Santa Barbara announces Wednesday that the City’s Housing Element complies with state law
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The City of Santa Barbara announced on Wednesday that the California Department of Housing and Community Development found the city's adopted Housing Element to be in substantial compliance with state law.
“This is a significant milestone and is a document that the community can be proud of. Special thanks to our dedicated Planning Division and City Attorney's Office staff, the Planning Commission, and the City Council for their tireless efforts over the past several years,” said City Planner Allison De Busk.
The City of Santa Barbara submitted its 2023-2031 Housing Element for state approval on Dec. 21, 2023, after it was adopted by the City Council on Dec. 12, 2023.
The Housing Element is a state-mandated portion of the city's General Plan that specifies how the city intends to meet its Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) of 8,001 units at varying levels of affordability.
“This document provides the City with a solid foundation for new programs that will help us meet our affordability and housing needs. We’re pleased to have it certified – it’s been a long and challenging process with the state’s review and new requirements," detail Community Development Director Elias Isaacson. "We’re eager to work with the community on implementation and construction of much needed housing.”
The City of Santa Barbara detailed that the city can meet its required RHNA without needing to rezone parcels for higher density.
Due to that finding, the City of Santa Barbara states that it will no longer accept project applications under the Builder's Remedy provisions in the Housing Accountability Act.
