California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced a favorable court decision regarding an affordable housing project in Goleta. The Santa Barbara County Superior Court has mandated that the City of Goleta must accept and process a preliminary application submitted by the Shelby Family Partnership for a proposed development. This project aims to construct 56 single-family homes, with 13 designated as affordable for lower-income households.
Attorney General Bonta expressed his satisfaction with the ruling, stating: “The ruling by the Santa Barbara County Superior Court is unambiguous: Goleta must allow the application to move forward. I urge the city to do so without any further delay, as required by our state housing laws. My office will continue to monitor the situation closely. Desperately needed affordable housing is at stake here.”
The dispute arose when Goleta refused to accept the application under Senate Bill 330, which allows developers to "freeze" applicable standards upon submitting certain information. The city argued that this bill applies only to new projects. However, Attorney General Bonta contended that Senate Bill 330 does not restrict applicants from amending their existing projects.
On December 20, 2024, Attorney General Bonta filed an amicus brief supporting the Shelby Family Partnership's project and highlighted that Goleta lacked a legally compliant housing plan in 2023 when the application was initially filed.
The court's decision aligns with Attorney General Bonta's arguments against local governments disapproving qualifying housing development projects without specific written findings or narrowly defined circumstances.
A copy of the court’s order reflecting these positions is available for public review.