The housing team is responsible for drafting a 5-year Consolidated Plan, as well as annual Action Plans, on behalf of the Urban County and the unincorporated areas of the County for federal grant programs. Other plans include the Participation Plan and the Assessment of Fair Housing. Additionally, the Housing Team develops and maintains housing ordinances and other policies to manage affordable housing availability and opportunities in the County, like the Housing Element and Inclusionary Housing Ordinance (Title 29).
Consolidated Plan
Every five years, the Urban County of San Luis Obispo (comprised of the county of San Luis Obispo and the cities of Arroyo Grande, Atascadero, Morro Bay, Paso Robles, Pismo Beach, and San Luis Obispo) prepares a five-year strategic plan called the Consolidated Plan. The purpose of the Consolidated Plan is to identify affordable housing and community needs faced by the Urban County which may be addressed by investing federal funds, including the Community Development Block Grant program (CDBG), the HOME Investment Partnerships program (HOME), and the Emergency Solutions Grant program (ESG).
Action Plans
Annual Action Plans provide a concise summary of the actions and activities to address the priority needs and specific goals identified by the Consolidated Plan, along with the specific federal and non-federal monetary resources that will be used each year.
2019 Action Plan Amendment_CARES Act
Participation Plan
The Participation Plan provides strategies for community participation in the planning processes of HUD-related documents and plans, such as the Consolidated Plan, Action Plans, Assessment of Fair Housing, and the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER).
Assessment of Fair Housing Program
Federal and state laws provide that it is unlawful “to discriminate against any person in the terms, conditions or privileges related to the sale or rental of a dwelling, or in the provision of services or facilities in connection therewith, on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, familial status (i.e. families with children or same sex couples), disability, national origin or ancestry.” The County of San Luis Obispo, in coordination with California Rural Legal Assistance (CRLA), strives to reduce housing discrimination in the housing rental, sales, lending, and insurance markets in compliance with the Fair Housing Act.
Inclusionary Housing Ordinance
The Inclusionary Housing Ordinance stipulates that development projects reserve a portion of units be restricted for occupancy by workforce-moderate, low, or very-low income households. Developers may opt out of reserving affordable units by paying in-lieu fees. This user guide provides a brief summary of the Inclusionary Housing Ordinance. The Implementation Guidelines Manual provides sample projects, fee calculations, and fee schedules. It also provides standards for income verification, monitoring of rental and ownership units, and unit resale.
The Inclusionary Housing Ordinance has not yet been approved by the Coastal Commission. As such, the Inclusionary Housing Ordinance only applies to the inland portions of the County. The Inclusionary Housing Ordinance can be found in Title 22 (Section 22.12.080) and Title 29 - Affordable Housing Fund.
Housing Element
The Housing Element is one of seven required elements of the County's General Plan. Its primary purpose is to facilitate the provision of needed housing in the context of the Land Use Element of the General Plan and related ordinances. Its secondary purpose is to meet the requirements of state law and achieve certification by the California Department of Housing and Community Development, which in turn will help the County qualify for certain funding programs offered by the State. The State now requires an update to the Housing Element every eight years.
The 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness
The 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness and its appendices are a result of collaboration between the County, cities, agencies, and individuals throughout San Luis Obispo County to improve the County's approach to homelessness. The 2015 Homeless Point-in-Time Census & Survey Comprehensive Report provides a snapshot of the County's homeless population. The report is updated every 2 years.
One of the collaborating agencies is the Homeless Services Oversight Council (HSOC), an advisory committee created by the County of San Luis Obispo. The committee consists of twenty-seven members including a representative from each city council and the Board of Supervisors, County government service providers, non-profit service providers, affordable housing developers, local businesses, law enforcement, academic institutions, a local health provider, the faith community, a homeless or formerly homeless person, and interested community members.