Should Downtown Housing Conversion Projects Require Affordability?

Should Downtown Housing Conversion Projects Require Affordability?

The City of Santa Barbara is moving to make it easier to convert vacant commercial buildings into housing, but so far is leaving out one component that developers say is necessary to make an impact on the housing crisis. The city’s Planning Commission voted 5-0 on Thursday to make changes to its adaptive reuse ordinance. Commissioner Ben Peterson left the meeting before the final vote because he said he was being “called away.” The changes would…