Where is the Land?
The land is in the city limits and outside in the county controlled areas up against the city of Santa Barbara, and other communities.
Much of it in the city areas exists in small spaces, just enough for a few homes.
Some of the lots are too small to be viable for most builders, but depending upon how many square feet a new home might be, it is possible to use. Instead of building outward, one can build upward!
Considering that every lot in the State of California is zone for two homes, there is plenty of land - if a contractor "jacks up" existing homes, there is exactly the same amount of space for additional square footage under the existing home!
Other places can be redeveloped from what they are now. For example, if one lot contains an older warehouse, or very old home and it can be moved to a different part of the lot, or homes and buildings can be moved off a series of lots to rebuild higher density homes. Residential can be built on top of commercial.
In the countryside of the county, it is a mix of scrub brush, agricultural, small farmland and other land that is currently zoned mostly for one home per 40 acres. Some of this the county will be willing to rezone for higher density, to build a community of affordable/attainable housing.
Other parcels will be developed for the purpose of farming on a co-operative basis and homes created for housing farm workers. (This will be done for the benefit of the clients of Homes for the Rest of Us).
Here's a description of the land we're looking for:
| Topography: | Level or Slightly Sloping; |
| Zoning: | R1 through R4 or capable of converting to R; |
| Size: | 5,500 square feet or larger; If larger, can it be subdivided? |
| Access: | On a paved street; |
| Utilities: | All utilities (water, sewer, electricity, gas, telephone, television cable) are to the property or within 100 feet; avoid septic tanks; |
| Price: | This depends on the type of neighborhood but as a rule of thumb, should not exceed 25% of the projected sales price of the completed homes; |
| Market: |
What are the comparable sales prices of lots and homes in the immediate area? This will help to determine the type and size of houses to be used; |
| Politics: | Friendly local planning and building officials; We will determine whether they have approved other factory-built homes (We suggest you let us conduct all communications with the city or county officials). Avoid anything with an existing community association - as it is too hard to educate members that factory built homes are not mobile homes. |
| Current
Affordable Housing Sites |
Entire County Map | Vacant Land Map |
Reward to Landowners Working with Your Land
Click here for a breakeven analysis on 6 or 10 units - and - Planned development estimated costs
A prospective layout for a 10,000 SF Residential and Telework center development
Potential Builder-Developer Partners & General Contractors, Click Here