This article was underwritten in part by the Mickey Flacks Journalism Fund for Social Justice, a proud, innovative supporter of local news. To make a contribution go to sbcan.org/journalism_fund.
A Santa Barbara grand jury — a group of 19 volunteers tasked with providing government oversight, issued a report in June that focused on three specific findings to correct the lack of sufficient south coast housing. The report pointed out that county and city-owned public land should be identified for housing, the permit process is too complicated, and affordable housing needs more funding. On Tuesday, the county’s Board of Supervisors agreed. But staff said many of the recommendations were already being practiced, and others didn’t fit with the county’s internal structure.
Second District Supervisor Laura Capps said, “Every single jurisdiction should be doing an assessment of their underutilized land for housing because it’s that important and an obvious solution to start with.”…