Housing Element Update

At this hearing, City Council received an overview of the draft Housing Element, took public comment, and provided feedback to staff. 

Agenda
Council Agenda Report
Staff Presentation
Public Comment

At this hearing the Planning Commission received an overview of the draft Housing Element, took public comment, and provided feedback to staff. 

Agenda
Staff Report
Staff Presentation
Public Comment

This workshop described the Housing Element process, regional needs, and local challenges; and include a panel discussion and breakout groups for each jurisdiction. The meeting materials are found below.

Establishing overarching, agreed-upon goals for housing is one of the first steps in updating the Housing Element. Per Government Code §65583(b), the goals must reflect the City’s commitment to affirmatively furthering fair housing and to the maintenance, preservation, improvement, and development of housing. The goals set the stage for policies and specific programs to achieve the stated goals and objectives. Per the California Department of Housing and Community Development, the programs (i.e., implementation actions) must include a description of the City’s specific role in implementation; definitive implementation timelines; objectives, quantified where appropriate; and identification of responsible agencies and officials.

City Council approved these goals at its meeting on May 17, 2022:

Goal 1 Create New Housing: Create new healthy, safe, and energy-efficient housing that meets community needs, within our resources.

Goal 2 Prioritize Affordable Housing: Prioritize housing that is affordable to the City’s workforce and vulnerable communities, by use of deed restrictions and other measures, over other types of development, with special emphasis on housing that meets the needs of extremely low, very low, low, moderate, and middle income, and special needs households.

Goal 3 Provide Housing Assistance: Provide financial resources and supportive services for members of the community who need housing assistance.

Goal 4 Promote Housing Stability: Implement tenant protection measures, promote full-time occupancy of existing housing, and discourage conversion of housing to other uses.

Goal 5 Preserve Housing: Maintain and improve the physical condition of existing housing at all affordability levels.

Goal 6 Engage the Community: Educate the community about housing issues, affordable housing opportunities, and available resources and programs.

Goal 7 Coordinate with Regional Partners: Coordinate with surrounding communities and regional agency partners to address regional housing issues, homelessness, and the jobs/housing balance.

Goal 8 Fund Affordable Housing: Develop a permanent source of local funding to produce deed-restricted affordable housing.

The Housing Element of the City’s General Plan identifies Santa Barbara’s housing needs and establishes goals, policies, and actions to further the City’s commitment to the production of affordable housing and sound community planning. The City’s current Housing Element was adopted in 2015 and addresses the 2015 to 2023 planning period. To view the most recent Housing Element Annual Progress Reports required by the state, click here. The file is large, please give it time to open. Once you see the file on the left-hand side of the screen click it, then you can download it with the download icon on the upper left of the screen. The excel file has multiple tabs of information.

State law requires an update to the Housing Element every eight years. These frequent updates are required because housing is critical to ensure economic prosperity and quality of life in our region. The updated Housing Element must be adopted by City Council no later than February 2023 or the City could lose eligibility for significant sources of funding currently provided by the State.

The components of the Housing Element Update are largely dictated by the State. The following chapters must be included:

• A detailed analysis of the City’s demographic, economic and housing characteristics.
• A comprehensive analysis of constraints to producing and preserving housing.
• A review of the City’s progress in implementing current housing policies and programs.
• Identification of goals, objectives, policies and programs that will implement the vision of the plan.
• A list of sites that could accommodate new housing, demonstrating the City’s ability to meet our Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA).