Eight areas of land in San Luis Obispo County may be rezoned to make room for more housing.
County supervisors met on Tuesday to discuss how they’ll secure more funding for affordable housing, where the housing should be built, and other important details.
Eight generalized areas in the County have been identified as good options for future development: West Templeton, South Atascadero, Pozo Road, Edna Valley, South Arroyo Grande, and Southeast Nipomo.
Key factors in making that decision include water accessibility, proximity to jobs and services, and what public facilities are nearby.
Many people who live west of Templeton worry there won’t be enough water for new residents.
"We’ve had a lot of dry wells, some families have been out there for generations and their wells are going dry," said a Templeton resident during public comment.
County leaders say they have a $2 to $4 million gap each year in local funds to subsidize the amount of low-income units that are needed in the county.
They’re looking at about seven different options to make up for that gap in money, including using a portion of the cannabis tax or applying impact fees on vacation rentals.
County officials began the process of easing regulations for homeowners that want to add additional units to their property, including tiny homes.
Supervisors also started the general framework for creating homes for agricultural workers.
All of these topics are expected to be discussed further in future board meetings.
