Vallejo, CA Zoning Overlays & Bonuses: Density Bonus Law (2026)
Key Facts
- Density increase
- 5% to 35% above zone maximum
- Affordability trigger
- 20% lower-income or 10% very low-income units
- Minimum project size
- 5 or more dwelling units
- Affordability term
- Minimum 55 years
- Review body
- Planning commission, appealable to city council
- State law basis
- Cal. Gov. Code Sec. 65915
Summary
Vallejo grants a density increase of five to thirty-five percent above the zone's maximum for projects that reserve twenty percent of units for lower-income households or ten percent for very low-income households. The bonus, set under Municipal Code Section 16.214.03, tracks California Government Code Section 65915 and applies only to developments of five or more dwelling units.
A developer agreeing to construct at least twenty percent of a project's total housing units for lower-income households or ten percent of the total units for very low-income households shall be granted an increase of five to thirty-five percent over the maximum residential density otherwise permitted, depending on the level of affordability, percentage of units that are affordable, and inclusion of child care facilities, and owner occupancy requirements in the housing development. Such Density Bonus shall be as set forth in California Government Code Section 65915. The provisions of this Chapter shall apply to the construction of projects that include five or more dwelling units.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Update 12 - 25).
Full Breakdown
4) inside Vallejo's Zoning Code. 04 adds further bonus eligibility for land donation, an on-site childcare facility, or condominium conversion. 05, each project may draw only one density bonus category (very low, low, moderate income, or senior housing), and any fractional bonus units round up to the next whole number. 09, spelling out which units are reserved, the applicable HUD income limits, and rent caps of thirty percent of sixty percent of area median income for moderate and low-income units, or thirty percent of fifty percent for very low-income units.
Reserved units must stay income-restricted for a minimum of fifty-five years, and owners must file an annual certification of compliance with the planning division listing tenants, rents or sale prices, and household incomes. 10, reviewed concurrently with any required use permit by the planning commission, with city council review on appeal. 13, such as a documented adverse impact on public health, safety, or a historic resource.
Violations & Fines
Section 16.214.09(L) makes noncompliance with the recorded Affordable Housing Agreement a code violation: the city may impose a fine set by the city council and extend the affordability period on a day-for-day basis for every day of noncompliance, enforced through the property tax rolls under the city's administrative citation procedures. The developer or owner must also file the annual compliance certification required by Section 16.214.09(K); failing to do so can trigger enforcement under that same agreement.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big a density bonus can a Vallejo project get?
Can a developer stack multiple density bonus categories?
How long must the affordable units stay restricted?
What happens if the affordable housing agreement is violated?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Vallejo
California rules heatmap·Compare Vallejo to another location·View the California zoning overlays & bonuses overview
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Density Bonus Law in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Solano County handle density bonus law.