Image

Title

Housing Element Implementation

Body

The 2023-2031 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. On February 13, 2024, the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) informed the City that the 2023-2031 Housing Element is in substantial compliance with State Housing Element Law (Gov. Code, § 65580 et seq).

Suitable Sites Inventory

The City has adequate sites and sufficient zoning in place to meet its Regional Housing Needs Allocation for the 6th Cycle. For information about opportunities for development of multi-unit residential please refer to the Suitable Sites Inventory for a map and more information.

Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) Progress

Each year the City submits an Annual Progress Report (APR) to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) that tracks housing building permits issued by income category, including recent revisions to accessory dwelling unit (ADU) income classifications based on rent data from the Santa Barbara County Associations of Governments 2024 ADU Owner Survey Report. HCD approved updates to the designated income categories for ADUs and future reports will reflect these changes to better align with RHNA targets. The updated RHNA progress report up through 2025 is summarized below.

Very Low Income

2,147 RHNA Allocation
152 Units Permitted
1,995 Units Remaining or 93%

Low Income

1,381 RHNA Allocation
175 Units Permitted
1,205 Units Remaining or 87%

Moderate Income

1,441 RHNA Allocation
118 Units Permitted
1,323 Units Remaining or 92%

Above Moderate Income

3,032 RHNA Allocation
418 Units Permitted
2,614 Units Remaining or 86%

Total

8,001 RHNA Allocation
863 Units Permitted
7,138 Units Remaining or 89%

6th Cycle Housing Plan Implementation

The Housing Plan includes 32 programs that are the core of the City's Housing Strategy, translating goals and policies into actions. These include on-going programs, procedural changes, zoning ordinance amendments, and other actions that implement the housing policies and help achieve housing goals. Program implementation status is grouped by Housing Element Goals. Programs not listed below have not yet been started.

Programs are reviewed annually through the General Plan Annual Progress Report (APR) provided by April 1 each year to City Council and HCD. Environmental review for implementation of the Housing Element Programs is underway with preparation of a Housing Plan Program EIR.

Sections

[ expand/close all ]

Goal 1: Create New Housing

Create new healthy, safe, and energy-efficient housing that meets community needs, within our resources.

Completed and In Progress

HE-1: Facilitate Conversion of Nonresidential Buildings to Housing Adaptive Reuse Ordinance.
HE-3: Amend the Zoning Ordinance for Special Needs Housing
HE-4: Use-by-Right Permitting
HE-5: Process Improvements Single Family Design Board Amendments completed. Multi-unit amendments forthcoming.
HE-6: Facilitate Production of Accessory Dwelling Units Pre-Approved ADUs is complete. Other amendments are forthcoming
HE-7: Objective Design Standards Objective Design and Development Standards for Multi-Unit Housing
HE-8: Innovative Housing Types
HE-9: Resource Protection and Development Certainty MEA Guidelines Update Updates completed for Archaeological Resources, Tribal Cultural Resources, and Historic Resources. Other guidelines are forthcoming.
HE-10: Multi-Unit Housing Program

Continuous

HE-11: Livable Neighborhoods

Goal 2: Prioritize Affordable Housing

Prioritize housing that is affordable to the workforce and vulnerable communities, by the 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.

Completed and In Progress

HE-12: Prioritize Deed-Restricted Affordable Housing Portions of this program were completed and the inclusionary housing ordinance under HE-13 includes a component of incentivizing affordable housing.
HE-13: Evaluate Inclusionary Housing Ordinance Study is complete and ordinance amendments are underway.
HE-14: City Land Registry

Continuous

HE-15: Track Housing Production No Net Loss procedures are ongoing. This program also includes regular ADU surveys. In 2024, the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments conducted an ADU owner survey.

October 2024 Accessory Dwelling Unit Owner Survey

Goal 3: Provide Housing Assistance

Provide financial resources and supportive services for members of the community who need housing assistance.

Completed and Continuous

HE-16: Create Affordable Housing Funds The Local Housing Trust Fund was established in 2024. Use of the funds is continuous. First phase funding was committed to the City of Santa Barbara Housing Authority for a project of 46 units and People's Self Help Housing for a project of 65 units.

Goal 4: Promote Housing Stability

Implement tenant protection measures, promote full-time occupancy of existing housing, and discourage conversion of housing to other uses.

Completed and In Progress

HE-19: Short-Term Rental Framework and Ordinance Ordinance is underway.
HE-20: Evaluate Hotel Zones
HE-21: Residential Units Conversion Ordinance This effort has started by monitoring trends.

Continuous

HE-17: Support Rental Housing Mediation Program The RHMP typically serves 1,220 clients annually.
HE-22: Affirmatively Further Fair Housing Program and Opportunities Every April the City recognizes Fair Housing Month by proclamations received by the Rental Housing Mediation Supervisor on behalf of the Rental Housing Mediation Program and Board.
HE-23: Monitor and Preserve Existing Affordable Housing

Goal 5: Preserve Housing

Maintain and improve the physical condition of existing housing at all affordability levels.

Continuous

HE-24: Fund Home Rehabilitation and Provide Technical Assistance City uses CDBG and HOME funds to rehabilitate low-income rental units, assisting approximately 34 households annually.
HE-25: Fund Home Improvements and Repairs The City allocates CDBG funds to Habitat for Humanity for the low-income owner-occupied home repair and rehabilitation program.

Goal 6: Engage the Community

Educate and support the community about housing issues, affordable housing opportunities, and available resources and programs.

In Progress and Continuous

HE-26: Renters Rights Information The City maintains a Landlord and Tenants Rights webpage with information on getting questions answered. In 2024, the City adopted amendments to the Municipal Code relating to Just Cause Eviction, Tenant Right of First Refusal to Re-rent following a no-fault just cause eviction, Occupancy following a Substantial Remodel, and Protection of Tenants from Harassment.
HE-27: Housing Resources for the Public and HE-28: Housing Supply and Affordability Education Campaign The Housing and Human Services webpage provides information about affordable housing resources with documents in English and Spanish. As required by Assembly Bills 2234 and AB 1483, the City posted all the required information for transparency for residential development regulations, costs, and post-entitlement processing.

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.

Continuous

HE-29: Joint Legislative Platform The Cities-County Joint Affordable Housing Task Force meets quarterly to discuss affordable housing on a regional level. The City worked with the County on a comprehensive homeless grant for HUD Continuum of Care funds.
HE-30: Affordable Student, Staff, and Faculty Housing The Santa Barbara Unified School District is working with the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara to develop housing for their teachers and staff.

Goal 8: Fund Affordable Housing

Street view of a multi-family residential building in Santa Barbara

City Council to Discuss Inclusionary Housing Requirements

The Inclusionary Housing and In-Lieu Fee Study will be considered at the City Council meeting on May 5, 2026. Staff will present the Study, accept public comments, and request guidance from City Council for future inclusionary housing…

April 30, 2026

Photo of apartments in the West Beach neighborhood

Short-Term Rental Ordinances at Ordinance Committee

On April 14, 2026, the Ordinance Committee will be considering a recommendation to City Council on adoption of ordinances to regulate short-term vacation rentals (STRs) throughout the City. These new laws aim to incentivize long-term…

April 10, 2026

Inclusionary Housing and In-Lieu Fee Study

The final Inclusionary Housing and In-Lieu Fee Study is now available. The Study will be presented and the inclusionary housing requirements will be discussed at public hearings this Spring:

April 3, 2026

Total results: 3 Page 1 of 1

All news

[ expand/close all ]

What is included in the Housing Element?

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).

What is the Regional Housing Needs Assessment?

RHNA stands for “Regional Housing Needs Assessment.” Every eight years, the State provides the regional number of housing units that should be accommodated to the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG), who then allocates that number to all the jurisdictions in the region. As a part of the Housing Element update, the City must demonstrate to the State that there is available zoning capacity for the units allocated. It is important to note that RHNA is not a mandate to build housing, but a requirement to plan for the capacity to accommodate those units and ensure that the City’s policies do not limit development.

The current cycle regional allocation, and therefore our City’s allocation, was significantly larger than it has been in past years. This allocation was a result of the State responding to the housing crisis by considering both “projected need” (i.e., units we need to accommodate new residents) and “existing need” (i.e., units we need to alleviate challenges like overcrowding and homelessness). The allocation also takes affordability into account by identifying the percentage of units that are needed at each income level. The City’s allocation for the 2023-2031 planning period is 8,001 units.

Income Level	2023-2031 RHNA Allocation
Very Low (0-50% AMI)	2,147 units
Low (51%-80% AMI)	1,381 units
Moderate (81%-120% AMI)	1,441 units
Above Moderate (>120% AMI)	3,032 units
Total	8,001 units

Contact

Resources

Housing Element Implementation

Suitable Sites Inventory

Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) Progress

6th Cycle Housing Plan Implementation

Goals and Program Implementation

Completed and In Progress

Continuous

Completed and In Progress

Continuous

Completed and Continuous

Completed and In Progress

Continuous

Continuous

Continuous

Latest News

Frequently Asked Questions

City Hall

Mailing Address

Contact

Resources

Housing Element Implementation

Suitable Sites Inventory

Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) Progress

6th Cycle Housing Plan Implementation

Goals and Program Implementation

Latest News

Frequently Asked Questions

City Hall

Mailing Address

Newsletters