, highlighting the annual monitoring and reporting requirements and the vulnerability assessment. Caltrans is seeking a two-year extension from the Coastal Commission to complete the CAIP by December 2027, as the original deadline is December 31, 2025. A related project, the OM270 SLR Resiliency Project, aims to address the imminent threat of inundation planned for the early 2030s, using CAIP studies to inform its design.

Colin Fisk, General Manager of the McKinleyville Community Services District, stressed the importance of coordinating the RHNA process with other regional plans, such as the transportation and climate action plans.

Next Steps and Citizen Involvement

The meeting concluded with an outline of next steps: HCAOG will develop the RHNA methodology, followed by HCD review and adoption. Local jurisdictions will then submit their housing elements. Caltrans will submit the CAIP to the Coastal Commission, and the OM270 project will proceed. For more information on the HCAOG and access to meeting records and agendas, visit [http://www.hcaog.net/content/board-directors](http://www.hcaog.net/content/board-directors). Future meeting dates and agendas will be posted on the website.