2009-2014 Housing Element Update
Of the seven state-mandated elements that comprise the General Plan, the Housing Element is often characterized as the most regulated and reviewed. This underscores the State legislature’s mandate to local governments to provide adequate housing opportunities for residents of all economic levels. State law requires the County’s General Plan Housing Element to be updated every five years by identifying demographic and employment trends that affect housing supply and demand; refining programs and policies that support the State’s housing goals; and removing local regulatory barriers that result in market failures and ineffective planning.
The Revised 2003-2008 Housing Element, adopted by the Board on May 9, 2006 and amended in September 2008 and February 2009, contains a number of policies that address Santa Barbara County’s regional housing need. The planning cycle for the 2009-2014 Housing Element Update has recently commenced. Accordingly, the County is closing out the 2003-2008 Housing Element.
The 2009-2014 Housing Element update incorporates recent changes in State law affecting a variety of housing policies including those related to density bonus provisions, second units, farmworker housing, transitional housing, and the State’s emerging policy architecture built to address climate change, thereby ensuring lasting communities.
The Housing Element update also evaluates the efficiency, effectiveness, and ongoing applicability of pre-existing policies and programs. Several factors have made this planning cycle much different than the previous one; as a result, the new Housing Element will respond to those factors and is based on three facts:
- The current economy has changed the housing market. The current recession has resulted in a broad increase of housing affordability in many communities throughout the unincorporated County. Yet, with a decrease in housing prices, other challenges persist that have kept attainment of decent housing a struggle for some.
- A new planning paradigm has emerged. Changes in State housing law and the State’s long term planning directive have pushed for a smarter policy framework that emphasizes the need to make the best use of limited land and resources. This new paradigm is one that mirrors many locally held planning traditions—traditions that help to preserve the County’s rural heritage, along with the values expressed in each of the County’s unique community planning areas.
- Ongoing County efforts to increase customer service have resulted in the simplification, streamlining, and consolidation of numerous planning documents. Accordingly, the policy framework in the 2003-2008 Housing Element will be evaluated and changes proposed to consolidate redundant and/or irrelevant program goals, objectives, and policies.
How will this affect housing policy in the County?
Alignment with this policy and programmatic environment will result in a simplified Housing Element that demonstrates the County’s ability to address it's fair share of regional housing needs, while simultaneously facilitating the discussion of affordable housing options through the County’s well-established tradition of “community-up” planning. In this context, the unincorporated areas will continue to determine appropriate housing solutions through ongoing community planning efforts, and through the leveraged use of public financial resources to improve existing housing stock while also preserving open space and agricultural land.
Upcoming Public Hearings
On November 2, 2010, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors made a unanimous decision to approve the 2009-2014 Housing Element.
Project Documents
- Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) Process
- Housing Element Update 2009-2014: Frequently Asked Questions
- Board Adopted 2009-2014 Housing Element - November 2010 (Note: Entire Document is 399 pages, including landscape and 11 x 17 pages)
- Preface and Table of Contents
- Chapter 1 - Introduction
- Chapter 2 - Housing Needs Assessment
- Chapter 3 - Housing Constraints and Mitigating Opportunities
- Chapter 4 - Evaluation of the County of Santa Barbara's 2003-2008 Housing Element
- Chapter 5 - Housing Goals, Policies, and Programs
- Chapter 6 - Land Inventory and Quantified Objective
- Appendix A - Inclusionary Housing Program: Background, Policy, and Implementation
- Appendix B - Analysis of Potential Constraints to Housing for Persons with Disabilties & Reasonable Accomodation Procedure
- Appendix C - Review and Revise Detail: 2003-2008 Policy Achievements
- Appendix D - Land Inventory Detail (Includes 11 x 17 Pages)
- Appendix E - County Zoning Requirements (Includes 11 x 17 Pages)
- Appendix F - Quality Housing Design and Development Incentives
- Appendix G - Housing Terms and Acronyms
- Appendix H - Public Comment on the Draft Housing Element 2009-2014
- Appendix I - Housing Element Amendment Summary
- Environmental Review
- Inclusionary Housing Program (IHP) Study by Economic Planning Systems, Inc.
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Stay informed about information pertaining to the update of the Draft Housing Element. Join our mailing list and receive information about the preparation of the 2009-2014 Housing Element.
Submit Comments
We welcome any ideas, comments, suggestions or questions you may have about the Housing Element preparation and process. Please submit these to the Long Range Planning Division via email.
Contacts
Jeff Hunt, Director: jhunt@co.santa-barbara.ca.us
June Pujo, Supervising Planner: jpujo@co.santa-barbara.ca.us
Erika Leachman, Senior Planner: eleachma@co.santa-barbara.ca.us