Patterson’s Housing Needs

The Housing Element, a state-mandated policy document, outlines how cities will meet the housing needs of all income groups. Unfortunately, the City of Patterson has been out of compliance with its 6th Cycle Housing Element since December 31, 2023. The penalties for non-compliance are severe, potentially leading to ineligibility or delay in receiving state funds, as well as additional financial and legal ramifications for the City.  According to the City’s own analysis, Patterson could face a housing shortage as early as 2026. The Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) has mandated that the City provide 3,716 homes by 2031, and Keystone Ranch is expected to play a central role in meeting this state-mandated housing goal. Keystone Ranch would deliver significant new housing, infrastructure, and community improvements, presenting a hopeful prospect for addressing the city’s growing housing challenges. But instead of supporting this effort, the City has repeatedly violated state housing laws, including SB 330 (the Housing Crisis Act), the Housing Accountability Act, and the Mitigation Fee Act. The City has rejected Keystone’s tentative vesting map, imposed costly and unnecessary approval conditions, and demanded a $20 million groundwater recharge basin, despite prior studies confirming that sufficient water supply already exists and that a recharge basin is not needed until 2040.