Santa Barbara is falling short of its affordable housing goals, with city leaders acknowledging that several obstacles have been impacting the slow progress.
During a meeting on March 17, 2026, the Santa Barbara City Council reviewed its 2025 General Plan Annual Progress Report, which provided a snapshot of where the city stands in meeting the state-mandated housing targets.
Currently in its third year of the 2023-2031 Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) cycle, the city is expected to issue permits for 8,001 new housing units, which represents a 95% increase from the previous cycle…