SBCAN will hold a roundtable on August 28th from 12:00 - 1:30 PM to discuss land use, energy, and housing initiatives across the county.

Agenda:

I. Solomon Hills Proposal
II. New opportunities for housing in SB and countywide
III. Battery Energy Storage System Project in Goleta
IV. Calls to Action

Register for the roundtable here.

I. Solomon Hills

Summary: The Solomon Hills project plan is one of the largest proposed development projects in Santa Barbara County in recent decades. Led by Solstra Communities California, LLC, the proposal would transform portions of the former Pacific Coast Energy Company property near Santa Maria into a new community.

• Up to 4,000 residential units
• Approximately 650,000 square feet of commercial, office, and mixed-use development; schools, parks, trails, and community facilities
• A new Highway 101 interchange and supporting transportation improvements
• Water, wastewater, and utility infrastructure
• Preservation of substantial open space surrounding the developed area
• The project remains in the environmental review and entitlement process and has not yet received final approvals.

II. New Opportunities for Housing

Summary: Santa Barbara County continues to face a severe housing shortage that affects students, working families, seniors, and the local workforce. Two promising opportunities have emerged that could help expand housing availability by making better use of existing community assets rather than relying solely on new land acquisition.

1. Exploring Housing Development on SBCC-Owned Land

One opportunity is to explore the development of housing on underutilized, publicly owned land at Santa Barbara City College (SBCC). As a public institution, SBCC has the potential to evaluate portions of its campus that may be suitable for residential development, particularly for students, faculty, staff, or workforce housing. Building housing on existing public land could reduce one of the largest barriers to affordable housing development—the cost of land—while helping alleviate pressure on the surrounding rental market.

Any proposal would require careful planning, community engagement, environmental review, and coordination with local and state agencies, but it represents a significant long-term opportunity to increase housing supply in a location that is already well served by transit, employment, and educational resources.

2. Exploring Shared Housing Opportunities Through the HomeMatch Model

HomeMatch connects older adults who have extra bedrooms with individuals seeking housing, including members of the local workforce, families, students, and other community members.

The program provides structured support by conducting background checks, assessing compatibility, facilitating introductions, and offering ongoing case management throughout the match. This approach helps seniors age safely in place, reduces social isolation, and can provide supplemental income or household assistance, while simultaneously creating affordable housing opportunities without constructing new units.

Shared housing represents a cost-effective and scalable strategy because it activates existing housing stock that is already available but underutilized.

III. Battery Energy Storage Project in Goleta 

Join us to learn more about the Greenbark 30 (Viajero) Battery Storage Project in Goleta. See more here.