Across the United States, communities face an affordable housing crisis. Too many people simply cannot afford to live where they work, impacting families, local businesses, schools, and the broader social fabric.
In Santa Barbara county, the situation is particularly severe:
Since 2021, rents and real estate have increased over 30%, while wages have not kept pace. The average rent for a one-bedroom apartment is now $3,000.
Costs for food, transportation, childcare, and other necessities have risen over the past decade, with 42% of households falling below the United Way’s Real Cost Measure of what it takes to live with dignity.
One of the most powerful tools to address this crisis is unlocking underutilized government land to build affordable housing. Publicly owned land—such as underused buildings, single-level parking lots, vacant lots, and idle parcels—can reduce construction costs and allow housing to be built more quickly.
In April 2025, after a year-long analysis of more than 6,000 acres of county-owned land, county leadership identified two high-potential sites in downtown areas for affordable workforce housing: a former government office building and a county campus parking lot. This policy focuses on using existing public land in developed areas to meet the community’s affordable housing needs. The initiative has widespread community support, including from local civic organizations and business groups.
Government land is funded by taxpayers, and the government has both the ability and responsibility to lead by example in providing solutions to the housing crisis. Using these sites ensures that affordable housing can benefit the local workforce while preserving agricultural land and open spaces.
Impact or how it will be measured:
Developing affordable housing on public land achieves three critical goals:
Prioritize affordability: With the cost of land removed from the equation, housing can be built for food workers, school employees, young people, older adults, and families—ensuring community members can live where they work.
Provide local workforce housing: Public agencies are often among the largest employers in a region. Developing government-owned land ensures housing is accessible to local employees rather than outside investors.
Protect agricultural land and open spaces: By building on public land, the pressure to develop farms and green spaces is reduced, preserving essential landscapes and community quality of life.
Similar projects have demonstrated success, such as using a closed school site for faculty and staff housing and a hospital campus for workforce housing development.