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Affordable units in new housing (inclusionary) in Santa Barbara County

Santa Barbara County's own rules on affordable units in new housing (inclusionary), with the code text for every value.

Each rule below links to the section of the Santa Barbara County Municipal Code it was read from, with the code text one click away (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.

What Santa Barbara County's code says

Santa Barbara County code What Santa Barbara County's code adds
Exemptions
  • Projects qualifying for state density bonus law by providing price-restricted affordable units are exempt.
    Applies: Affordable housing covenant provisions remain applicable.
    § 46A-3 · code text
    Projects that qualify for the provisions of state density bonus law by providing price-restricted affordable housing units, provided that such projects shall not be exempt from, and shall be subject to, the affordable housing covenant provisions of this chapter and chapter 46, including, but not limited to section 46-5;
  • Projects in the Cuyama Housing Market Area are exempt.
    § 46A-3 · code text
    Projects located within the Cuyama Housing Market Area;
  • Projects on lots under a Land Conservation (Williamson) Act contract are exempt.
    § 46A-3 · code text
    Projects on lots subject to Land Conservation (Williamson) Act contract (Government Code Section 51200 et seq.);
  • Projects on lots zoned Agriculture II with a gross lot area of 40 acres or greater are exempt.
    § 46A-3 · code text
    Projects on lots zoned Agriculture II (pursuant to section 35-1, section 35-2 or article II of chapter 35, of the Santa Barbara County Code) with a gross lot area of forty acres or greater;
  • Projects built by non-profit developers with United States Department of Agriculture funding are exempt.
    § 46A-3 · code text
    Projects constructed by non-profit developers with United States Department of Agriculture funding;
  • Projects that met inclusionary requirements in a prior phase, including lot subdivision, are exempt.
    § 46A-3 · code text
    Projects which satisfied inclusionary housing requirements per this chapter during a prior phase of the development projects, including lot subdivision;
  • Emergency shelters, transitional housing and SRO projects designed to serve extremely-low income households or the homeless are exempt.
    § 46A-3 · code text
    Emergency shelters, transitional housing, and single room occupancy (SRO) projects which are specifically designed to serve extremely-low income households or the homeless population;
  • Reconstruction of units destroyed by fire, flood, earthquake or other act of nature is exempt if it meets specified requirements.
    § 46A-3 · code text
    The reconstruction of any residential units or structures which have been destroyed by fire, flood, earthquake or other act of nature, which are being reconstructed in a manner consistent with the requirements of section 35-1, section 35-2 or article II of chapter 35, of the Santa Barbara County Code;
  • On- or off-site housing developed and controlled by employers for sale or rent to their employees is exempt.
    § 46A-3 · code text
    On- or off-site housing which is developed and controlled by employers that is dedicated for sale or rent by their employees;
  • Existing legal units or lots are exempt, except rental-to-ownership conversions and possible Isla Vista requirements.
    Applies: Existing legal units or lots in a project.
    § 46A-3 · code text
    Existing legal units or lots in a project, except where the rental units are being converted to ownership units such as condominiums, stock cooperatives, or community apartments, except as may be required for the Isla Vista area pursuant to Coastal Land Use Plan Policy 5-10.
Projects it applies to
  • 5 or more net new primary housing units, or subdivisions allowing 5 or more.
    § 46A-3 · code text
    Development of five or more net new primary housing units; and/or
  • 20 or more net new residential lots or primary residential units.
    Applies: Used for the required percentages in the table; the chapter itself covers projects of 5 or more net new primary housing units.
    § 46A-4 · code text
    For all residential developments of twenty or more net new residential lots or primary residential units, the following percentages of the total units/lots shall be constructed
Share of affordable units
  • 2.5% of total units/lots, price-restricted to affordable levels for very low income households.
    Applies: Developments of 20 or more net new residential lots or primary residential units.
    § 46A-4 · code text
    Very Low | 2.5%
  • 2.5% of total units/lots, price-restricted to affordable levels for low income households.
    Applies: Developments of 20 or more net new residential lots or primary residential units.
    § 46A-4 · code text
    | Low | 2.5% |
  • 5% of total units/lots, price-restricted to affordable levels for moderate income households.
    Applies: Developments of 20 or more net new residential lots or primary residential units.
    § 46A-4 · code text
    | Moderate | 5% |
  • 5% of total units/lots, price-restricted to affordable levels for workforce income households.
    Applies: Developments of 20 or more net new residential lots or primary residential units.
    § 46A-4 · code text
    | Workforce | 5% |
  • One price-restricted unit.
    Applies: Developments of 5 to 19 net new residential lots or primary housing units.
    § 46A-4 · code text
    For all residential developments of five to nineteen net new residential lots or primary housing units, the developer(s) shall provide one price-restricted unit for rent or for sale

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

Does Santa Barbara County require affordable units in new housing?

Santa Barbara County's code: Projects qualifying for state density bonus law by providing price-restricted affordable units are exempt. (Affordable housing covenant provisions remain applicable.) (§ 46A-3); Projects in the Cuyama Housing Market Area are exempt. (§ 46A-3).

General information, not legal advice.

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