Community Development

Your Voice Matters: Take the 2027 Community Development Needs Assessment Survey

The County of San Luis Obispo is seeking your input through the 2027 Community Development Needs Assessment (CDNA) Survey.

Your feedback will help identify the housing and community development needs that matter most to our community and guide federal funding decisions. Whether you have experienced housing challenges, work in the community, or simply want to help shape local priorities, your input is valuable.

Your input will help prioritize goals established in the 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan:
 

  • Housing Facilities, including affordable rental housing, single family housing, and senior housing
  • Public Services, including health care, mental health, and homeless services
  • Public Facilities, including health care and mental health facilities, and childcare centers
  • Housing Services, including homelessness prevention, rental assistance, and emergency shelters
  • Public Infrastructure, including high-speed internet, water/sewer improvements, and sidewalk improvements

 

2027 Community Development Needs Assessment Survey


Survey responses will help inform the County's 2027 Annual Action Plan, which recommends how an estimated $3 million in federal funding is allocated to address local priorities.




2026 Action Plan Final Funding Allocations

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provided the final allocation amounts for 2026 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG). The County of San Luis Obispo is pleased to announce that the funding for these grant funds was higher than estimated. Allocated funds for 2026 projects funded by these sources have been increased. The final 2026 allocations can be found here.

2026 Action Plan Final Funding Allocations

The Homeless Services Division oversees the development of strategic plans required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). These strategic plans, including the Consolidated Plan and annual Action Plans, guide the use of federal funds to support and develop public services, affordable housing, and economic opportunities on the central coast. 

The current plans and documents that guide the County of San Luis Obispo's funding priorities related to community development may be found under Forms & Documents (by year).

 

2025 Community Development Needs Assessment

The County of San Luis Obispo conducted a countywide community development needs assessment to determine what community members think are the most pressing community needs related to housing security, homelessness, neighborhood stability, safe living environments, and economic opportunities.

The 2025 Community Development Needs Assessment is now available:

Read the 2025 Community Development Needs Assessment Report

The information learned from the community development needs assessment will be incorporated into the 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan and 2025 Action Plan, and determine the types of programs and projects prioritized for funding between 2025 and 2029.


What is the Consolidated Plan?

The County of San Luis Obispo's Consolidated Plan is a five-year strategic plan to identify housing and community development priorities that align and focus funding received from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Planning and Development (CPD) to meet the needs of San Luis Obispo community members. 

This plan helps prioritize the use of the following grant programs:

  • Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program

    • Creates affordable housing solutions, suitable living environments, and economic opportunities 

    • Funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Developmen

  • HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) Program

    • Develops and rehabilitates affordable rental and home ownership opportunities by supporting below-market housing solutions and supporting rental assistance programs

    • Funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

  • Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Program 

    • Helps people experiencing or at-risk of homelessness through essential support services, rapid re-housing programs, and homelessness prevention programs

    • Funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Each Consolidated Plan also yields 5 annual Action Plans that outline the specific projects and programs allocated funding in a given year and their alignment with the Consolidated Plan. The County of San Luis Obispo also shares its project and program accomplishments related to the Consolidated Plan and the Action Plan in an annual report known as the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER). All current versions are available at Forms & Documents (by year). Please contact us for prior years.

 

Community Development Priorities

The following priorities for the Urban County of San Luis Obispo 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan were identified by public comment, needs assessments, and workshops conducted in 2024:

  • Housing Facilities, including affordable rental housing, single family housing, and senior housing

  • Public Services, including health care, mental health, and homeless services

  • Public Facilities, including health care and mental health facilities, and childcare centers

  • Housing Services, including homelessness prevention, rental assistance, and emergency shelters

  • Public Infrastructure, including high-speed internet, water/sewer improvements, and sidewalk improvements

 

Where Do These Funds Go?

The funds guided by Consolidated Plan are used in projects and programs that create new housing opportunities, maintain and update existing housing, assist low-income households, and provide public services through San Luis Obispo County. The full list of funds allocated by the County of San Luis Obispo may be found on the Funding Availability page.