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Planning staff: 612 new-unit permits in 2025 but county still behind on some RHNA categories
Summary
The 2025 Comprehensive Plan Annual Progress Report shows Santa Barbara County issued 612 building permits for new units in 2025 (452 South Coast, 160 North County) including 226 ADUs; staff warned the county remains behind on parts of its RHNA allocation and is subject to SB 423 streamlining if progress does not accelerate.
Santa Barbara County planning staff told the Planning Commission on March 4 that the county issued 612 building permits for new dwelling units in 2025 but remains behind on parts of its Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA), leaving the county subject to state streamlining provisions if progress does not improve.
"In 2025, the county issued 452 building permits for new units in the South Coast and 160 new units in the North County," planner Allie Castaneda said. "Those totals include 103 ADUs in the South Coast and 123 ADUs in the North County." Alex Tuttle of Long Range Planning told commissioners the unincorporated county's RHNA for the cycle is 5,664 units (4,142 for the South Coast; 1,522 for the North County).
Staff said the county has completed 58 of 99 housing-element actions and has 38 actions in progress. Examples highlighted in the staff presentation included 12 deed-restricted affordable units produced…
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