The City of Merced collaborates on

A Multi-Jurisdictional Housing Element 

The Merced County region is developing a multi-jurisdictional housing element (MJHE) for the sixth cycle housing element update. Jurisdictions participating in the joint effort are the City of Merced, County of Merced, and the cities of Atwater, Dos Palos, Gustine, Livingston, and Los Banos. The Merced County Association of Governments is helping to coordinate the effort.

The Housing Element, a required component of the General Plan, presents a strategy for meeting the community’s housing needs. It addresses: 

• Housing constraints
• Available land and resources
• Housing needs across income levels
• Fair housing requirements
• Goals, policies, and programs to guide future housing development 

A website has been developed that will be the primary source for materials related to the Merced MJHE, including project documents, community workshop information, reports, and resources, and provide the community with ways to provide feedback on the project.

Click here to Go Directly to the Merced MJHE Website.

The 5th Revision of the City of Merced’s Section (Appendix G) of the Draft Multi-Jurisdictional Housing Element is now available for public review. Only Chapter G5 Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing and Chapter G7: Housing Plan were modified for this revision.  All other sections remain the same as the draft submitted in December 2025. 

Visit the project website for documents and additional information:  Project Resources - Merced County Housing Element

The City of Merced’s Draft Housing Element will be available for public comment for 7 days ( March 5 – March 12, 2026 at 5 pm), as required by law.

• To access the modifications directly, click here to see Chapter G5: Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing.
• Click here to see Chapter G7:  Housing Plan

Please submit all comments to BrownL@cityofmerced.gov by 5pm, March 12, 2026. 

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To see the entire set of Public Review documents for each agency involved in this Multi-Jurisdictional Housing Element  - Click Here!

The first public comment window closed in June of 2024 for the first draft, the comments received on the draft are linked below.

 The second public comment window closed in April 2025 for the revised draft, the comments received on the draft are linked below.

Click here for Housing Element Addendum to General Plan EIR - for a printable version of the Housing Element

Addendum.

For questions regarding the Housing Element or rezoning, please contact Leah Brown, Management Analyst, Development Services at brownl@cityofmerced.gov.