DOI: https://doi.org/10.15368/theses.2015.84
Available at: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/theses/1429
Date of Award
6-2015
Degree Name
Master of City and Regional Planning
Department/Program
City and Regional Planning
Advisor
Michael Boswell
Abstract
Adding workforce housing to the City of San Luis Obispo Zoning Regulation is a needed component to successfully begin, and promote, the development of housing in the City to those making between 121 and 160% of the Area Median Income. This regulation would ensure eligible households are provided with housing choices within the community, preferably the community in which they work. The addition of Workforce Housing has been a large phenomenon throughout the State of California, and the County as a whole, as housing market prices increase and most salaries maintain at a steady rate. It is important to note that the State of California Housing and Community Development Department currently does not officially categorize workforce housing, effectively banning any funding, subsidy or mandatory incentive to be required by jurisdictions.
This professional project provides initial step to the development of a workforce housing ordinance with the needed introductory research and outreach analysis of the current conditions facing our community with regards to workforce housing. It examines case studies of jurisdictions throughout the County who have taken the initial step to acknowledge workforce housing and create successful, and unsuccessful, programs which assist developers and community members with developing workforce housing. An extensive review of scholarly literature was 5 completed to understand the need of workforce housing in both an economic and health and safety need. Outreach was then conducted with local stakeholders to understand the range of barriers, opportunities and recommendations regarding workforce housing, and how City of San Luis Obispo policy could benefit or harm the community.
The project concludes with the compilation and analysis of outreach and research to develop incentives and recommendations, found in the Recommendation Analysis, to overcome barriers of workforce housing and begin increasing the supply of quality workforce housing within San Luis Obispo.