The housing shortage in Santa Barbara County’s South Coast, particularly for low- and moderate-income residents, is reaching crisis levels. This growing concern is now a frequent topic at public hearings, advocacy meetings, and in news reports.
The root of the problem is a lack of new housing development for many years. The situation has been made worse by the rise in short-term rentals and an increasing number of second or third homes left vacant for much of the year. While the County has met its obligation under the California Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) to plan for increased housing supply, there are serious barriers to building this housing, particularly for affordable and workforce housing.
Numerous barriers continue to stand in the way of actual construction. These include high land and labor costs, development fees, restrictive zoning, and neighborhood opposition (commonly known as “Not In My Back Yard” or NIMBY). Complex regulations further delay or block projects. The many federal and state programs that offer subsidies for affordable housing are underfunded, oversubscribed, and beset with confusing rules and deadlines. Recent shifts in federal policy have cast uncertainty on the future of these programs.
Although RHNA only mandates planning, not building housing, the County and cities do have tools to directly facilitate construction. These include expanding ministerial approvals, using objective design standards for accessory dwelling units (ADUs), revising restrictive codes, and rezoning land specifically for affordable and workforce housing.
The 2024-25 Santa Barbara County Grand Jury observed that our local governments on the South Coast, local non-profit organizations, many developers, and some employers are striving to create more housing, but much more needs to be done.
To truly address the South County’s housing needs and meet RHNA goals, local agencies must go beyond planning. They must commit meaningful resources to the actual development of this needed housing.
The full report can be read here.
BACKGROUND: The Santa Barbara County Grand Jury is a basic part of government within the judicial branch. All Grand Jury reports and agency formal responses to them are posted on the Jury’s website (www.sbcgj.org). The form and timing for required responses are specified by California Penal Code § 933 and 933.05.
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Why do we continue to ignore the elephant in the room? The GJ pointed to it: “the rise in short-term rentals and an increasing number of second or third homes left vacant for much of the year.” The commentators here want to squabble about building more, all we need to do is make proper use of what we have. Recently Spain and Portugal cracked down on these speculative ownerships for tourists (“AirBnB” stuff). We have rules against these uses in some places but they are only enforced on a complaint basis so if your neighbors are participating in the same thing no one hears a peep. We should have the city manager regularly scanning ads to see who is offering what for short term rentals. We should also consider a tax on vacant property/housing. This should increase monthly if the property is not put into its highest and best use (which is what it was permitted for probably).
RHS How many airbnb’s are in Santa Barbara? I think Goleta has 50ish. Most are single bedroom or studios. Not nearly enough to cause the problems they are blamed for.
According to this: “A typical short-term rental listing in Santa Barbara is booked for 252 nights a year, with a median occupancy rate of 69% and an average daily rate of $288. In Feb, 24 – Jan, 25 a typical host income (annual revenue) was $67K. As of 11th March, 2025, there are 900 active Airbnb listings.” (https://airbtics.com/annual-airbnb-revenue-in-santa-barbara-california-usa/) I assume there are many more “listings” not on Airbnb. A thousand housing opportunities are thus being sucked up by tourists. This says nothing about the homes that stand empty belonging to owners with multiple residences. Availability of these spaces would definitely meed a big part of local needs for workers.
Empty 2nd homes is mostly a nothing burger. How many empty 2nd homes are affordable? I know of a $60.000.000 one in Hope Ranch.
Agree. That’s essentially irrelevant, unless folks are proposing Socialism. Take away the 2nd/3rd homes of wealthy and somehow turn them into affordable homes for folks who could never afford them. I don’t think we live in that country.
BASIC – your understanding of “socialism,” is almost as bad as your understanding of basic, elementary school anatomy, “Doc.”
And the point of your example is? Empty store fronts are up and down State Street. If these stores were having to pay a tax for being vacant they would almost certainly lower their asking rent and neggotiate with businesses that might be able to afford to do business here. Such a revival of creative stores might populate State Street and make if fun again. Similarly if someone took the Hope Ranch vacancy they might free up a less expensive property that they vacate. Whoever takes that might do the same so that at the end of that chain affordable housing is put on the market. Artificial shortages are just a tool to keep rents up.
RHS, Airbnb’s style rentals was brought up multiple times during all hearing as a big problem for housing shortage.. We received replies like it’s good for tourism, it helps supplement salaries for teachers, and it’s good for tax dollars. It’s all about money….Tom summed it up well…
“ There will never be sufficient supply for the demand. Our local politicians may know this, but “they have to” approve this because Newsom is forcing them to do it.
Which is actually a perfect plan and a brilliant political play, giving local politicians the perfect scapegoat, their boss.
Our elected officials can honestly throw up their hands in despair when their constituents complain, but they know later they’ll get to roll in all that new tax revenue and a temporarily boosted economy.”
Just wish the Senators would have told us Before we elected them that they would change the laws to make it impossible for communities to stop high density housing even when safety is of grave concern. Now they are eroding CEQA taking away more protections. Really blindsided us .
Also wish the Board of Supervisors would have told us they would throw up their hands before we elected them. They’ve really let down the community, really sad.
Furthermore, it is the BOS responsibility to challenge the legality of the laws passed by the Senate based on biased in taking all rights away from communities.
Why try to build affordable housing in one of the least affordable areas of the country? Further, US and CA population is leveling off.
Rube – False, again. How many times will you repeat those lies?
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-12-23/california-population-increase-2024-census
https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2024/12/population-estimates.html
Your article makes my point – after several years of decline CA had a single year of growth. Worse, CA trails the national avenge of growth.
Obviously, you didn’t read beyond the first line. And the populations of both CA and the USA are growing, not leveling off. Your point was erroneous.
If only you wouldn’t use social media as your information source, you might actually be able to comment with at least a tenuous relation to reality.
To make it more affordable. Try reading the article.
CEQA protection for the public are being errored by current State administration with SB607 and they want to erode building codes as well for high density rentals.
SB607
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB607
Nurses, teachers, firefighters don’t want to live/rent in high density housing, they want to own a house to Improve their lives.
High density rentals congest roads making it impossible for people to evacuate during emergencies .
Fire maps have and are expanding high density housing will make evacuations all along Hollister impossible.
Should be CEQA eroded, auto correct
There’s no such thing as “Affordable Housing” around here and other highly-desirable places to live in CA, and indeed around the world. It’s a sound-good/feel-good, unattainable myth that some voters actually believe in, and the politicians they support are looking to use as an easy vote getter. Little do they know…
BASIC – of course you’re wrong. There are affordable units here in town for low to very low income people, there’s just not nearly enough of them.
“Little do you know” indeed…. LOL!
Yeah, “just not nearly enough of them” is exactly the concept at hand here. And it’s a myth that you can make enough affordable housing for all who want it. You simply didn’t understand my point. It happens. Big picture, bud.
LOL nice backpedalling, BASIC.
“You simply didn’t understand my point.” – Dude, you write like a child. Very easy to understand and always wrong.
You said: “There’s no such thing as “Affordable Housing” around here and other highly-desirable places to live in CA”
I said: “You’re wrong.”
Simple. Now go backpedal all the way back to the goalposts you keep trying to move. Wear a helmet though. Doctors should know the risks of head injury from unicycle accidents….
I’m sorry you don’t understand my point…there’s never going to be “affordable housing” in SB. Simple as can be.
“there’s never going to be “affordable housing” in SB” – Keep lying those lies.
Affordable housing is tough and there will always be a greater need for it than what is available, but to say it simply does not exist and “never” will, is just a flat out lie.
I get your point though. You’re a liar. We all know it, dude. No need to keep showing us all.
Do you think you should build affordable housing in all the most desirable places in the world? San Francisco, LaJolla, Beverly hills, high end suburbs of desirable cities – everyone wants to live there without earning it. No one wants to live anywhere but the creme de la creme.
RUBY – SB is not like those other places you mentioned where there IS more affordable housing outside and nearby those places closer to where people work and can easily commute using mass transit. The people who work in Beverly Hills live just minutes away in more affordable places. Same with SF.
SB is different. We don’t have affordable areas close by for all the lower income and necessary workers (nurses, cops, teachers, firefighters, mechanics, hotel/restaurant workers, etc) to live without having to commute daily by the thousands from at least an hour away. The geography is different.
Maybe we should just only hire people who can afford to live here, yeah? LOL
Keep dreaming Sac. It’s funny to watch. Our place will be impossible to make affordable for all the professionals, blue/white collar workers, students, and other folks who want to live here.
Tom Modugno: Housing Mandates, Battery Storage Farms Shrinking Goleta’s Escape Routes
https://www.noozhawk.com/tom-modugno-housing-mandates-battery-storage-farms-shrinking-goletas-escape-routes/
They could completely fill in all the Goleta Valley, from the mountains to the sea, with solid blocks of three-story apartment buildings and they will still all sell at market value.
Because basically, the whole world wants to live here or be a landlord here, or both.
There will never be sufficient supply for the demand. Our local politicians may know this, but “they have to” approve this because Newsom is forcing them to do it.
Which is actually a perfect plan and a brilliant political play, giving local politicians the perfect scapegoat, their boss.
Our elected officials can honestly throw up their hands in despair when their constituents complain, but they know later they’ll get to roll in all that new tax revenue and a temporarily boosted economy.
Newsom repeatedly states that climate change was a major factor in January’s Los Angeles County wildfires and we need to prepare for more of the same.
Meanwhile, his housing mandates make it quicker and easier for developers to build more houses in the direct line of fire for the santa ana winds that have been blowing down through these canyons for centuries.
Newsom repeatedly states that climate change was a major factor in January’s Los Angeles County wildfires and we need to prepare for more of the same.
Meanwhile, his housing mandates make it quicker and easier for developers to build more houses in the direct line of fire for the santa ana winds that have been blowing down through these canyons for centuries.
FYI since this was released the fire maps were updated and Glen Annie is in a high fire zone
What do all these housing developments on Patterson Avenue corridor have in common? They all use the same freeway overpass! The Same is said for San Marcos, Hollister with 2000 units, they all lead to turnpike or Patterson overpass. So, when there’s an emergency evacuation, they will all be stuck sitting in the same traffic jam.
Cal Fire maps
https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/6a9cb66bb1824cd98756812af41292a0
Makes total sense. Great synopsis.
Thank you Tom.
Call someplace Paradise and kiss it goodbye.
There is no remedy except world calamity and we don’t want that.
Clearly, we need more multistory mega buildings like the one behind the Mission to house all the folks who want to live in Santa Barbara, including homeless, unhoused, workers of all sorts, doctors, nurses, teachers, and everyone who “they” deem worthy. It’s a thing now!
BASIC – calm down. You’re just flailing with all this nonsense. Act your age.
I don’t know – canning and over-regulating AIRBNB’s sounds like big government overreach to me. A lot like Gavin’s “make us build” mandate, ironically.
That’s weird coming from you, BASIC. Big government overreach is literally the name of the game for you Trumpers. Do you have any idea what is happening in our country currently?
I have worked my ass off for decades to afford to live and work here. If people own homes, that is their business. How about the local govt pay for motel and hotel rooms for workers RATHER than for homeless…
“Grand jury does absolutely nothing”