Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) Status

2024 RHNA Reporting

As reported to the Board in April 2025, the County is 60% through the current 10-year RHNA cycle (2019-2028) with 49% of the total housing need permitted. Table 2 shows [A] the unincorporated county’s share of housing needs by income category, [B] examples of workers represented by each income category, [C] progress towards meeting those housing needs (represented in number of dwelling units permitted), and [D] the remaining number of dwelling units needed to meet those housing needs. Based on the most recent State Annual Progress Report data (CY2024), with four years left in the RHNA cycle, the unincorporated county still has remaining housing needs in all income categories, especially in the very low income category (only 1% completed).
 
                                                   Table 1: Unincorporated County’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation Progress
Income Category
and example occupations		 Number of Dwelling Units Percent Completed
Total Need Permitted
(2019-2024)		 Remaining Need
Very Low-Income
(e.g., barista, farmworker, childcare employee)		 801 7 794 1%
Low-Income
(e.g., family social worker, community health advocate, roofer)		 505 226 279 45%
Moderate-Income
(e.g., occupational health worker, construction cost estimator, electrician)		 585 246 339 42%
Above Moderate-Income 1,365 1,132 233 83%
Total 3,256 1,611 1,645 49%
 
Source: CY2024 Housing Element Annual Progress Report submitted to the California Department of Housing and Community Development
1. Based on the 2022 average wage study for the San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande Metropolitan area by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
 
RHNA Strategy
Table 2 outlines the County’s approach, at a high level, to meet the housing need for each income category and the corresponding Housing Element Implementation Actions.
 
Table 2: RHNA Strategy by Income Category
Income Category Approach Housing Element Implementation Actions
Very Low- and Low-Income Increase Local Contributions to Non-Profit Affordable Housing Builders Action 02 – Establish Strategic Housing Incentive Program
Low- and Moderate-Income Encourage Greater Accessory Dwellings and Manufactured Homes Production Action 04 – Encourage Accessory Dwellings
Above Moderate- Income Encourage Greater Multi-Family Housing Production Action 01 – Encourage Multi-Family Development
Action 05 – Expand Density Bonus Program
Action 07 – Expand Ministerial Permitting (Streamlining)
Action 08 – Designate Additional Land for Residential Use
Note: The County completed a market study for the 2020-2028 Housing Element that indicates accessory dwellings and manufactured homes are, on average, affordable to low- and moderate-income households (split equally between both categories)