About Monterey County Housing and Community Development (HCD)

The Housing and Community Development Department brings together a range of Land Use and Capital services, including the Permit Center, Development Services, and Planning Services to ensure reasonable and safe development, plan for the future needs of the County, manage infrastructure and protect natural resources.

HCD Director - Craig Spencer

HCD Administrative Secretary - Melissa McDougal

Contact information:

Front Counter Hours
8am - 4pm

Monday through Friday
Ph: (831) 755-5025

1441 Schilling Place
South 2nd Floor
Salinas, CA 93901

Staff Directory

HCD consists of the following Divisions:

Land Use & Community Development Division- Provides management oversight for land use functions within the HCD and coordinates with outside agencies.  Includes Development Services; Building Services, Environmental Services, and Engineering Services, and  Planning Services and Permit Center. 

• Development Services, Chief of Building Services - Joshua Bowling, CBO, CCEO, CISEC

• Building Services - Provides plan check and inspection services.
• Environmental Services - Provides oversight of grading, erosion control, and storm water management.
• Engineering Services - Ensures new development projects comply with applicable regulations and provide the necessary public infrastructure.

• Planning Services - Provides land use permit services and manages the County's land use policies and regulations.
  Acting Chief of Planning - Melanie Beretti
  Principal Planner - Current Planning - Anna Quenga
• Permit Center – Manages front counter operations, including permit processing.  Provides general support services (reception, call center, cashier, records, scanning).  Also special event permits and assistance starts in the HCD Permit Center.

HCD Vision
The Vision of the Monterey County Housing and Community Development is to enhance the quality of life and economic health of the community by providing responsive, efficient, and high quality public services and to promote good stewardship of natural and man-made resources.

 HCD Values

• Honesty, hard work, and ethical behavior
• Transparency and Accountability
• Communication and Coordination with the public and partner agencies
• Empower staff and recognize superior performance
• Equitable treatment and respect of all constituents
• Excellence in service delivery

Workplace Safety Program

The County of Monterey is committed to providing a safe and incident-free workplace by continuously promoting and implementing a comprehensive injury and illness educational program to increase awareness of, and the commitment to, employee safety and health at all levels of management and labor.  

Our vision is to achieve a working environment that is safe and healthful for all County employees. County employee safety is facilitated and promoted by the Risk Management Division in combination with each department head and selected department safety coordinator with the goal of preventing workplace injuries, illnesses, and fatalities.  The Risk Management Division provides department specific procedures to protect the safety, health and welfare of all County employees by providing an environment free of conditions with potential to cause injury and illness. Development and implementation of realistic policies and procedures to comply with occupational safety and health regulations are continuously reviewed, and where regulations do not exist, developed and implemented by our own reasonable standards, while recognizing, evaluating and controlling potential workplace hazards and recommending necessary corrective actions and follow up to ensure implementation.

Our mission is to continuously promote a positive attitude towards safety, health principles and practices. It is our goal is to acknowledge and respond to customer requests in a courteous and professional manner, report findings, recommend necessary corrective actions accurately while respecting confidences of all affected parties, maintaining the highest level of professional integrity and competence.

To learn more about the County’s practices, goals, mission, views and training, please visit Workplace Safety Program | Monterey County, CA