Santa Barbara County
Accessory Dwelling Units
The County of Santa Barbara adopted local development regulations regarding ADU’s for both the Inland and Coastal Zones.
Short Term Rental
The County of Santa Barbara Adopted short term regulations for the inland zones, but not the coastal zones.
Sign Ordinance
Putting up an “Open House” sign or “For Sale” sign? Here is a friendly reminder of the rules within the South County. Remember… it’s always important to be a respectful neighbor! Place your signs in a way that does not obstruct visibility, pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
“For Sale” Signs
- One temporary, on-premise, unlighted sign not exceeding six square feet in sign area
“Open House” Signs
- Do not obstruct or create a hazard to pedestrians or vehicular traffic
“For Sale” Signs
- One temporary, on-premise, unlighted sign not exceeding six square feet in sign area
“Open House” Signs
- Do not obstruct or create a hazard to pedestrians or vehicular traffic
Rent Cap & Just Cause Eviction Law
Establishes a Rent Cap and Just Cause eviction laws.
Rent Cap - Rent increases are capped at 5 percent plus inflation, or up to a hard cap of 10 percent, whichever is lower. All rent increases since March 15, 2019 will count toward the rent cap, and if above the permissible rent cap, will have to be rolled back effective January 1, 2020.
Just Cause Landlords may only evict for “just cause.” There is a list of 15 reasons. The just cause reasons are divided into two categories:
- “At fault” termination of tenancy is generally based upon a tenant’s breach of the lease, among other reasons, and does not requirethe payment of relocation assistance.
- “At fault” reasons include non-payment of rent, nuisance, criminal activity, refusal to allow entry, and breach of a material term of the lease.
- “No fault” termination of tenancy is allowed when the tenant has not breached the lease and will requirethe landlord to pay one month’s rent in relocation assistance.
- “No fault” reasons include owner occupancy, withdrawal from the rental market, substantial remodeling and compliance with government order to vacate the property,
Just cause eviction only applies to tenants who have been continuously and lawfully occupying the property for 12 months.
Exemptions
Exempts single family properties and condos if:
- Notice of the exemption is provided to the tenants and;
- The owner is not a REIT, a corporation, or an LLC where an owner is a corporation
Other exemptions include:
- Housing that has been issued a certificate of occupancy within previous last 15 years
- Owner occupied duplexes
- Owner occupied single-family properties renting no more than two bedrooms including Accessory Dwelling Units (“ADU”s). (This exemption applies only to just cause but not the rent cap)