The Legalities of Housing
There have been several laws and ordinances put forth by the county of Santa Barbara to attempt to assist with the housing crisis plaguing densely populated areas, such as the college town of Isla Vista and the city of Santa Barbara.
Data from datausa.io
Santa Barbara: Housing Laws and Ordinances
Are our laws fighting for you, or against you?
State Bill 9
California Housing Opportunity and More Efficiency (HOME) Act
This state bill allows homeowners to add an additional residential unit onto their property, as long as the area is zoned or allows a single-dwelling unit to be built. According to California H.O.M.E. site, the purpose of SB 9 is to provide options for families to build and maintain intergenerational wealth. They claim this will combat inequity and create social mobility as homeowners who add a dwelling unit on their property can provide affordable rental opportunities to low income and working class families. These are families who have struggled to find a rental home in their price range, but also for those who "may be looking for their own path to home ownership."
Urgency Ordinance No. 21-12U
The protection from SB 9.
This emergency ordinance was extended in order to prevent SB 9 lot split projects from occurring in the city of Goleta. In order to control and preserve the local control of the city's development and continue providing protection from SB 9 lot splits, Goleta City Council extended this ordinance in order to protect a two-week time period where the state law would supercede city law. The Council urged for "protection of the public peace, health, and safety" when approving the extension. This way Goleta residents specifically are protected from possibly having their rental unit leases taken away from them in order to double the unit space, allowing them to be secure in their current housing situation.
Ordinance No. 5885
Requiring one-year leases to all tenants.
The residential housing market in Santa Barbara has experienced long-term low-vacancy rates due to the ongoing housing shortage. The Ordinance Committee and City Council determined that because of this, residential tenants experience less housing security due to rapid rental increases or even eviction without proper cause. While month-to-month leases are extremely common, this ordinance requires all landlords and property managers to offer a year-long lease to future tenants in order to ensure housing security.