What is a Priority Development Area?

Priority Development Areas (PDAs) are locally designated areas within existing communities that have been identified and approved by local cities or counties for future growth. These areas are typically accessible to transit, jobs, shopping and other services. Over 70 local governments have voluntarily designated some 170 PDAs, which are proposed to absorb about 80 percent of new housing and over 60 percent of new jobs on less than five percent of the Bay Area’s land.  The result is a locally supported, compact and efficient growth pattern that meets CARB’s GHG reduction targets and provides adequate housing for the Bay Area’s growing population.