Housing Programs

State and Federal Housing Agencies

• California Department of Housing and Community Development
• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
• ECHO Fair Housing

If you wish to speak to a staff member of the Housing and Community Development office, please contact us at (831) 755-5025.

The County of Monterey contracts with ECHO Fair Housing and Tenant/Landlord housing counseling services.

New ECHO representative providing services, Fernando.

If you are experiencing discrimination because of your race, national origin, family or marital status, disability, sexual orientation or gender, call toll free 855-ASK ECHO or email at contact@echofairhousing.org. 

The Housing Programs unit within the Housing and Community Development Department is dedicated to creating fair housing for all in thriving and inclusive neighborhoods. The unit is the lead agency for affordable housing programs.

 Housing Programs is responsible for:

• The County’s annual Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. The County and its partner cities use CDBG funding for a variety of affordable housing, infrastructure, public facilities, and public services.
• The County’s Inclusionary Housing Program. This program requires many residential developers to provide housing that is affordable to low- and moderate-income households.
• Supporting the Planning Department with information on Inclusionary requirements and state laws designed to support the construction of additional housing including state density bonus and SB35 permit streamlining.
• Managing a variety of other state and local grants that support community and housing planning activities.

The County of Monterey is required to prepare a Consolidated Plan, a five-year strategic plan, for the federal entitlement Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program funds it receives from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). 

Unincorporated Monterey County has a 34% renter rate. If you live in a local city, find out if your local government has its own temporary ordinance. You can read the County’s ordinance at this site: Monterey County Temporary Ordinance.

AB2663 – Inclusionary In-Lieu Fee Report

Commencing January 1, 2026, California AB 2663 requires local agencies that collect inclusionary housing in-lieu fees to annually post on their websites the amount collected in the previous year and the intended project use. Additionally, every five years, they must report the total fees collected and specific projects funded. The legislation aims to increase transparency for in-lieu fees used in affordable housing development.

Annual Reports must indicate the amount of in-lieu fees collected in the previous year and whether the in-lieu fees are intended for a specific project.

Five-Year Reports must include the total amount collected during the period and list the projects that were funded using those fees.

The County’s first AB2663 report covers the fiscal years 2010 through 2025.