State Finds County’s Adopted Housing Element Substantially Conforms to State Law

The California Department of Housing and Community Development (State HCD) found the County’s adopted housing element in substantial compliance with State Housing Element Law as of January 22, 2024. This follows the County Board of Supervisors adoption of the 2023-2031 Housing Element Update (HEU) on December 5, 2023. The County submitted the adopted housing element to State HCD for mandated review on December 8, 2023. The State had up to 90 days to review the submittal; the letter finding the County’s housing element in compliance, can be found at Adopted Housing Element State Letter.

“HCD appreciates the diligent effort from the County’s housing element team throughout the housing element update and review process. HCD particularly commends the leadership and collaboration of [the team]. HCD applauds the team’s public service and attention to housing and community development needs,” stated Paul McDougall, Senior Program Manager at State HCD.

The State’s finding means the County will no longer be accepting project applications under the Builder’s Remedy provisions in the Housing Accountability Act. These provisions allow for housing projects to move forward on sites that are not planned or zoned for this use.

The State’s finding comes as the County is working on the rezones that are required as part of the implementation of the adopted Housing Element Update. The County released its draft Housing Element Program Environmental Impact Report (EIR) on Wednesday, December 20, 2023. It can be found on the County’s website.

The draft Program EIR analyzes the potential impacts associated with implementation of the Housing Element Update’s goals, policies, and programs including the potential rezone program. Public hearings were scheduled and public comments have been accepted since its release and will continue to be accepted until 5 p.m. Friday, February 9, 2024.

A public comment hearing was completed in north county on January 17, 2024, and another public comment hearing is set to take place on Tuesday, January 23, 2024, at the Planning Commission Hearing Room (first floor), 105 E. Anapamu St., Santa Barbara at 5:30 p.m. It may be attended virtually as well; links are posted on the County’s website https://www.countyofsb.org/3177/Housing-Element-Update.

Comments may also be submitted to the project planner, Hannah Thomas at 123 E. Anapamu Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, (805) 568-3577, or by email at housingelement@countyofsb.org prior to the close of the public comment period, February 9, 2024.

After the public’s comments are received, the County will compile and respond to comments, and make changes to the draft Program EIR as applicable. The County Planning Commission will hold hearings on the potential rezone sites in early 2024 and make recommendations to the Board of Supervisors who will make final decisions on the rezones in spring of 2024.

For this cycle, State HCD requires that Santa Barbara County identify sites to accommodate 5,664 new housing units in unincorporated portions of Santa Barbara County between 2023 and 2031. This is an 8-fold increase from the last cycle. That housing needs allocation, the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA), is further broken down to require 4,142 units in the South Coast region and 1,522 units in the North County region. This breakdown attempts to address the current jobs housing imbalance.

The State requires the County’s Housing Element to accommodate 2,818 very low, low- and moderate-income units.

The Adopted HEU can be found at: https://www.countyofsb.org/3177/Housing-Element-Update.

An interactive map showing all the potential housing sites can be found at: https://sbcopad.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=9375e0705e864eada0ff535c23ba99ac.

The Housing Element Update is one of the mandated components of a General Plan. It directs local governments to plan for the existing and projected housing needs of all economic segments of the community. This is the 6th Housing Element cycle, covering 2023-2031.