Santa Barbara County owns thousands of acres of property and plans to pursue workforce housing development on its own land.

The Housing Element Update brought decision-makers face to face with local housing shortages and the jobs-housing imbalance on the South Coast. In the next few months, county supervisors will rezone properties for private housing development as part of the strategy to meet state goals for new units.

On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a $246,000 contract with Harris & Associates to:

• assess shortages in affordable workforce housing
• evaluate county programs for workforce housing and model programs that could be replicated here
• report on employer-sponsored housing initiatives in the county
• identify funding opportunities and ways to develop housing development financing
• conduct a feasibility study of county-owned sites for workforce housing development

The county is paying for the contract with American Rescue Plan Act money.

County staff already vetoed most of its properties because of what’s already built on it, or environmental concerns, according to a staff report.

The list includes 20 sites, totaling 450 acres, that the consultant will evaluate for housing projects.

“Affordability is the hardest part when it comes to housing,” Supervisor Laura Capps said, adding that owning the land already is a significant factor in reducing development costs. “The county should be leading by example and with this (contract) we are.”

The Isla Vista Community Center property is listed among the properties, which concerns community members that the facility could be at risk.

It’s the only public facility based in IV, and it hosted 1,400 events in 2023 alone, according to Jonathan Abboud, general manager of the Isla Vista Community Services District.

Carrie Topliffe, an IVCSD board member, said she was “flabbergasted” to see the community center site on this list, and asked the county to remove it from consideration.   

“I personally have been involved with efforts to create a community center in IV for over 50 years,” she said. Now that there is one, and one that’s so well used by the community, she said it would be a “terrible tragedy” to lose it.

The county recognizes that many of the sites are likely not viable after closer scrutiny, said Jesús Armas, the county’s Community Services director. The Board of Supervisors can also decide to remove specific sites from the list, he added.

County Executive Officer Mona Miyasato told supervisors that the list of properties is being studied, not being approved for development, and recommended that they don’t remove any sites.  

Miyasato said that housing may not be compatible with the current community center, but maybe a future development could incorporate both.

“We’re trying to figure out a strategy not to do this or that, but and, and try to figure out more creative ideas,” she said.

Supervisors said it’s essential to have a community center in Isla Vista and any proposal has to preserve that use.

They voted unanimously to approve the contract and did not remove any properties from the feasibility study list.

View the map of county-owned sites and a list of properties below.