Nearly a year has passed since the City last spoke with the community about the broader General Plan Update, and we appreciate your continued interest in Shafter’s future. The City is working through High-Speed Rail alignment and regional circulation questions while exploring options to restart the broader planning effort. In the meantime, Housing Element rezoning must move forward to meet deadlines and requirements imposed by State law.

What Is Being Proposed to Implement the Housing Element?

The City is proposing targeted changes to comply with commitments made in the adopted 2023-2031 Housing Element. Working with interested property owners, Shafter has identified a revised approach that maintains compliance with State law while reducing the amount of land that would need to be rezoned.

The proposed changes would:

• Update portions of the Housing Element
• Modify land use and zoning on 12 properties throughout central Shafter
• Create capacity for future multifamily housing
• Help the City meet State housing requirements while preserving local control over land use decisions

Because some of the properties that were identified for rezoning through this process are different than the candidates sites identified in the adopted Housing Element, an amendment to the Housing Element is also proposed to be consistent with the rezoning.

Learn More

Frequently Asked Questions and maps are available now at:
www.myinput.com/planshafter/housing-element-implementation

All of the draft materials under consideration will be available by September 30 on the same webpage.

Community Open House

• When: Thursday, October 8, 2026 at 6 PM
• Where: Shafter Police Department Conference Room |201 Central Valley Highway

At the open house, you will be able to:

• Learn about proposed housing and land use changes
• Understand why rezoning is required by State law
• Review maps and draft materials
• Share questions, concerns, and feedback with City staff and the project team
• Provide input before formal State review and adoption proceedings begin
• Kids station (coloring / building blocks)

The open house will provide an opportunity to review maps and proposed changes, ask questions, and share comments before the materials are submitted for State review.

Planning Commission and City Council information session

In addition to the Open House there will be joint planning commission and City Council information session on Tuesday, October 6th at 5pm in the City Council Chambers. The materials presented at this session will cover the same topics as the Open House.

Submit Comments

Comments and/or questions may be submitted at the open house or by emailing the City at myinput@planshafter.com.

The official public review period will begin September 30 and close October 14th at 5PM - comments received before then will be considered prior to submitting the Housing Element to the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) for formal review.

We hope you'll join us and be part of the conversation about Shafter's future.