Prohousing Designation Program

The City of Santa Barbara is excited to announce our intent to pursue a Prohousing Designation from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). This designation will recognize Santa Barbara’s commitment to accelerating housing production and implementing housing-friendly policies.

In 2024, City Council adopted a resolution authorizing application to and participation in the Prohousing Designation Program. Threshold requirements for the Prohousing Designation include having a certified Housing Element, engaging in a public participation process, complying with applicable state housing law related to the Permit Streamlining Act and CEQA, and more.

Prohousing Designation Application Review

The Public Review Draft Prohousing Designation application is now available for public review until August 28, 2025 and will be previewed by City Council on July 29th, 2025. The Council Agenda Report is available. 

For convenience, some of the appendices are provided under separate cover.  

• July 2025 Public Review Draft Prohousing Designation Application
• Appendix 1: Resolution Authorizing Application
• Appendix 5: Encampment Template and Supporting Documentation
• Appendix 7: Supporting Documentation Hyperlinks

Please submit your comments to Rosie Dyste, Interim Principal Planner at RDyste@SantaBarbaraCA.gov by August 28, 2025. 

Benefits to Applying

Receiving a Prohousing Designation documents the City’s commitment to housing and recognizes the work that has already been done to address the City’s housing shortage and affordability crisis. The Prohousing Designation makes the City eligible to apply for Prohousing Incentive Program (PIP) funds, a state investment from the Building Homes and Jobs Trust Fund, to create and conserve affordable housing. It also makes the City eligible for priority processing or funding points when applying for several infrastructure and other funding programs, including:

• Affordable Housing & Sustainable Communities
• Infill Infrastructure Grant
• Transformative Climate Communities
• Solutions for Congested Corridors
• Local Partnership Program
• Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program

Application Details

The Prohousing Designation application is submitted to HCD for review after the City engages in a public participation process that includes outreach and availability of the draft document for public comment. The Prohousing Designation Application consists of the application template and the following appendices:

• Appendix 1: The formal resolution authorizing the City to apply for a Prohousing Designation
• Appendix 2: Proposed policy completion schedule (for programs not yet completed)
• Appendix 3: Self-scoring sheet and sample self-scoring sheet
• Appendix 4: Examples of prohousing policies with enhancement factors
• Appendix 5: Homeless Encampment Template
• Appendix 6: Diligent Public Participation Checklist
• Appendix 7: Additional Information and Supporting Documentation

The core of the application is focused on Appendix 3, the self-scoring sheet. There are four categories in which to receive points including:

1. Favorable Zoning and Land Use
2. Acceleration of Housing Production Timeframes
3. Reduction of Construction and Development Costs
4. Providing Financial Subsidies

A minimum of 30 points must be reached to achieve a Prohousing Designation across the four categories. There are also enhancement factors, where each category can receive extra points if policies in the four categories align with state priorities, such as mitigating climate change, promoting fair housing, and preventing displacement. Points are received for both enacted and proposed policies. Proposed policies must be implemented within two years of application submittal.

Learn More

California Department of Housing and Community Development's Prohousing webpage for more details about the Prohousing Designation Program.