Do you want to see more housing units in downtown San Luis Obispo?

The community is invited to provide input on the City of San Luis Obispo’s Draft Flexible Density Ordinance, a tool to increase the supply of housing in the downtown core!

The City of San Luis Obispo is proposing a Downtown Flexible Density Program and an updated City ordinance that would relax density limits for qualifying units, allow parking reductions, and provide exemptions from the City’s Inclusionary Housing Ordinance (IHO) for residential units less than 600 square feet in size and located in the Downtown Core.

The concept of the Flexible Density Program is one of many City housing tools to support a wide range of housing types and it is specifically identified in the City’s General Plan Housing Element as an opportunity to incentivize housing production within the city’s Downtown Core and support the production of smaller residential units. Housing is an essential element to a healthy downtown district. Providing housing in the commercial core of a community generates an increased flow of foot traffic to support nearby retailers, services, restaurants, and other businesses. We welcome your input below! 

Download the Draft Ordinance

Discussion

Please provide your feedback on the various key keatures (listed below) of the proposed Downtown Flexible Density Program. Are there any additional development incentives that should be considered?

Draft Ordinance Summary

The goal of the program is to implement the city’s Housing Element and the Major City Goal for Housing and Homelessness to intended to incentivize the construction of smaller housing units by relaxing residential density standards for qualifying units and provide development incentives to promote the development of housing within the city’s Downtown Core.

Key Features

• Eliminate residential density standards for new housing units less than 600 square feet in size (limited to studio or one-bedroom configurations).
• Housing units larger than 600 square feet in size would be subject to standard density practices.
• Applies only to properties within the City’s Downtown Core[BK1] .
• Includes reduced minimum parking requirements (1 space for every two units, plus 1 guest space for every 10 units).
• Qualifying housing units would be exempt from the City’s Inclusionary Housing Requirements.
• Program is proposed to expire on January 1, 2029, or until 500 new residential units are entitled or permitted under the program, whichever occurs first.

Additional Information

• Community members may also email [email protected] or provide comments at the following upcoming public meetings:
  • Tentative Planning Commission Hearing – February 22, 2023
  • Tentative Council Hearing – March 21, 2023
• For questions, please contact the City’s Housing Coordinator Kyle Bell at [email protected] or 805.781.7524.
• For more information on the program as well as the Draft Flexible Density Ordinance, please visit the City’s website at www.slocity.org/government/department-directory/community-development/housing/flexible-density-program