Attachment A - 2024 General Plan Annual Report.pdf — Santa Maria City Council, March 18, 2025

2024
General Plan
Annual Report
SP2025-0002

City of Santa Maria

Prepared by the
Community Development Department

March 2025

ATTACHMENT A

CHAPTER I
Introduction and Summary

I - 1

CHAPTER I –

INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY
A.

Purpose of the Annual Report
Section 65400 of the California Government Code requires the City to file an annual report addressing the status of the General Plan and the progress made toward goals and objectives. The annual report provides a means to monitor the implementation of the General Plan and determine if changes need to be made in the plan or its implementation programs.

In conformance with Government Code, the City submits this report to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) and to the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) each year.

Purpose of the General Plan
A General Plan is a policy document required by State law that provides long-range guidance for the plans and actions of the City. The General Plan articulates the community's vision through goals, policies, and the implementation measures established to achieve those goals and policies. The General Plan is a public document and is available for all to read and use as needed. Copies are available for review at the Santa Maria Public Library, the City Clerk's Office, and on the City website. Each member of the City Council and the Planning Commission, as well as each City department, has a copy of the General Plan.

As an informational document, the General Plan describes existing conditions, makes projections, and establishes a vision for the community's future. The General Plan provides the public with information about the City and the direction that it seeks to move.

As a policy document, the General Plan establishes guidelines for decision-makers. Using these guidelines, the City Council and Planning Commission take incremental steps toward achieving the larger goals of the City. The City applies implementation programs contained in the General Plan through day-to-day operations of the City.

Status of the Adopted Elements of the City’s General Plan State law requires that a General Plan address the following topics: Land Use, Circulation, Housing, Safety, Noise, Conservation, Open Space and Environmental Justice. The General Plan may present each topic as a distinct Element or may combine the topic discussions as appropriate. For example, the City’s current Resource Management Element combines the Conservation and Open Space topics, and includes discussions on Growth Managemen t, Recreation and Parks, Public Facilities and Services. Optional subjects may also be included as an element of the General Plan, such as the City’s Economic Development Element.

In November 2019, the City Council authorized a comprehensive update of the General Plan, which is currently underway with City Council adoption expected in 2025. Each of the existing Elements will be updated, and new topics will be addressed such as Environmental Justice.

The City will analyze current and future trends in tech nology, consumer and workplace behaviors, and other trends that impact local land use and the economy . P olicies and recommendations that will best meet the needs of the growing community will be incorporated.

The update will also serve to meet a wide range of state statutory requirements, including but not limited to, those pertaining to land use, environment, and housing. This new General Plan will define the vision for the next 20 to 25 years of the City, and is anticipated for adoption prior to 2026.

State Government Code Section 65580 includes deadlines which only apply to Housing Elements. In order to comply with these deadlines, the City prepared the update to the Housing Element separately from the other Elements. The City Council adopted the Sixth Cycle Housing Element on December 5, 2023, and HCD certified the adopted housing element, finding it to be in substantial compliance with State Housing Element Law (Gov. Code, § 65580 et seq) , on January 2, 2024. Once the drafts other Elements are developed, the adopted Housing Element will be amended as necessary to ensure consistency across all of the Elements.

CHAPTER II
Implementation of the
General Plan

CHAPTER II –

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GENERAL PLAN
The City of Santa Maria ’s implementation programs identified in the General Plan include tools already in place and used on a day -to-day basis in the City. Some of the various tools available to further the City’s goals and objectives include the Budget/Capital Improvement Program , Specific Plans and Master Plans, Zoning and Subdivision Regulations, Growth Impact Mitigation (AB1600) Fees, CDBG/HOME Funds and Grants, Development Agreements, and Improvement Districts .

These and other implementation activities are described below.

Planning Commission
The City of Santa Maria’s Planning Commission is designated as the “Planning Agency,” as authorized by Section 65100 of the State Government Code and Section 12 -2.117 of the Santa Maria Municipal Code. The Commission has discretionary and advisory responsibilities that are authori zed by Chapter 2 -15 of the Municipal Code and delegated under Title 11 (Subdivision Ordinance) and Title 12 (Zoning).

During 2024, the Commission held 10 public meetings and 12 study sessions. Two of the study sessions were educational, providing information on updates to the General Plan and Objective Design Standards . The Planning Commission acted on 16 discretionary permits during 2024. In the advisory role, the Planning Commission forwarded written recommendations to the City Council on the following:
 4 General Plan Land Use Map and Zoning Map Amendment
 2 Zoning Text Amendments
 1 Annexation
 1 Subdivision Tract Map
Chart II -1 provides a comparison of the Planned Development Permits, Conditional Use Permits, and General Plan/Zoning Amendment application s acted upon by the Planning Commission during the past five years.

* Considers amendments to previously approved discretionary projects and project denials 14 5
3 7
3 3
12 10
1 14
9 1
11 3
4 0
2 4
6 8
10 12
14 16
Planned Development Permits Conditional Use Permits General Plan/Zoning Map Amendment Recommendations
Chart II-1
Planning Commission Actions*
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

Zoning Text Amendments
The Planning Commission provides recommendations to the City Council on proposed text amendments of Santa Maria Municipal Code Title 12, referred to as the Zoning Ordinance .

The Planning Commission made recommendation s on two Title 12 technical text amendments in 2024, one which dealt with Accessory Dwelling Units, and another updating Project Time Extension and Permit Revocation provisions.

General Plan Map Amendments
Four General Plan (Land Use) Policy Map amendments were presented to the City Council in 2024; a Land Use Classification change for a property owned by the Santa Maria Public Airport District, a Holiday Inn project, the Bellecrest Senior Housing project , and for the Richards Ranch annexation properties.

Land Divisions
The Planning Commission approved two Parcel Maps in 2024, one for Bradley Commercial Development and another for the DDS Partnership associated with a Starbucks on East Main Street. The Planning Commission forwarded to the City Council a recommendation to approve the Bellecrest Senior Housing project Subdivision Tract Map.

Specific Plans
The Planning Commission provides recommendations to the City Council on new Specific Plans and proposed amendments to existing Specific Plans . There were no Specific Plan amendment applications acted upon during the year.

Building and Safety Division
The Building and Safety Division is responsible for administration and enforcement of state and local codes, ordinances and regulations dealing with the construction, alteration, maintenance and use of structures, appurtenances and land. Th ese regulations include the building, housing, dangerous building, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, swimming pool, and sign codes, as well as the California State Mobile Home Park regulations and City zoning ordinances.

The Building and Safety Division co ntinues to publish Monthly Building Permit Reports.

Copies of the reports from 2003 to the present are maintained as public information on the City webpage.

1. Board of Appeals
The Building and Safety Division also provides staff support to the seven -member Board of Appeals which hears appeals of decisions made by the City Building Official, and makes recommendations regarding California Building Code provisions. No appeals were submitted or heard in 2024.

2. Title 9 – Building Regulations
The following building regulations were in effect in 2024: The 2022 California Building Code, Residential Code, Historical Building Code, Existing Building Code, Energy Code, Fire Prevention Code, Plumbing Code, Electrical Code, Mechanical Code, Green Building Standards Code, and the 20 24 International Property Maintenance Code.

3. Permits and Inspections
In 2024, the Building Division received 3,036 building permit applications, issued 2,427 building permits, and received 52 sign permit applications and issued 49 sign permits.

Building Division staff inspected 16,324 construction and safety related site and building improvements during the past year, 303 of which were in association with new Business Licenses.

4. Issued Permits – Residential Units
In 2024, the City issued 476 building permits for 482 new residential units (37 single- family, 435 accessory dwelling units, and 10 multi-family units).

5. Completed Residential Units
After conducting final inspections, t he City issued c ertificates of occupancy for 459 completed residential units (5 mobile homes, 45 single-family, 239 accessory dwelling units, and 170 multi-family units) in 2024.

Chart II-2 below provides a comparison of the overall number of building permit applications received, building permits issued and new residential unit building permits issued during the past five years.

2004 1885
269
2670
2417
514
2837
2503
503
2726
2366
449
3036
2427
476
0 500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
Building Permit Applications Received Building Permits Issued Building Permits Issed for New Residential Units
Chart II - 2
Building Permit Activity
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

Planning Division
Planning Division activities include administration of the City's General Plan, development and subdivision review, preparation and improvement of specific plans, preparation of zoning ordinances, processing annexations, bikeway implementation, providing demographic and census information, conducting environmental review, and providing customer services such as informing the public of the City's land use policies and development ordinances. The Planning Division reviews federal, state, and county legislation, and responds to survey and data reporting mandates from the State.

The Planning Division provides staff support t o the Planning Commission and the Zoning Administrator. Administrative functions include the scheduling of meetings, preparation of agendas, posting hearing notices, and preparation of minutes. The City posts Planning Commission and Zoning Administrator meeting agendas and minutes on the City webpage.

Planning staff provides land use analysis, environmental review as required under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and prepares draft discretionary permits , resolutions, ordinances, and staff reports for the Planning Commission and City Council.

The Planning Division also manages work on policy documents, such as the General Plan Update. Planning Division coordinates the consultants working on the update effort, and oversees State grant funds which the Division obtained for the effort.

The Planning Division publishes a city -wide list of proposed and approved development projects in the City , depicting each project’s location on an attached summary map. This ‘Major Development List’ is updated every six months, with the current and past development activity reports maintained and publicly accessible on the City webpage.

Project Application Activity
The Planning Division received the following types of applications during 2024 (project type prefix in parenthesis):

1 General Plan Land Use Map and Zoning Map amendments (GPZ) 4 Planned Development Permits (PD)
9 Conditional Use Permits (U)
2 Lot Line Adjustment/Mergers (SUB)
2 Certificates of Compliance (MISC SUB)
15 Project amendments (A)
11 Downtown Permits (DT)
7 Planning Permits (P)
8 Pre-Applications (PRE) (fee estimates and/or conceptual reviews) 13 Special Projects (SP), 12 of which were City initiated 93 Temporary Activity Permits (TUP)
18 Zoning Verifications / Substantial Conformity Determinations (ZA)

The Community Development Department also received 264 business license applications, many of which included Home Occupation requests. The City did not receive any applicant initiated applications to amend Santa Maria Municipal Code Title 12 (the Zoning Ordinance) during 2024. Chart II -3 provides a comparison of the Planned Development Permits, Conditional Use Permits, and General Plan/Zoning Amendment applications received over the past five years.

Housing Element Annual Reporting
As with prior years, Chapter III of this Annual Report describes the actions taken (by the City) in implementing the Housing Element , including meeting the Regional Housing Needs Assessment allocation, during the previous calendar year (Government Code Section 65400).

This information must be provided in forms and tables provided by HCD.

State legislation requires that the City provide substantial amounts of data for every stage of a residential unit’s progress, from initial discretionary application, entitlement approval, building permit application and issuance, and ultimately the completion of each unit as documented by the issuance of a certificate of occupancy. As the resulting HCD tables require extremely large multi-page spreadsheets, the following Chapter III provides summaries of the table information.

The raw data tables are provided to HCD and OPR, and are available for review at the Community Development Department.

9 14
2 12
20 3
17 12
3 20
24 1
4 9
1 0
5 10
15 20
25 30
Planned Development Permits Conditional Use Permits General Plan/Zoning Amendment Chart II - 3
Discetionary Applications Received
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

CHAPTER III
Housing Element
Annual Report
(CCR Title 25 §6202)

III - 1

California Department of Housing and Community Development Housing Element Annual Progress Report Forms and Tables – 2024 Summary

Table A – Housing Development Applications.

For this HCD reporting, an “application” is a formal submittal of a project for approval and is either an application for a discretionary entitlement, or a project where only a ministerial process is required (e.g., ‘by right’ projects and building permit applications).

Between January 1 and December 31, 2024, the City deemed 706 residential application submittals (for a total of 1,668 residential units) complete for processing.  Three of these were for discretionary project entitlement applications, consisting of 292 Above Moderate-Income units and 48 Low-Income Deed Restricted units, for a total 340 residential units proposed.
 The remaining 705 applications are building permit applications currently in review by City staff, consisting of ADUs, one SB 9 project, one SB 35 project, and building permit applications associated with recently approved discretionary projects in the Downtown Specific Plan and Blosser Ranch area.

Table A2 – Annual Building Activity Report Summary
The City issued discretionary entitlements, building permits, and issued certificates of occupancy for competed residential units during 2024. The unit types included Single - family attached, single family detached, units in multi -family structures, Accessory Dwelling Units, and mobile homes. These actions resulted in housing being made available for the following income level households:

Building Permits Issued – Total 482 Units
435 Low-Income Non-Deed Restricted Units
47 Above-Moderate Income Units

Certificates of Occupancy – Total 459 Units
32 Very Low-Income Deed Restricted Units
128 Low-Income Deed Restricted Units
239 Low-Income Non-Deed Restricted Units
60 Above Moderate Units

III - 2

III - 3

Table B – Regional Housing Needs Allocation Progress

Permitted Units Issued by Affordability
1 Projection
Period 2 3 4
Income Level
RHNA
Allocation
by
Income
Level
Projection
Period -
06/30/2022-
02/14/2023
2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031
Total
Units
to
Date
(all
years)
Total
Remaining
RHNA by
Income
Level

Very Low
Deed
Restricted
1,032

-
-

1,032 Non-
Deed
Restricted

-
Low
Deed
Restricted
536

184

-
1,228

- Non-
Deed
Restricted

254

355

435

-
Moderate
Deed
Restricted
731

-
-

731 Non-
Deed
Restricted

-
Above
Moderate

3,119

17 36

47 -

100

3,019
Total RHNA

5,418
Total Units

455

391

482

1,328

4,782

Note: Units serving extremely low-income households are included in the very low-income totals.

III - 4

III - 5

Table C – Sites Identified or Rezoned to Accommodate Shortfall Housing Need Completion of this table is only required if a jurisdiction has a shortfall of available sites for the development of housing pursuant to Government Code Section 65583. Through the Sixth-Cycle Housing Element, the City of Santa Maria documented sufficient available sites for the development of the City’s fifth-cycle Regional Housing Needs Assessment allocation.

The City adopted the Sixth-Cycle Housing Element on December 5, 2023, with HCD finding the Element to be in substantial comp liance with State Housing Element Law (Gov. Code, § 65580 et seq) on January 2, 2024. The City has a total allocation of 5,418 units for the 2023 through 2031 RHNA planning period. The Sixth-Cycle Housing Element documents the presence of sufficient sites available within the City to accommodate this current RHNA cycle; therefore, the completion of this table is not necessary.

III - 6

Table D – Program Implementation Status
Program Description Objective Time Frame Implementation Status Program 1.A:

Incentives for
Affordable
Housing
The City strives to facilitate more affordable
housing through the reduction of financial
barriers for new construction and redevelopment
of affordable housing projects. The City will
provide incentives for lo w- and moderate -
income housing developments through one or
more of the following actions:
• Approval of density bonus and incentive
requests.
• Expedited permit processing.
• Applications for State and federal funding on
behalf of a nonprofit, under a spec ific
program to construct affordable housing
including persons with physical disabilities or
developmental disabilities.
• Provision of financial incentives such as
reducing or waiving select City fees for 100
percent affordable housing projects.

Additionally, the City will conduct proactive,
annual outreach to affordable housing
developers (such as People’s Self-Help Housing
and others with recent local experience) to
identify development opportunities.

The City will provide
incentives and/or
assistance in securing
funding to facilitate
the production of 100
units affordable to low
and/or moderate -
income households
by 2031.

Ongoing;
Meet with
affordable housing
developers
annually, totaling
eight meetings
during the planning
period (i.e., four
meetings by 2027).

The City has maintained close relationships
with many affordable housing developers in
2024.

The City has communicated with Affordable
and Senor residential developers on multiple
on-going and prospective projects,
including: Halsell Builders, Inc. on two
development of two senior restricted
developments for a total of 48 units, each
with a density above 120 DU per acre
through the Downtown Specific Plan; AMG
& Associates, LLC on a proposed Density
Bonus project with 198 units, 48 of those at
lower affordability; and People's Self Help
Housing Corporation on a SB-35 project with
119 units, all to be affordable to lower
income households.

Program 1.B:

Density Bonus
Government Code Section 65915 requires that a
jurisdiction adopt a local Density Bonus
Ordinance consistent with State law. The City’s
local ordinance is contained in Zoning
Ordinance Chapter 12 -48. The City will update
the ordinance as needed to ensure that its local
ordinance remains consistent with State law, but
in all cases will c ontinue to apply the most
current State law even before local amendments
are adopted. The City will also promote the use
of the Density Bonus Ordinance through user -
friendly materials to increase awareness and
use of density bonus provisions by private
property owners and developers.

Permit at least 100
new below market
rate units through
density bonus
provisions by 2031
(i.e., 50 new below
market rate density
bonus units by 2027).

Update Zoning
Ordinance by
December 2024.

Develop a user -
friendly handout on
density bonus
(December 2024)
The Planning Division and the City Attorney
have developed a draft ordinance which will
be presented to the City Council for adoption
in Spring 2025. A Density Bonus Handout
will be made available to the public upon
adoption of the updated Ordinance.

III - 7

Program Description Objective Time Frame Implementation Status Program 1.C:

Mixed-use
Development
The City’s Mixed -Use Ordinance (Zoning
Ordinance Chapter 12 -49) promotes the
development of mixed -use projects in certain
areas through various measures such as
permitting underutilized mote l conversions to
mixed-use projects, allowing commercial ground
floor uses, and granting reduced standards for
parking, setbacks, landscaping, open space, or
increased height.

The City will continue
to process mixed -use
development
requests, as they are
initiated from private
property owners, in
accordance with
Chapter 12 -49 of the
Municipal Code.

Ongoing The City did not receive a Mixed Use project
application involving residential units in
2024.

Program 1.D:

Accessory
Dwelling Units
Monitor the produ ction of accessory dwelling
units (ADUs) and junior accessory dwelling units
(JADUs) contribution towards affordable
housing to ensure production is consistent with
Housing Element projections. Also, conduct
annual ADU rental income surveys with the
General Plan Annual Reporting to document the
affordability of ADUs. If it is determined that the
affordability of ADUs is not in keeping with the
anticipated affordability levels in the Housing
Element inventory or that ADU production is not
keeping pace with p rojections, the City will
implement additional measures to facilitate the
production and affordability of ADUs as one of
the projected housing types in the overall
production of affordable housing.

These additional measures will include proactive
strategies to incentivize and promote the
creation of ADUs, including but not limited to:

•Expanding publicity and public engagement for
the ADU programs to reach lower -income and
non-English-speaking households.
•Identify groups and community organizations
that have contact with and/or are representative
of these groups (e.g., social/religious
organizations, non-profit groups) and work with
these groups to develop outreach materials to
explain the City’s ADU program and
opportunities; and
•Provide technical assistance to lower -income
and non -English-speaking households, for
example, informing them of the CalHFA ADU
Grant Program that provides up to $25,000 to
Facilitate production
of 1,512 ADUs by
2031.

Monitor annually
(by April 1 of each
year); if ADU and
overall affordable
housing targets are
not being met by
February 2025,
review and revise
efforts to increase
construction of
ADUs or other
housing type(s) with
commensurate
level of affordability
(e.g., fee waivers,
pre-approved ADU
site/floor plans,
etc.) no later than
August 2025. The
scope of the City’s
action shall be
commensurate with
the level of shortfall
from construction
targets (i.e., if
shortfall is slight,
additional
incentives may be
all that is necessary
to address the
shortfall). If
affordable housing
targets are still
lagging by February
2027, the City will
In 2024, the City issued permits for 435
accessory dwelling units, and issued
certificates of occupancy for 239 accessory
dwelling units.

As of December 31, 2024 the City has
issued 1,044 ADU permits to date in the
Housing Element 6th Cycle.

In conformance with Section B.2.1 of the
Housing Element, a January 2025 survey of
100 owners with ADU’s completed in 2024,
with receiving 54 responses, and using the
2024 Affordability Calculator, the City
determined that 30 of the 54 ADUS (5
owners declining to respond) were
affordable to lower income households, with
5 at very low income, and 14 of the ADUS
occupied with no rent charged (also
considered to be Very Low).

III - 8

Program Description Objective Time Frame Implementation Status reimburse homeowners for predevelopment
costs necessary to build and occupy an ADU.
review and revise
efforts to increase
construction of
ADUs a second
time, implementing
additional
incentives no later
than August 2027.

Program 1.E:

Prioritization of
Services
As required by Government Code Section
65589.7, the City adopted a written policy
providing for priority of water and sewer services
to affordable housing developments per
Resolution 2006 -155. The City will continue to
enforce this policy. Immediately follo wing City
Council adoption, the City will deliver to the
Golden State Water Company a copy of the
2023-2031 Housing Element.

The City will continue
to grant priority for
sewer hook -ups and
service to lower -
income housing
developments
Ongoing; deliver
adopted Housing
Element to Golden
State Water
Company (2023)
The City provided Golden State Water with
a copy of the Housing Element in January of
2024. The City continues to provide prompt
response to residential developments
requesting Water and Sewer service.

Program 1.F:

Annexation
Program
If an application for annexation is received, the
City will analyze the whole of the application to
determine if residential development would be a
suitable land use to include in the annexation
process for the site . While annexation of
additional land is not necessary to
accommodate residential development for the
6th Cycle Housing Element, annexation does
provide the opportunity for the City to add
available residential sites for future cycles.

If future annexation s
are supported through
the General Plan
Update annexation
analysis, and those
areas are determined
to be suitable for
residential
development,
complete annexation
of additional land for
residential
development by 2031
Ongoing; complete
General Plan
Update annexation
evaluation (2024)
The General Plan update includes a
“complete neighborhoods” concept for
annexation which include a mix of
commercial, industrial, housing, and
institutional land uses over 970 acres. The
General Plan update is in process, and is
expected to be adopted before the end of
2025.

Program 1.G:

Manufactured
Homes
Government Code Section 65852.3 requires
manufactured homes on a permanent
foundation to be allowed in the same manner
and in the same zone as a conventional stick -
built structure. The City’s practice is to treat
manufactured homes on a permanent
foundation as a conventional single -family
home. The City will amend the Zoning Ordinance
to clearly reflect the City’s practice that
manufactured homes on a permanent
foundation are subject to the same regulations
as single-family homes.

Zoning Ordinance
amended to clearly
define manufactured
homes on a
permanent foundation
as a conventional
single-family home
consistent with State
Law.
2024 The City continues to treat manufactured
homes on a permanent foundation as a
conventional single -family home. The
Planning Division has developed a draft
definition to be added to the Municipal Code
which will be presented to the City Council
for adoption Spring 2025.

III - 9

Program Description Objective Time Frame Implementation Status Program 1.H:

Housing on
Religious
Institution Sites
Assembly Bill (AB) 1851 (2020) encourages the
use of religious facility properties (including
parking lots) for housing projects. AB 1851
prohibits cities from requiring the replacement of
parking spaces lost due to the constru ction of
housing units, eliminating up to 50 percent of the
required number of spaces (Government Code
§65913.6). The City to conduct outreach to
religious institution property owners and
operators to inform them of AB 1851 to
encourage housing development.

Through this
outreach, the City’s
goal is that
application(s) for
housing on religious
institution properties
are applied for, and at
least 10 housing units
are permitted on
site(s) with religious
institution uses by
2031.

Outreach to
religious propertie s
with a letter
informing them of
AB 1851 or other
relevant new laws
related to housing
on religious
properties (July
2025 and July
2027)
The City is in current discussions with an
established religious facility which is
considering adding residential unit to their
campus. The City will use this experience
to inform the information to be distributed to
religious facilities scheduled for 2025.

Program 1.I:

Surplus Land Act
Sites
Various identified housing sites are City owned
and have been designated as surplus land
consistent with the Surplus Land Act (the Act).

These sites (APNs 121 -224-035, 123-280-026,
125-320-049, 123 -043-019) are near the
intersection of Main Street and Broadway, at the
core of the Downtown Specific Plan. The City is
in communicatio n with HCD’s Public Lands
Team to ensure that all provisions of the Act are
being met. The City declared these properties
‘surplus land’ and issued a notice of availability
on these sites to required parties in compliance
with Surplus Land Act provisions, Government
Code Section 54220.

The City received four developer inquiries, and
after good -faith negotiations, the City
subsequently selected the development
proposal for the four sites which provides for the
highest number of housing units, including
affordable units.

The City has received a development application
for one of the surplus lands sites (Available Site
6) which proposes a mixed -use building
consisting of ground floor commercial space with
multiple floors of apartment units above in
excess of the 54 units estimated for Available
Site 6 as depicted Appendix B. The City has
been working interactively with the developer on
refinements to the proposal and has presented
the application to the Planning Commission at a
Over 200 lower -
income units
permitted on identified
sites by January
2031.

2023-2030
 Complete a
comprehensive
Disposition and
Development
Agreement
(DDA) between
the City of Santa
Maria and the
developer for the
four Surplus
Lands sites
before the end of
2023;
 Complete
multiple
entitlements for
the Surplus
Lands Sites
(2023 to 2025).
 Issue multiple
project building
permits (2024 to
2028)
 Completion of
the four Surplus
Lands projects
(2025 to 2030)
The City has completed a DDA for
Downtown Alvin Newton Development
‘Lot 3’ (CC RESO 2022-92)

Entitlements for the
Alvin Newton by City Council Resolution
2023-132, approved 10/3/23.

The City has received the following
application’s by the Vernon Group:
• ‘Lot 2’ 149 affordable residential units,
and 2 market -rate manager units
received April of 2024;
• ‘Lot 5’ 85,000-square-foot mixed -use
building with 102 residential units,
received November 2024;

The City approved a DDA with the Fugate
Trust in January 2024, associated with the
entitlements (Cook Street Apartments) for
104 market rate units and 2,100 sq. ft. of
retail space approved in November 2023.

III - 10

Program Description Objective Time Frame Implementation Status study session, so the decision m akers become
familiar with the project.

The City will continue efforts to facilitate the
development of housing on the sites, with
particular focus on the lower -income unit
capacity on these sites. As design concepts are
refined, the City will continue to ensure that the
developer and the four projects continue to
comply with Surplus Lands statutes, including
the affordability requirements of Health and
Safety Code Section 50052.5 and/or Section
50053.

Program 1.J:

Infrastructure
Funding
Opportunities
The City will pursue supplemental capital
improvement project funding, such as through
state or federal grant funding, as a way to
support infill development and facilitate housing
supply and affordability. Through regular
meetings (currently monthly) with a hired
consultant, the City is kept apprised of current
state and local funding opportunities, including
for infrastructure project assistance and grants.

Apply for at least one
grant application to
fund or supplement
funding for capital
improvements that
benefit residential infill
and/or mixed -use
projects by January
2031.

Ongoing. In 2024, the City continued to monitor for
available state or federal grant funding.

Program 1.K:

Accessory
Dwelling Unit
Ordinance
Updates
The City will update the ADU Ordinance to
comply with current State law based on HCD
review.

Zoning Ordinance
amended to regulate
ADUs consistent with
State law.

December 2023 The City update d Chapter 12 -56 of the
Santa Maria Municipal Code regarding
ADU’s through Council Ordinance 2024 -04
in April 2024.

Program 2.A:

Minor Home
Repair Programs
Housing rehabilitation seeks to extend the useful
life of the City’s existing housing stock.

Depending on the age and condition of a
structure, the code compliance and housing
rehabilitation programs of the City effectively
ensure that housing is improved for the
residents.

The Minor Home Repair Program, which began
in 2013, is operated by Community Action
Partnership of SLO County, Inc. (CAPSLO, Inc.)
as a subrecipient to the City. The program
targets elderly, disabled, and/or low and very
low-income households in Santa Maria with the
construction and installation of handicapped
access improvements (ramps, wh eelchair lifts,
door widening), removal of architectural barriers,
Over the Planning
Period, 50 low-income
units will be
repaired/rehabilitated
under the CAPSLO
program and 50 units
for seniors or persons
with disabilities will be
repaired/rehabilitated
under the
CommUnify. This
objective is subject to
Federal grant funding
availability which is
used to fund these
minor home repair
Ongoing For the fiscal year 2023 -24
accomplishments through CAPSLO include
22 total home repairs:
• 17 out of 22 were 30% of below HUD’s
AMI
• 5 out of 22 were 50% or below HUD’s AMI
• 16 out of 22 are considered Elderly
• 18 out of 22 are considered Disabled

During fiscal year 2023 -24, 51 total home
repairs were completed by CommUnify. Of
the 51 households:
• 4 were rental properties
• 40 were 30% or below HUD’s AMI
• 7 were 50% or below HUD’s AMI
• 4 were 80% or below HUD’s AMI

III - 11

Program Description Objective Time Frame Implementation Status health and safety repairs, such as plumbing,
electrical, exterior and interior carpentry
(porches, decking, stairs, flooring) and building
code violations.

In addition to CAPSLO, the City a lso provides
grant funding to CommUnify (formerly
Community Action Commission or CAC) for its
Minor Home Repair Program. CommUnify
delivers handyman services; installs interior
grab bars, and provides some structural
modifications.
programs. As a part of
outreach efforts, the
City will focus
outreach in areas
where the housing
stock is older, and
where more frequent
instances of
substandard housing
are likely to occur.

The City outreach will
also target not only
owners of individual
units, but also owners
of multi -unit
complexes and
mobile home parks
that fit within the
parameters of the
respective program.

• 47 were for Elderly occupants
• 36 of the occupants are considered
Disabled
Program 2.B:

Code
Enforcement
Program
Enforcing housing and building codes directly
links to ensuring the safe and habitable condition
of the housing stock, and thus the continued
viability of neighborhoods. The Code
Enforcement Division strives to ensure that all
housing within Santa Maria meets life, health,
and safety provisions.

Code violations involving immediate health or
safety hazards are handled without the need for
a complaint. Alleged violations involving public
welfare issues are pursued only after a
complaint is received. The Code Enforcemen t
Division works with the property owners to
assure each person living in the residence is
afforded proper housing while the substandard
conditions are being rectified. Code enforcement
staff informs property owners of the available
housing improvement pro grams (e.g., minor
home repair programs) so that certain repairs
and safety hazards may be addressed through
these available funding programs

The City will continue
its proactive
resolution of health
and safety code
violations, and will
promote the use of the
minor home repairs
programs through
code enforcement
efforts (see objective
under Program 2.A,
Minor Home Repair
Programs).

Ongoing In 2024, there were 79 residential related
health and safety code violations that were
opened, and there were 57 were
closed/resolved. Some of these
closed/resolved cases were opened in 2023
and resolved in 2024 and the others are
currently being resolved.

The code enforcement division continues to
work with property owners to ensure that all
of the violations reported are corrected and
any substandard living conditions rectified.

III - 12

Program Description Objective Time Frame Implementation Status Program 2.C:

Energy
Compliance and
Conservation
Energy conservation plays a vital role in
providing decent, affordable housing. The City
will solicit information from local utility providers
about conservation programs, rebates, and low-
income assistance programs and promote
available programs to assist residents with
energy improvements and upgrades. To monitor
resident participation in local unity upgrades
programs, the City will request local utilities
report out on these programs within City limits.

Increased
participation in local
utility upgrades
programs.

Solicitation of l ocal
utility providers
(2024); monitor
local participation
(annually)
The City continues to solicit information from
local utility providers about available
programs to benefit its residents. For
example, The City of Santa Maria
coordinates with and receiv es regular
updates from Central Coast Community
Energy (3CE) which is a local electricity
provider that sources clean and renewable
electricity at responsible rates in Santa
Barbara County. 3CE has a number of
rebates and incentives available including
residential battery rebate, new construction
electrification, and transportation
electrification rebate programs available.

Financial assistance is also available as well
for customers who qualify based on their
household size and income.

Program 2.D:

At-Risk
Affordable
Housing Units
Continue monitoring at -risk housing units in
Santa Maria. As part of the monitoring program,
check the conversion risk status on an annual
basis and include the information as part of the
Housing Element Annual Progress Rep ort. The
City has contacted the one project considered to
be at -risk, New Visions, which contains six
senior units. The operator, SMILE Corporation,
does not intent to convert these units to market
rate.

The City will send notices to operators of
affordable housing developments identified in
the monitoring program three years, 12 months,
and six months in advance of affordability
expiration dates. In working with affordable
housing operators, the City will assist with
identifying funding sources to maintain
affordability, conduct education and support for
tenants, and coordinate with qualified nonprofit
organizations to ensure ongoing affordability if
current operators are unable to do so.

Preserve all existing
below-market rate
housing units during
the plan ning period,
including the six units
considered at
moderate risk (New
Visions at 1106 N.

School St.).

The City will contact
owners or
representatives of
any project that will
become at -risk at
least one year in
advance of the
expiration of
affordability.

New Visions is located at 1106 N School St,
Santa Maria, California 93454. The owner
of the facility is Smile Housing Corporation.

The City will continue to use the resources
provided by the California Housing
Partnership to track affordable projects
within the City and monitor for potential
conversion away from affordable and special
needs housing.

In terms of potential expiration of
affordability, the next housing project at
potential risk of conversion (per California
Housing Partnership) is the Los Adobes de
Maria (Phase One) project, with the potential
for expiration of affordability in April of 2032.

However, the California Housing Partnership
identifies People’s Self Help Housing, the
project’s owner, as a large/stable non-profit,
mission-driven developer, and therefore
notes the possibility of Los Adobes de Maria
converting as ‘low-risk’. The next potential
project expiration would be in 2037, outside
the timeframe of the 6th Cycle Housing
Element.

III - 13

Program Description Objective Time Frame Implementation Status Program 2.E:

Replacement
Housing
Requirements
Pursuant to Government Code 65583.2(g)(3)
and 65915, the City will require the replacement
of units affordable to the same or lower -income
level as a condition of any development on a
non- vacant site as required by SB 330 and State
law.

Implement State l aw
requirements when
applicable during
development
applications and
ensure 100 percent of
protected units are
replaced in all
applicable projects
during the planning
period.

Ongoing as project
applications are
submitted and
reviewed.

No residential project applications were
received in 2024 which involved the removal
of existing residential units.

Program 3.A:

Residential
Permit Process
Monitoring and
Improvements
The City processes permits as quickly and
efficiently as possible and will continue to
evaluate the permitting process to ensure the
process remains streamlined. The evaluation
will consider approvals and denials, the number
of applications, length of the approval process,
the involvement and speed of consultants on
producing the appropriate envir onmental
analysis for the project as required by the
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA),
and types of conditions imposed including cost
and any reductions in the initially proposed
number of units. As part of the evaluation, the
City will also sol icit and consider input from
housing developers including non -profit
organizations. The monitoring program will
review Downtown Permits, Conditional Use
Permits (CUP) and Planned Development (PD)
Permits proposing residential uses.

Meet with five housing
developers to discuss
the City’s approval
processes to inform
each monitoring
report. Strive to
reduce the average
length of time from
deemed complete to
project approval for
residential mixed -use
and multi -family
development in part
through
implementation of
Program 3.B
(Objective Design
Standards) and
Program

3.C (Conditional Use
Permits and Planned
Development
Permits)
Monitoring report
prepared every
three years (March
2024, March 2027,
and March 2030)
The Planning Division brought one
residential project through the discretionary
approval process in 2024. The Bellecrest
project includes:
• General Plan Land Use Map Amendment
and Zone District Change, increasing the
permitted density from 4 DU/AC to 12
DU/AC on the 15.23-acre site.
• A Tentative Tract Map, and Planned
Development Permit for the subdivision
and development of 142 age -restricted,
senior residential units, with reduced lot
sizes, reduced building setbacks.

A Mitigated Negative Declaration and
Mitigation Monitoring Program was
necessary for CEQA conformance.

The initial submittal of application materials
for this concept was received on August 1,
2023. The concept was first presented to the
Planning Commission for review at the
September 7, 2023, public study session
meeting for comments and input.

The CEQA work began in December 202 3.

The applicant’s final resubmittal of project
materials and CEQA related studies was
received on July 10th, and deemed
complete for processing on July 31, 2024.

The Draft MND was completed, with public
review between September 3 and October 2,
2024. A second Planning Commission study
session was held on October 3, 2024. The
item was presented at the first public hearing
on November 6, 2024, where the Planning

III - 14

Program Description Objective Time Frame Implementation Status Commission recommended approval of this
project to the City Council. The Council
approved the project at their December 17,
2024 public hearing.

PROCESSING TIME to APPROVAL:
• From Compete Application: 137 calendar
days
• Between the first Planning Commission
Public Hearing (and recommendation to
City Council): 11 calendar days

Program 3.B:

Objective Design
Standards
Consistent with State law, including the Housing
Accountability Act, the City will adopt objective
design standards for multi-family and mixed-use
projects. This effort will address development
standards, the review process, and the design
related findings for approval of housing
developments in both the Zoning Ordinance and
the Downtown Specific Plan. The purpose of
these standards is to expedite the approval
process to suppo rt the City in meeting its
housing goals, while ensuring projects are
attractive, well-designed, and provide adequate
amenities and livability for residents. As part of
this process, the City will engage with property
owners and developers to ensure that standards
will result in feasible projects that can achieve
the densities assigned to various properties.

The City will develop
and adopt objective
design and
development
standards for multi -
family and mixed -use
projects and thereby
shorten the time for
City review of and
action on residential
mixed-use and multi -
family developments
compared to current
typical processing
time (see Appendix C,
Section C.2.4).

Objective design
standards adopted
(July 2025)
The Objective Design Standards are near
completion and will be adopted by July 2025.
• The first Draft Residential Design
Standards document was made publicly
available on April 15, 2024.
• An Objective Design Survey was
conducted April through May 2024.
• The City hosted two Office Hours
sessions
In May 2024. A revised Draft was released
in November 2024. Planning Commission
held a public Study Session on December 5,
2024.

Program 3.C:

Conditional Use
Permits and
Planned
Development
Permits
To facilitate housing, the City will amend the
Zoning Ordinance to re duce the reliance on
Conditional Use Permits (CUPs) and Planned
Development (PD) Permits for residential mixed-
use and multi -family development. In
conjunction with the development of objective
design standards (Program 3.B), the City will
consolidate res idential development allowed
uses and definitions and reduce the CUP
requirement for these uses in multi -family and
mixed-use zoning districts (e.g., smaller housing
developments would be approved by the Zoning
Administrator). Additionally, the City will m odify
the Planned Development Overlay District code
The City will amend
the Zoning Ordinance
related to CUP and
PD Permit
applicability through
the Zoning
Administrator process
to reduce approval
time for residentia l
mixed-use and multi -
family as noted under
Program 3.A
(Residential Permit
Process Monitoring
Zoning
amendments
adopted (2025)
A comprehensive Zoning Code update will
commence upon the scheduled 2025
adoption of the General Plan update. The
Zoning Code update will include establishing
zoning for proposed annexation areas,
establishment of a new ‘mixed us e’ zone.

The revisions to the CUP and Planned
Development processes will be completed
with the comprehensive update.

III - 15

Program Description Objective Time Frame Implementation Status provisions so that a PD Permit is not required for
all residential mixed -use or multi -family
development within the PD Overlay District.

Rather, a PD Permit would only be necessary for
a residential mixed -use or multi -family
residential project if a modification to zoning
standards is requested.
and Improvement)
with the aim
expediting actions on
residential projects,
and permitting 100
housing units without
a PD Permit approval
by 2031.

Program 3.D:

SB 35 Process
The City will develop an application form and
checklist and written policy or project review and
approval guidelines to specify the SB 35 (2017)
streamlining approval process and standards for
eligible projects as set forth under Government
Code Section 65913.4 and consistent with HCD
Updated Streamlined Ministerial Approval
Process Guidelines.

SB 35 application
form and checklist
and written policy or
project review and
approval guidelines
created and published
on the City’s website.
2023

The City has developed an SB 35
application and checklist, which is available
on the City website.

Program 3.E:

Parking
Standards
The City currently offers parking reductions and
flexibility for residential projects such as reduced
requirements in the Downtown Specific Plan
area with additional reductions based on project
location within the Specific Plan, for residential
mixed-use projects, and through the Planned
Development Permit process. To reduce the
impacts of parking requirements on the
production of housing, the City will assess and
update parking standards to establish lower
rates for studios and one -bedroom units and
review implementation of other proven
strategies (e.g., expanding shared parking) to
reduce the burden of parking on residential
development.

Revised parking
standards and
additional incentives
adopted. Increase the
stock of smaller units
(e.g., studio s, one -
bedroom units, etc.)
within Santa Maria
above the existing
856 studio and 2,956
one-bedroom units
(see Housing Needs
Assessment
(Appendix A), Table
A-10) during the
2023-2031 planning
period.

Study and adopt
revised parking
standards with the
future update to
Title 12 Zoning
Ordinance (July
2024)
A comprehensive Zoning Code update will
commence upon the scheduled 2025
adoption of the General Plan update. The
revisions to the residential parking standards
will be completed with the comprehensive
update.

Program 3.F: R-
2 and R-3 Zoning
District Densities
and
Development
Standards
The City will increase the allowed densities in the
R-2 and R-3 zoning districts (or introduce a new
residential zoning district) to allow higher density
projects. To support increased densities, staff
will evaluate site development requirements to
ensure the additional density may be
accommodated, including but not limited to
Higher allowed
densities adopted into
Zoning Ordinance.

Also see Program

3.B, 3.C and 3.E.

Zoning districts
amended
(December 2025)
A comprehensive Zoning Code update will
commence upon the scheduled 2025
adoption of the General Plan update. The
draft General Plan Land Use Element
considers 30 Dwelling Units Per Acre. Upon
adoption of the General Plan, the Zoning
Ordinance will be updated to be consistent

III - 16

Program Description Objective Time Frame Implementation Status building height, setbacks, and parking
requirements. The density increase will be
initiated through the General Plan Update Land
Use Element with the amendment of the High
Density and Medium Density residential land
use classifications to support additional density.

The General Plan Update is currently underway,
with adoption anticipated in 2025. The densities
permitted in the High and Medium Density Zone
designations (Santa Maria Muni cipal Code Title
12) will subsequently be amended for
consistency with the Land Use Element after the
updated General Plan has been adopted. As
part of the zoning code update, development
standards will be established or modified as
appropriate to facilita te achieving maximum
densities. The Title 12 Zoning Ordinance
amendment will be a public hearing process,
involving Planning Commission’s
recommendation, and City Council adoption.
with the new General Plan residential
densities.

Program 4.A:

Accommodations
for Seniors and
Persons with
Disabilities
The City strives to address the housing, health
care, accessibility and service needs of special
needs populations such as the elderly, and
persons with disabilities. The City continues to
comply with the Federal Fair Housing Act and
the California Fair Employment and Housing Act
by providing reasonable accommod ations (i.e.,
modifications or exceptions) in their zoning laws
and other land use regulations when such
accommodations are necessary to afford
disabled persons an equal opportunity to use
and enjoy a dwelling. The City will continue to
inform residents on the process and
requirements to obtain a reasonable
accommodation request (Zoning Ordinance
Chapter 12-50).

The City will continue
to accept reasonable
accommodation
requests and approve
three requests by
2031. If two requests
have not been
received by 2027, the
City will expand
outreach efforts,
including further
collaboration with
CAPSLO, Inc. to better
increase awareness of
available funding for
reasonable
accommodation
improvements (see
Program 2.A).

Promote
reasonable
accommodations
through the City’s
communication
channels (e.g.,
social media,
handouts, email
distribution, etc.) in
multiple languages
(2024 and ongoing
annually)

The City of Santa Maria did not receive any
reasonable accommodation requests in
2024. This City will continue efforts to
increase awareness of availability of the
reasonable accommodation process.

Please see Program 2.a for the 2 024 the
status of the CAPSLO and the CommUnify
repaired/rehabilitation programs, which
could be used by those seeking reasonable
accommodation.

Program 4.B:

Supportive
Housing for
Homeless
The City supports the development and
preservation of housing for unhoused individuals
through the allocation of funds to public service
agencies and nonprofits providing emergency
The City will continue
to strive to allocate
CDBG funding to
public service
Annually through
the City’s budget
process; ongoing
During FY 2023 -24, over $305,000 was
allocated to emergency shelter and services
through CDBG funding, including:

III - 17

Program Description Objective Time Frame Implementation Status Persons shelter and support services to the homeless.

Such services consist of coun seling, case
management, health care, and transportation.

The Non-Profit Facilities Program is available to
these agencies for capital development
activities, and specifically assists in the
development of housing affordable to extremely
low-income households.
agencies and non -
profits providing
emergency shelter
and services.
• Domestic Violence Solutions Emergency
Shelter ($20,424)
• Good Samaritan Shelter's Emergency
Shelter ($18,750)
• Good Samaritan Shelter's Freedom
Warming Center ($18,750)
• Good Samaritan Shelter's Family Shelter
Rehabilitation - Capital Funding
($250,000)
Program 4.C:

Zoning for Low
Barrier
Navigation
Centers and
Emergency
Shelters
The City’s Zoning Ordinance does not currently
address low barrier navigation centers (LBNCs),
defined as Housing First, low -barrier, service
enriched shelters focused on moving people into
permanent housing that provide temporary living
facilities while case managers connect
individuals experiencing homelessness to
income, public benefits, health services, shelter,
and housing (Government Code Section 65660).

State law requires LBNCs to be permitted by -
right in areas zoned for mixed -use and
nonresidential zones permitting multifamily uses
provided they satisfying the provisions
established by AB 101 (see Government Code
Section 65662). Additionally, the City will amend
emergency shelter parking standards to only
require parking for emergency shelter staff and
update the definition of emergency shelters to
comply with Government Code Section
65583(a)(4), as amended by AB 2339.

The City will amend its
Zoning Ordinance to
explicitly allow LBNCs
to be permitted as
provided by State law.
2026

The City did not receive requests regarding
low barrier navigation centers in 2024. The
City will amend its Zo ning Ordinance by
2025 to explicitly allow low barrier navigation
centers to be permitted as provided by State
law.

Program 4.D:

Zoning for
Transitional and
Supportive
Housing
The City’s Zoning Ordinance allows transitional
and supportive housing consiste nt with State
law. For clarity, the City will list these uses as
allowed uses in the appropriate zones.

Transitional housing provides temporary
housing for a period of six months to two years,
with a focus on moving people into permanent
housing (Governmen t Code Section 65582).

Supportive housing has no limit on length of stay
and is linked to an on-site or off-site service that
assists residents in retaining housing, improving
their health, and maximizing their ability to live
and work in the community (He alth and Safety
Code Section 50675.14). AB 2162 requires that
The City will amend its
Zoning Ordinance to
clarify which zones
permit transitional and
supportive housing as
a residential use of
property consistent
with State law.
2026 The City continues to follow State law
regarding transitional and supportive
housing.

By 2026, the City will amend its Zoning
Ordinance to clarify which zones permit
transitional and supportive housing as a
residential use of property consistent with
State law.

III - 18

Program Description Objective Time Frame Implementation Status transitional and supportive housing be permitted
by-right in areas zoned for residential uses.

Program 4.E:

Zoning for
Employee
Housing
The City will amend its Zoning Ordinance to
specify that employee housing for six or fewer
employees is considered a single -family
structure in the City’s residential land use
designations, consistent with Health and Safety
Code Section 17021.5. Similarly, the Zoning
Ordinance shall be amended per the provisions
of Section 17021.6 for employee housing in
agricultural land use zones. Last ly, the Zoning
Ordinance shall allow eligible agricultural
employee housing developments to be subject
to a streamlined, ministerial approval process
and objective development standards if located
on land designated as agricultural in compliance
with Section 17021.8. These amendments shall
be completed prior to expiration of the Voluntary
Compliance Agreement with HUD.

The City will amend
the Zoning Ordinance
to allow employee
housing consistent
with State law.

July 15, 2026 No agricultural employee housing
developments applications were received in
2024. The City continues to follow State law
regarding employee housing.

By July 2026, the City will amend its Zoning
Ordinance to ensure employee housing
provisions are consistent with State law.

Program 4.F:

Zoning for
Residential Care
Facilities
The City currently permits residential care
facilities for six or fewer persons in all residential
zoning districts, as well as districts where single-
family homes are allowed by -right and treats
them as a residential use. For clarity, the Zoning
Ordinance will be amended to specifically list
residential care facilities (6 or fewer persons) as
a permitted use. The Zoning Ordinance will also
be amended to establish objective standards for
large residential care faciliti es (more than six
persons) so that those large residential care
facilities meeting those standards may be
approved without discretionary review (i.e.,
subject only to objective standards) in all
residential zoning districts and similar to other
residential uses of the same form in those
districts.

The City will amend its
Zoning Ordinance to
facilitate residential
care facilities
consistent with State
law.
2025 The City continues to permit residential care
facilities for six or fewer persons in all
residential zoning districts, as well as
districts where single -family homes are
allowed by -right, and treats them as a
residential use. The Zoning Ordinance will
be updated in 2025 as described.

Program 4.G:

Zoning for Child
Family Care
Homes
The City currently permits large and small family
day care homes in all residential zoning districts.

For clarity, the Zoning Ordinance will be
amended to be consistent with the latest
regulations and terminology found in the
California Code of Regulations, Title 22, Division

12. The City will amend its
Zoning Ordinance to
facilitate child family
care homes
consistent with State
law.
2025 The City continues to permit large and small
family day care homes in all residential
zoning districts. The zoning Code update
will be completed in 2025 as described.

III - 19

Program Description Objective Time Frame Implementation Status Program 4.H:

Housing for
Extremely Low-
Income
Households
Assist in the development or redevelopment of
one or more properties for housing for those with
special needs, including housing affordable to
extremely low -income households. Specific
actions the City will undertake to pursue this
effort include:
 Conduct outreach to and coordinate with non-
profit housing developers to facilitate housing
for special needs populations, including
housing affordable to extremely low - income
households through discussions regarding
potential incentives, programs, financ ial
support, etc. (see also Program 1.A);
 Direct outreach to religious institution property
owners or operators to inform them about AB
1851 and any other regulations that
encourage housing development on these
properties (see also Program 1.H);
 Actively a ssist and support developers with
funding applications to support the
development of housing for special needs
populations, including extremely low -income
housing;
 Grant incentives and concessions to housing
developments that include units for any
special needs populations, and housing units
affordable to extremely low -income
households (e.g., State density bonus law
provisions; see also Program 1.B).
 Outreach efforts for this program will cross -
over with efforts and objectives of the other
Special Needs pr ograms of this section with
the aim to increase housing for all special
needs populations.

Approve 50 new units
for special needs
populations, and 50
new extremely low -
income housing units
by 2031.

Outreach to non -
profit developers
and religious
institution
properties by
January 2024 and
biannually
thereafter.

Santa Maria Studios, an SB-35 project, was
issued final certificate of occupancy in
November 2024. The project consists of 160
studio units, 159 of which are restricted to
residents who are 62 years of age or older,
helping satisfy special needs housing
demand. Additionally, the 159 units are
restricted to the following mix of affordability:

At or Below 30% AMI: 16 units
At or Below 40% AMI: 24 units
At or Below 50% AMI: 64 units
At or Below 60% AMI: 55 units
The City approval of the project per
Government Code Section 65913.4 ("SB
35") and Density Bonus Law in Section
65915 included the granting of three
concessions and one waiver in the interest
of maintaining project affordability. The City
also assisted the developer with their
California Tax Credit Allocation Committee
application including completing project data
forms and providing a letter of support.

In February 2024, the City issued ministerial
approval of the Heritage View Mixed Use
application for streamlined review pursuant
to Government Code Section 65913.4 ("SB
35"). This project consists of 119 apartment
units, all of which will be affordable to
households earning up to 80% of the Santa
Barbara County area median income
("AMI"). This project was granted three
concessions and one waiver in the interest
of project affordability. This project site was
owned by the Sisters of St. Francis – Mt
Alverno and used in part for their nun’s
residences. In 2017 the Sisters processed
the subdivision of the site with the intention
of transferring a portion of their property to
the affordable housing developer.

In December 2024, the City approved
entitlements for the Bellecrest Project
residential development, consisting of 142

III - 20

Program Description Objective Time Frame Implementation Status detached, senior -restricted market rate
residential units. This project was granted
reduced lot sizes through the City’s
Subdivision Ordinance provisions, and
granted reduced building setbacks through
the City’s Planned Development Permit
process.

In May 2024, Halsell Builders, Inc. received
Zoning Administrator approval on two
residential developments within the
Downtown Specific Plan, for a total of 48
senior restricted units. Each project was
granted reduced parking requirements.

There were no requests by religiou s
institution property owners or operators for
residential development in 2024.

Each month in 2024, the Community
Programs Division distributed an ‘E -
Newsletter’ to over 500 e -mail addresses,
including affordable and special needs
housing developers. Th e newsletter
announces key upcoming dates, such as
meetings of the Block Grants Advisory
Committee and public hearing for funding
allocations, provides links to services and
service organizations such as the Central
Coast Aging & Disability Resource Center ,
and announces upcoming community
educational and social events.

Program 4.I:

Support for
Farmworkers
Proactive engagement with farmworkers and
community-based organizations which advocate
for their needs is essential to ensuring
farmworker access to housing which is
affordable, safe, and promotes good health. The
City will continue to coordinate with publ ic,
private, and non -profit organizations, such as
the Central Coast Alliance United for a
Sustainable Economy (CAUSE) , the Mixteco
Indigenous Community Organizing Project
(MICOP), the California Farmworker Foundation
Approve 50 new
farmworker housing
units by 2031.

Identify actions the
City can
appropriately
undertake to
improve
farmworker housing
(2025).

No applications or proposals for farm worker
housing were received by the City in 2024.

The City, through the Geneal Plan Update
process has conducted public outreach
regarding issues that impact farmworkers,
including housing availability and quality,
including Environmental Justice topics.

Additional policies and actions related to
farmworkers will be forthcoming with the
General Plan adoption in 2025

III - 21

Program Description Objective Time Frame Implementation Status (CFF), Santa Barbara County Promotore s
Network, the Grower -Shipper Association of
Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties,
and others to address the persistent housing
issues farmworkers face, including
overcrowding, substandard housing, tenant
protections, and language barriers. The City will
support these organizations in obtaining funding
for new housing or rehabilitation of existing
farmworker housing units, such as through the
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Housing
Programs, the Joe Serna, Jr. Farmworker
Housing Grant (FWHG) Pro gram, or the
California Department of Community Services &
Development Programs Low - Income
Weatherization Program (LIWP).

The City will coordinate with local farm owners
and operators on topics dealing with housing
and support for their farm employees, su ch as
providing access to services, and distance
between workplace and housing. Additionally,
the City will proactively collaborate with non -
profit developers (e.g., People’s Self -Help
Housing) to explore funding and incentives for
the provision of farmwor ker housing and to
identify specific development opportunities.

All housing projects within the City Jurisdiction,
including those for farmworkers, are required to
connect to the City water infrastructure, avoiding
some of the water quality issues that
farmworkers in other areas of the state
experience according to the 2022 Farmworker
Health Study (FWHS) survey. Connection to City
sewer infrastructure is also mandatory,
improving the living conditions for Santa Maria
farmworker households.

Instances of over crowding of Farmworker units
will be lessened though the development of
additional farmworker housing units, which the
City will facilitate through the implementation of
the programs included under Goal 1: Promote
New Housing Construction, and specifically by
Program 4.E: Zoning for Employee Housing.

III - 22

Program Description Objective Time Frame Implementation Status Additionally, the City does not restrict the
development of housing for farmworkers to any
particular residential zoning district.

Although not counted as units under RHNA,
many former motels within the City ha ve been
improved and used to house seasonal
farmworkers, which current US Department of
Agriculture data indicate comprise
approximately 43 percent of the Santa Barbara
Couty total farmworker population.

Through the various methods of anonymous
reporting available (in both Spanish and English)
the City’s Code Enforcement Division will
continue to investigate and issue corrections for
substandard housing conditions, including lack
of water or heat, proper sanitation, infestations,
structure damage or other f orms of blight. The
Building Division and Fire Department will
continue to conduct building permit and fire
safety inspections for the conversion of existing
buildings to housing for farmworkers.

Program 5.A:

Homebuyer
Assistance
Program
The City will support and promote available
homebuyer programs (e.g., the Housing Trust
Fund of Santa Barbara County’s Workforce
Homebuyer Program) and seek funding to assist
residents with buying a home through first -time
homebuyer down payment programs. Programs
may provide pre -purchase counseling, deferred
payment down payment loans, and closing cost
grants to households.

The City will seek to
increase funding of
homebuyer
assistance programs
through grant
applications with a
goal of at least 10
households assisted
by 2031.

Promote available
programs through
the City’s
communication
channels (e.g.,
social media,
handouts, email
distribution, etc.) in
multiple languages
(annually as
program funding
remains available);
complete g rant
applications for
homebuyer
program funds
every three years
(2024, 2027, and
2030) or until a
grant is awarded or
other funding
allocated.

The City continues to monitor for available
grants to fund homebuyer assistance
programs. No grants were available in 2024.

Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA)
funds were available, but funds were
determined to be insufficient to successfully
create an active program in 2024. In the
future, the City will consider the feasibility of
combining the PHHA funds with future
funding from other sources.

III - 23

Program Description Objective Time Frame Implementation Status Program 5.B:

Tenant-Based
Assistance
The Housing Choice (Section 8) Rental
Assistance Program is admini stered by the
Housing Authority of the County of Santa
Barbara. This program assists very low -income,
elderly, and disabled households by paying the
difference between 30 percent of an eligible
household's income and the actual rental cost.

The City will c ontinue to promote the
participation of eligible Santa Maria residents in
the County-administered Housing Choice Rental
Assistance Program.

Since Housing Choice
vouchers are
portable, the number
of vouchers used in
Santa Maria will vary
over time, but the City
will seek to increase
the current level of
1,736 households
located in the City
(including Orcutt)
participating in the
Section 8 program by
10 percent to 1,910
households. If Section
8 households are not
on track with the
target by 2027 (i.e.,
1,823 voucher
households in 2027),
the City will work with
the Housing Authority
of the County of Santa
Barbara to facilitate
increased voucher
use within Santa
Maria through
outreach or other
mutually agreed upon
strategies.

Promote programs
through City
channels (annually)
There are currently 1,532 households
assisted with Section 8 in Santa Maria.

The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher
waitlist in Santa Barbara County is typically
lengthy due to high demand and limited
funding. Per the Housing Authority of the
County of Santa Barbara , “As of August
2024, the Housing Authority of the County of
Santa Barbara (HACSB) reports that there
are 463 affordable housing units in the City
(including Orcutt), but there are 8,902
households countywide on the wait list, a n
increase of over 35 percent compared to last
year’s waiting list.”

As of 2024, HACSB owns and maintains 149
units of project -based voucher housing at
Evans Park located at 200 West Williams
within the City of Santa Maria.

HACSB also sponsors a Family Self
Sufficiency (FSS) program that is available
to Santa Maria residents receiving Section 8
rental assistance. As of August 2024, of the
39 participating families, 21 of them (54
percent) are now working, in school, or are
in job training programs and 27 families (69
percent) have escrow accounts established
with a goal of home ownership.

Program 5.C:

Rental Deposit
Assistance
The City supports programs that assist residents
with rental payments, based on availability, such
as the City’s Tenant Based Rental Assistance
(TBRA) Program, which provides security
deposit assistance through a Qualified Referring
Agency (QRA) to qualified low -income
households. Santa Maria is a member of the
Santa Barbara County's HOME Consortium and
currently is using part of its HOME funds to help
with rental deposits within the City limits.

Based on availability
of HOME funding and
vacancy rates of
affordable units,
assist 300 households
with rental deposits by
2031, averaging
approximately 38
households per year.

If the City is not on
track with the target
by 2027 (i.e., 150
households assisted
with rental deposits by
Ongoing The program continues to be a success.

During FY 2023-24, a total of 73 households
were assisted with TBRA funding.

III - 24

Program Description Objective Time Frame Implementation Status 2027), the City will
take most action
based on the limiting
factor (e.g., additional
outreach, seek
additional funding
source, etc.) within six
months.

Program 5.D:

Fair Housing
Program
The City is committed to supporting Fair Housing
programs for residents. The housing programs
sponsored by the City promote housing
opportunities for all persons within the
community. The Legal Aid Foundation of Santa
Barbara County, under contract with the City,
conducts fair housing activities, and the City’s
Community Programs D ivision administers the
production and distribution of Fair Housing
information throughout the City.

The City will actively advertise the Legal Aid
Foundation’s services through avenues such as
the City website, flyers or brochures in public
buildings, and on social media. These
advertisements will emphasize common tenant
protection needs and anti-discrimination actions,
such as tenant/landlord mediation and the
promotion of legal services to prevent source of
income discrimination. Materials will be provided
in English and Spanish. The City will track
awareness of fair housing services through
surveys and/or other methods of receiving input
from the community, and increase awareness of
such services over the planning period,
adjusting outreach methods based on
community input results.

The City will track
awareness of fair
housing services and
increase awareness
of such services over
the planning period,
adjusting outreach
methods based on
community input (first
survey 2025 and
every three years
following).

Prepare information
in multiple
languages (2024);
provide materials
on the City’s
website and
distribute through
various channels
(2024), update and
re-distribute
material regularly
but no later than
every three years
(2027 and 2030)
On June 4, 2024, the City of Santa Maria and
attorneys from Legal Aid Foundation of
Santa Barbara County held a public
workshop on Fair Housing history and
education on Fair Housing in general. About
40 members of the public attended. After the
presentation, a question -and-answer
session followed. In addition to the
attorneys, a member of City Code
Enforcement and City Planning helped
answer broad -based housing questions.

Additional workshops have stemmed from
this event.

In addition, The City assisted Legal Aid
Foundation with Fair Housing testing in April
2024. Sixteen sites were selected by doing
an internet search of available rental listings
in Santa Maria within 2 weeks of the testing
date. Tests were conducted to verify
compliance with the Fair Housing laws in the
areas of Race, Source of Income, Disability
and Familial Status. Although Testers were
unable to make observations as to the
appearance of the office and determine
whether a “Fair Housing” poster was on
display and the demeanor and appearance
of the agent(s), Testers were encouraged to
explore each site’s webpage (they all
existed) for compliance with Fair Housing
Requirements.

III - 25

Program Description Objective Time Frame Implementation Status Program 5.E:

Tenants Rights
Information
The City will continue to effectively communicate
information regarding local and regional tenants’
rights resources, as well as other relevant
resources, in a user -friendly manner. The City
will better inform residents, especially those who
are harder to reach and potentially at -risk of
displacement, through avenues such as the City
website, flyers, or brochures in public buildings,
and on social media. Information will be
multilingual, and the City will coordinate with
organizations and local groups to ensure the
effective distribution of information community -
wide, including to the Mixteco com munity who
relies more on spoken communication.

The City will continue
to inform its residents
on fair housing rights
and resources with a
focus on reaching at -
risk households and
will partner with local
organizations and
groups to be more
effective. Our goal is to
educate over 200
households through
2031 (i.e., 100
households by 2027).

Written materials
produced and
translated into
Spanish and
distributed (June
2025)
The City’s Human Services Guide provides
resources related to tenants’ rights, and also
has information about other organizations
that available to provide assistance to the
community. The guide is available on the
City’s website, advertised in the City’s
monthly electronic newsletter which goes
out to more than 500 people, and the guide
is also promoted during the City’s quarterly
brown bag meeting which is made up of City
staff and non-profit agencies.

Program 5.F:

Environmental
Issue
Identification and
Action
The City will conduct outreach and gather
information on environmental and health factors
most acutely impacting residents in areas of
Santa Maria with the lowest CalEnviroScreen
and California Tax Credit Allocation Committee
(TCAC) scores (Appendix F, Figures F-13, F-16,
and F-32). The City will develop an action plan
to address the identified issues, including
prioritization, timeframe for implementation,
responsible party(ies), and funding sources.

Specific City actions include the following or
alternative equivalent measures:
 Continue to regularly and efficiently issue
permits related to abandoned oil well closures
and hazardous waste clean ups (see
Appendix C, Section C.4.1);
 Conduct outreach to property owners to
facilitate understanding and awareness of oil
well closures and hazardous waste clean -up
resources;
 As part of Program 4.I (Support for
Farmworkers), identify environmental risks to
farmworkers in the home that the City could
seek funding and/or take action to improve
Develop and
implement actions to
address
environmental health
issues most
effectively in the
lowest resource
areas. Also see
Program 5.G.

Develop outreach
plan and conduct
outreach (2024 -
2025); develop an
action plan (2025 -
2026); implement
action plan (2026 -
2031)

The City continued working on the
Comprehensive update to the General Plan,
which included environmental justice
provisions and a Environmental Justice
Element to fulfill the requirement of SB 1000.

The Element will include goals, policies and
action items to reduce pollution exposure
and promote public facilities, food access,
safe and sanitary homes, physical activity,
and civic engagement. This City has
identified all of the Disadvantaged
Communities (D AC) within the City limits
based on CalEnviroScreen 4.0 to a nalize
current pollution burden data, integrate
locally relevant information, and align DAC
designations with State and Federal funding
requirements.

Draft policy frameworks will be completed in
early 2025 for public review and the City
anticipates General Plan adoption in late
2025.

The City continues to work with CalGem on
well closures for development sites, and
with Santa Barbara County Environmental
Health for the remediation of oil impact ed
sites.

III - 26

Program Description Objective Time Frame Implementation Status Program 5.G:

Environmental
Justice
The City is committed to avoiding the
concentration of high-impact or hazardous uses
and facilities that disproportionately affects any
community, and the City will strive to locate
amenities, services, public facilities, and
improvements equitably. The City will
incorporate Environmental Justice goals,
policies, and objectives as part of the
comprehensive General Plan Update, which is
currently underway. The Environmental Justice
provisions of the draft update will first be made
available for public review and comment. The
Environmental Justice goals, policies, and
objectives will be considered in subsequent
public hearings before the Planning Commission
and City Council, with adoption by of the new
General Plan anticipated in 2025.

TCAC Opportunity
Areas are updated
annually by the TCAC
methodology and can
be a measure to
evaluate progress
under this Program.

Although
environmental factors
can take significant
time to ameliorate, the
City will strive to see
fewer census tracts
within Santa Maria
identified as lower
resource (Appendix F,
Figure F-13). Also see
Program 5.I (Capital
Improvements in Low-
Income Areas).

Incorporate
Environmental
Justice goals,
policies, and
objectives into the
General Plan
(January 2024) with
adoption in 2025
and thereafter, at
least annual and
ongoing
implementation.

The City continued working on the
Comprehensive update to the General Plan,
which included environmental justice
provisions and a Environmental Justice
Element to fulfill the requirement of SB 1000.

The Element will include goals, policies and
action items to reduce pollution exposure
and promote public facilities, food access,
safe and sanitary homes, physical activity,
and civic engagement. This City has
identified all of the Disadvantaged
Communities (DAC) within the City limits
based on CalEnviroScreen 4.0 to a nalize
current pollution burden data, integrate
locally relevant information, and align DAC
designations with State and Federal funding
requirements.

Draft policy frameworks will be completed in
early 2025 for public review and the City
anticipates General Plan adoption in late
2025.

Program 5.H:

Condominium
Conversions
Condominium conversions can raise the cost of
housing and remove affordable multi-family
rental housing off the market. The City currently
requires for any condominium conversion
project a report filed with the City as detailed in
Section 12 -46.06 (Reports Required for
Conversion) and a planned development or
conditional use permit approval.

The City will evaluate the requirements for
condominium conversions and determine if any
improvements could be made to preserve
existing units and prevent displacement.

Preserve existing
rental stock from
being converted to
condominiums
throughout the
planning period.

Evaluate
condominium
conversion
regulations
(December 2026);
adopt amendments
to condominium
conversion
regulations if
appropriate based
on evaluation
(September 2027)
No applications for the conversion of units to
condominium ownership were received in
2024. The City will continue to monitor State
law for changes regarding condominium
conversion regulations.

III - 27

Program Description Objective Time Frame Implementation Status Program 5.I:

Capital
Improvements in
Low-Income
Areas
The City will complete projects to improve
conditions in areas with higher concentrations of
low- income households. Projects in and around
the Downtown area include the Downtown
Streetscape Catalyst Project, Chapel Plaza
Renovation Project, and Veterans Memorial
Park Renovation Project. These projects will
create pe destrian enhancements, new cultural
and recreational amenities including walking
trails and playground equipment, additional
trees and landscaping, signage, and security
lighting.

The City capital improvement plan provides for
repairs, replacements, and up grades to sewer
mains and trunk lines Citywide to provide
sufficient capacity on an as -needed basis,
including in those areas with concentrations of
lower income households.

The City invests in all areas of the community,
including areas with a higher concentration of
lower-income households, between Blosser
Road and Broadway, and Alvin Avenue and
Stowell Road, as depicted on Figure 27. For
example, to enhance sewer capacity, including
flows from the downtown area, the City’s 2022 -
2024 Adopted Budget allocated $4,332,340 of
funds to upgrade the size of the sewer trunk line
for the Dejoy Phase II project; $525,000 to
upgrade the sewer line on Pine Street between
Jones and Boone; and $500,000 to construct the
sewer line upgrade on Knudsen Way. All of
these projects are within the boundaries of the
lower-income concentration area of the City
depicted on Figure F -27. Other budgeted
improvements within this area are the design
and co nstruction of a new intersection control
feature at the intersection of Morrison
Avenue/Depot Street funded with $475,000 of
gas tax, local transportation funds and growth
mitigation fees; and $5,000,000 for the
expansion of Fire Station #1 to support
additional staffing, additional apparatus, shift
Battalion Chiefs, workout facilities, and future
growth.

Continue to identify
and fund multiple
capital projects in
each two-year budget
cycle, including
through the
application of
Program 1.J.

Achieve over three
million invested in
projects completed in
low-income areas by
July 2026. Subject to
the availability of
applicable grants,
apply for four grants
for improvement
projects for lower
income areas of the
City during the
planning period.

Chapel Plaza
Renovation and
Veterans Memorial
Park Renovation
projects completed
by July 2025;
Downtown
Streetscape
Catalyst Project
completed by July
2026
The City has continued to pursue and
receive grants to fund both infrastructure
and public facility projects. Examples include
the REAP 2.0 grant, which allocated
$2,482,763.00 to the City of Santa Maria for
sewer line upgrades and pedestrian
improvements in the City’s Downtown area
which will support and facilitate the future
growth of mixed -use residential and
commercial projects in the Downtown core
and prioritize revitalization of this area of the
City. Some of these projects are recent
“Surplus Lands” projects, which include an
affordable housing component.

Grants were also received to facilitate the
development of a planned new sports
complex located within the B losser Ranch
Area 5B Specific Plan in the central area of
the City. This new complex will include
multiple soccer field and sports fields,
playgrounds, restroom facilities, and BBQ
and outdoor seating areas.

The City completed the Machado Plaza
(formally the Chappel Plaza renovation
project), and the City of Santa Maria
Recreation and Parks Department, in
collaboration with the Santa Maria Arts
Council, held a Canvas & Corks event, with
handcrafted arts, food, and wine on October
26th, and the First Annu al Machado Plaza
Holiday Market on December 1, 2024.

Other Improvement Projects in 2024 include
two residential neighborhood pocket parks
created from City owned property, both in
lower income areas.

III - 28

Program Description Objective Time Frame Implementation Status Through Program 1.J (Infrastructure Funding
Opportunities) the City will pursue supplemental
capital improvement project funding (e.g.,
grants) to complete infrastructure improvements
as needed to facilitate the construction of infill
residential development. Through regular
(currently monthly) meetings with a hired
consultant, the City is kept apprised of current
state and local funding opportunities, incl uding
for infrastructure project assistance and grants.

Program 5.J:

Housing Mobility
Housing mobility strategies consist of removing
barriers to housing in areas of opportunity and
strategically enhancing access (Santa Maria is
mostly low resource but has moderate resource
areas in the northeast and southeast, see Figure
F-13). To improve housing mobility and promote
more housing choices and affordability in the
moderate resource areas, including in lower -
density neighborhoods, the City will employ a
suite of actions to expand housing opportunities
affordable to extremely low, very low, low, and
moderate in come households. Actions and
strategies include:
 Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) – Promote
ADUs in single-family neighborhoods through
outreach and providing information on
technical and/or available financial assistance.

See Program 1.D.
 Religious Institu tional Sites – Encourage
housing on religious institutional sites within
the City through outreach and facilitating
housing applications. See Program 1.H.
 Facilitate Lower and Mixed-Income Projects in
Higher Resource Areas – The City will
facilitate the ap proval and permitting of lower
and mixed -income projects in moderate
resource areas (see Figure F-31) with the goal
of 250 lower income units constructed in these
areas by 2031.

Provide 300 housing
opportunities
affordable to lower
income households
by February 2031.

Annually review
overall progress and
effectiveness and
include information
in annual report to
HCD. If the City is
not on track to meet
its 300 affordable
housing unit goal for
the 8 -year RHNA
cycle by 2027 (i.e.,
150 affordable units
built or in process by
2027), the City will
consider alternative
land use strategies
and make
necessary
amendments to
zoning or other land
use documents to
facilitate a variety of
housing choices,
including but not
limited to, strategies
that encourage
missing midd le
zoning (small -scale
multi-unit projects),
and/or adaptive
reuse, within six
months.

In 2024, the City issued permits for 435
ADU’s low income non-deed-restricted units.

In December 2024, the City approved
entitlements for the Bellecrest residential
development consisting of 142 detached,
senior-restricted residential units on East
Main Street, in the northeast portion of the
City identified as a moderate resource area.

III - 29

Table E – Commercial Development Bonus Approved
Section 65915.7 of the Government Code allows commercial projects to request reductions in parking requirements, increased building height and/or increased floor area when that project contributes to the development of affordable housing in the jurisdiction.

The City did not receive any requests under Government Code Se ction 65915.7 during 2024; therefore, the completion of this table is not necessary.

Table F – Units Rehabilitated, Preserved and Acquired for Alternative Adequate Sites pursuant to Government Code section 65583.1(c)(2) Jurisdictions are asked to use this table to report units that have been substantially rehabilitated, converted from non -affordable to affordable by acquisition, and preserved consistent with the standards set forth in Government Code section 65583.1, subdivision (c)(2). The affordable housing work completed by the City in 2024 did not include any of these activities; therefore, the completion of this table is not necessary.

Table F2 – Above Moderate Income Units Converted to Moderate Income Pursuant to Government Code section 65400.2
Jurisdictions are asked to use this table to report units in an existing multifamily building that were converted to deed -restricted rental housing for moderate -income households by the imposition of affordability covenants and restrictions for the unit. In 2024 the City did not receive any applications for conversion of existing units to deed-restricted units.

Table G – Locally Owned Lands Included in the Housing Element Sites Inventory that have been sold, leased, or otherwise disposed of, pursuant to Government Code section 65400.1
State Law requires local agencies to list sites owned by the locality that were included in the housing element sites inventory and were sold, leased, or otherwise disposed of during the reporting year. The City did not sell any land identified as a Housing Element available site in 2024; therefore, the completion of this table is not necessary.

Table H – Locally Owned or Controlled Lands Declared Surplus Pursuant to Government Code section 54221, or identified as Excess Pursuant to Government Code section 50569
State Law requires local agencies to create an inventory of surplus lands it owns or controls. “Surplus land” means land owned by any local agency for which the local agency’s governing body takes formal action in a regular public meeting declaring that the land is surplus and is not necessary for the agency’s use. The City did not declare any property as surplus land in 2024.

Table J – Student housing development with a density bonus approved pursuant to Government Code section 65915 (b) (1) (F)
State law requires that student housing development that received a density bonus be reported in the APR. The City did not receive application for, or process any student housing development in 2024; therefore, the completion of this table is not necessary.

III - 30

Table K – Tenant Preference Policy Pursuant to Government Code section 7061 State law requires that local governments inform HCD about any local tenant preference ordinance the local government adopts or maintains, including the requirements the City create a webpage on their internet website containing authorizing local ordinance and supporting materials, no more than 90 days after the ordinance becomes operational. The City does not currently have a local tenant preference ordinance.

Local Early Action Planning (LEAP) Grant Reporting
Recipient Agencies of Local Early Action Planning (LEAP) grants shall annually report by April 1 of the year following receipt of those funds on the status of proposed uses in the application.

The City has received the full LEAP grant fund ($500,000) reimbursement awarded for the General Plan Update and associated Environmental Impact Report, and the Sixth Cycle Housing Element Update. The Sixth Cycle Housing Element is adopted and serves to facilitate the development of new housing in the City. Work on the General Plan Update and EIR continue, with adoption anticipated late 2025.

III - 31

Summary Table:

Jurisdiction Santa Maria
Reporting Year 2024 (Jan. 1 - Dec. 31)
Housing Element Planning Period 6th Cycle 02/15/2023 - 02/15/2031

Building Permits Issued by Affordability Summary
Income Level Current Year
Very Low
Deed
Restricted 0
Non-Deed
Restricted 0
Low
Deed
Restricted 0
Non-Deed
Restricted 435
Moderate
Deed
Restricted 0
Non-Deed
Restricted 0
Above Moderate

47 Total Units 482
Note: Units serving extremely low-income households are included in the very low-income permitted units totals

Units by Structure Type Entitled Permitted Completed
Single-family Attached 0 3 0
Single-family Detached 3 34 45
2 to 4 units per structure 4 10 10
5+ units per structure 129 0 160
Accessory Dwelling Unit 0 435 239
Mobile/Manufactured Home 0 0 5
Total 136 482 459

Infill Housing Developments and Infill Units Permitted # of Projects Units Indicated as Infill 477 482
Not Indicated as Infill 0 0

Housing Applications Summary
Total Housing Applications Submitted: 706
Number of Proposed Units in All Applications Received: 1,668 Total Housing Units Approved: 1,668
Total Housing Units Disapproved: 0

III - 32

Use of SB 423 Streamlining Provisions - Applications
Number of SB 423 Streamlining Applications 0
Number of SB 423 Streamlining Applications Approved 0

Units Constructed - SB 423 Streamlining Permits
Income Rental Ownership Total
Very Low 0 0 0
Low 0 0 0
Moderate 0 0 0
Above Moderate 0 0 0
Total 0 0 0

Streamlining Provisions Used - Permitted Units # of Projects Units SB 9 (2021) - Duplex in SF Zone 0 0
SB 9 (2021) - Residential Lot Split 0 0
AB 2011 (2022) 0 0
SB 6 (2022) 0 0
SB 423 (2023) 0 0

Ministerial and Discretionary Applications
# of
Applications Units
Ministerial 45 175
Discretionary 3 340

Density Bonus Applications and Units Permitted
Number of Applications Submitted Requesting a Density Bonus 0 Number of Units in Applications Submitted Requesting a Density Bonus 0 Number of Projects Permitted with a Density Bonus 0
Number of Units in Projects Permitted with a Density Bonus 0

Housing Element Programs Implemented and Sites
Rezoned Count
Programs Implemented 41
Sites Rezoned to Accommodate the RHNA 0

Santa Maria City CouncilMarch 18, 2025

Santa Maria City Council
March 18, 2025