The City of San Luis Obispo does not directly own or manage affordable housing units and does not place people in housing. Housing units deed restricted for affordability under the City’s program are all privately owned and managed.   For more information regarding affordable housing availability, please see the local Multiple Listing Service, local realtor or property management company directly. 

When new affordable units become available, they are usually posted on one of the following websites below;

The Housing Authority of San Luis Obispo: https://www.haslo.org/

People's Self Help Housing: https://www.pshhc.org/new-housing/

The City's Third-Party Affordable Housing Administrator, Housekeys: https://www.housekeys19.com/

The City publishes Below Market Rate Housing Standards and Affordable Housing Purchase and Rental Guidelines to assist the public prescreen themselves for program eligibility. These standards and guidelines are also used by the Housing Authority of the City of San Luis Obispo and other qualified non-profit organizations to income certify potential owners and renters for the program

The City offers a variety of incentives to encourage the development of affordable housing. Some examples of incentives include: density bonuses, relaxation of property development standards and waiver of application and development review processing fees.  Please  the Zoning Regulations for more information. 

Affordable housing is housing available to extremely-low, very-low, low, and moderate income persons and households. The City maintains Below Market Rate Housing Standards which show the maximum income for each category to qualify based on household size, and maximum sales and rent prices based on the number of bedrooms in a unit for the various income groups.

New development projects must contribute toward the production of affordable housing, as specified in the  Housing Element.  Inclusionary housing applies all new development projects. 

 The City reviews applications on a first-come, first-served basis.  However, we are committed to processing your plans as quickly and efficiently as possible.  The City's goal is to complete the plan checks within the following time frames:

The cost of an application will vary depending on the type of permit or approval needed and the scope of review a project will require. Fees for projects can be found at the following link. This is separate from the fees associated with building permit inspections and plan review.  Building review and inspection fees are related to the square footage and type of project.  For more information please call the Building and Safety Division at 805-781-7180.

Planning Services Fee Schedule

Building: New Construction Fee Schedule - INSPECTION FEES

Building:  New Construction Fee Schedule - PLAN CHECK FEES

Architectural review evaluates the suitability and appropriateness of individual project design and to help achieve attractive and environmentally sensitive development.  Review the City’s Design Guidelines to learn more click here.

The first step would be to identify the zoning for the location of your project. With this information you can reference Table 9 of the Zoning Regulations which indicates the land uses allowed by zone. This denotes what type of permit will be required to allow that use in each zoning district if allowed at all.

The first step would be to identify the zoning for the location of your project. With this information you can reference Table 9 of the Zoning Regulations which indicates the land uses allowed by zone. This denotes what type of permit will be required to allow that use in each zoning district if allowed at all.

Cold Canyon Landfill accepts household hazardous materials free of charge.  The household hazardous waste facility is open on Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.  There is a 15 gallon volume limit per trip.  For more information, visit their website.

City residents can report suspected code violations via our website www.slocity.org/Ask, or by calling the Code Enforcement Hotline at (805) 781-7180. Beginning in May 2012, staff will be proactively patrolling to identify violations of property maintenance standards in public view (i.e.: front yard blight).

The City publishes Below Market Rate Housing Standards and Affordable Housing Purchase and Rental Guidelines to assist the public prescreen themselves for program eligibility. These standards and guidelines are also used by the Housing Authority of the City of San Luis Obispo and other qualified non-profit organizations to income certify potential owners and renters for the program

Depending on the type of approval you will appeal, the appeal may have to go to hearing.  You will have to turn in an appeals form and pay a fee. Learn more here. 

Many factors, such as the location or size of the project, can influence the amount of time it will take for your project to get reviewed by staff and taken to hearing for approval. 

Once you have identified the type of approval you will need for your project refer to the below table for cycle-times.  Click on the each approval type to view a flowchart noting major milestones in the project approval process.

NOTE:

^*   Cycle times begin at the time an application has been deemed complete.

^‡  If an initial study of environmental review is required, a minimum of 4 weeks is added to the cycle time. If an EIR is required, project timelines will be substantially increased.

The cost of an application will vary depending on the type of permit or approval needed and the scope of review a project will require. Fees for projects can be found at the following link. This is separate from the fees associated with building permit inspections and plan review.  Building review and inspection fees are related to the square footage and type of project.  For more information please call the Building and Safety Division at 805-781-7180.

Planning Services Fee Schedule

Building: New Construction Fee Schedule - INSPECTION FEES

Building:  New Construction Fee Schedule - PLAN CHECK FEES

Although Pre-Application is not required, it may highlight any fatal flaws in your project before submitting a more costly application.  Projects possessing one or more of the following characteristics should do Pre-Application review:

• Residential Projects > 20 Dwelling  Units

• Mixed-Use Projects

• Commercial Projects > 20,000 Sq. Ft. New Development

• Projects Located in Annexation or Expansion areas

• Projects > Three Stories

• Hillside Development on Slopes > 20%

• Large Tract Maps > 25 lots

• Projects Requiring an EIR

• General Plan or Specific Plan Amendments

• Rezones

• Areas not served by Utilities

Architectural review evaluates the suitability and appropriateness of individual project design and to help achieve attractive and environmentally sensitive development.  Review the City’s Design Guidelines to learn more click here.

The determination for a traffic impact study will be made at the beginning of the application process. The following are example development sizes that would trigger a transportation impact study. These are just example scenarios, traffic impact studies may be required for smaller projects under special circumstances. 

1. 100 Single Family Units
2. 150 Multi Family Units
3. 150 Room Hotel
4. 10,000 SQFT Restaurant
5. 25,000 SQFT Retail
6. 65,000 SQFT Office
7. 125,000 SQFT Manufacturing

The City only accepts traffic studies that are prepared independent of the applicant. Studies are administered by the City and paid for by the applicant via a reimbursement agreement. The applicant may hire their own traffic consultant to help develop their project and review the traffic study, however that consultant would be conflicted out of preparing the actual traffic study.

Once the applicant has finalized their project description the City will prepare a scope for the study and submit it to the applicant for review. Then the City will advertise the scope to a list of on-call traffic consultants and award based on the best proposal.

Below is an example time table for traffic impact studies, actual schedules will vary depending on the size of the project and scope of the study. 

1. Draft Scope & Applicant Review: 1 Week
2. Advertise RFP & Select Consultant: 3 Weeks
3. Complete Applicant Reimbursement Agreement: 1 Week
4. Complete Traffic Study: 10 Weeks

Yes. All registered voters get to continue voting in every Council Member election every two years. All registered voters also get to select the candidate who best represents them from across the city. 

The City is working hard to you know how to make your vote count. To learn more, you can:

• Visit slocity.org/SingleVote
• Sign up for the e-newsletter
• Follow us on social media
• Attend a community meeting
• Invite us to your neighborhood or upcoming meeting

It's important to make sure your vote counts! To prevent errors on the ballot, follow all instructions on the ballot. 

When it's time to cast your vote for Council Member, choose ONE candidate. If you select more than one, your vote for Council Member will not count. 

The only thing that is changing about City Council elections in November 2026 is the way voters elect Council Members. The way voters elect the Mayor will remain the same.

Previously voters could select two Council Member candidates on the ballot. Beginning with the November 2026 election, voters must select one Council Member candidate on the ballot. The top two vote-getters for Council Member win.

What’s not changing: The City Council is San Luis Obispo’s legislative body, made up of one elected Mayor and four elected Council Members. Every two years, voters elect the Mayor and two of the four Council Members and can choose from candidates all across the city. The County Clerk-Recorder runs all elections for jurisdictions in the County, including the City of San Luis Obispo elections.

Citywide Single Vote is the new, approved way of electing Council Members in San Luis Obispo, starting with the November 2026 election.

It’s simple: Every voter can participate in every Council Member election and choose the candidate who best represents them from across the city.

It’s familiar: Most voters had previously only voted for one, even though they could have chosen up to two.

It’s fair: Every vote carries equal weight, leveling the playing field for voter representation.

The City Council is San Luis Obispo’s legislative body, made up of one elected Mayor and four elected Council Members. Every two years, voters elect the Mayor and two of the four Council Members.

The City is making this change to improve voter representation and respond to legal concerns under the California Voting Rights Act.

After careful study and community input, Citywide Single Vote was chosen as the best compromise for San Luis Obispo because it's simple, it's familiar to most voters, it levels the playing field for voter representation, it keeps elections citywide, it allows voters to continue participating in every election, and it is fiscally responsible by avoiding a costly, lengthy lawsuit. 

The Citywide Single Vote for Council Members is simple and familiar to many voters, it's fair and creates a level playing field for voter representation, and is approved by the City Council as the best compromise for our community.

Citywide Single Vote is easy to understand and already familiar to many voters. In the last election, most voters already vote this way; about 70% of voters selected just one Council Member candidate, even when they had the option to choose two. There are no changes to the Mayoral election, which will continue to be decided by a single vote every two years.

This voting method is also fair, because it creates a level playing field for voters. All voters get to continue participating in every Council Member election and may support the candidate who best represents them from across the City. And because each voter can support only one candidate, no single group can amplify multiple candidates at the same time, helping ensure every vote carries equal weight.

But it’s important to understand that Citywide Single Vote was not chosen lightly. The City Council evaluated several options and considered public input. District-based elections would limit voter participation and choice, and litigation would have been costly and risky. Ultimately, the City Council adopted this as the best option for SLO.

By giving everyone 1 vote, it levels the playing field for voter representation by helping to prevent larger majorities from spreading their votes across multiple candidates. This helps create a more level playing field and gives each vote more influence. Here's a brief video explaining how it works:

Encampments on Caltrans Property are addressed by Caltrans District 5 maintenance staff. To report encampments to Caltrans, please visit: csr.dot.ca.gov or call the District 5 dedicated line at (805) 441-5712.

Encampments on private property are assigned to the City's Code Enforcement Team and trespassing enforcement will be addressed by SLOPD. To report encampments on private property, please submit an Ask SLO request, under topic area "Transient Encampment on Private Property."

In compliance with our CAMP standards, we first ensure encampment inhabitants are provided the opportunity for assistance and access to resources through our Community Action Team (CAT) or our Mobile Crisis Unit (MCU). We then post a Notice to Vacate, which informs inhabitants they are in violation of the law and provides a deadline for inhabitants to vacate the premises. The site is then scheduled for cleanup and will be addressed by our Public Works department. Due to this multi-level process, the resolution of your request may take up to three weeks to be completed. Thank you for your patience in this process.

While the County government is primarily responsible for providing public services to unhoused individuals in our city, we recognize that there are things the City can do to reduce homelessness within our City limits.  Here’s what we’re currently doing: First, we’re focused on making it easier to build more affordable and workforce housing here. Second, we are working directly with local non-profit partners and the County to reduce homelessness. And third, we have boots through our MCU and CAT Field Teams on the ground every day connecting unhoused community members with services to help get them back on their feet. To see a more in depth look at what the city is doing to prevent and address homelessness, please see our Homelessness Response Strategic Plan. 

All businesses in the City of San Luis Obispo including: restaurants, bars & pubs, cafeterias, caterers & event organizers, convenience, & liquor stores, delis & coffee shops, ice cream and yogurt shops, mobile food vendors, grocery and drug stores or retail outlets. City-approved special events within the City of San Luis Obispo must also comply with the ordinance. 

Exemptions are provided for certain products including foam trays for uncooked meats, food prepared or packaged outside of the City, packing materials which have been collected for reuse and when EPS is encapsulated in a more durable material.

Expanded Polystyrene is a white, plastic foam commonly used for disposable food and drink containers such as cups, plates and clamshell containers. EPS is also used to make disposable foam coolers and packing peanuts for shipping. 

The purpose of the study is to develop an updated schedule of fees that accounts for the true costs of providing user-requested services, and updated fees charged to developers to offset the impact of their projects on existing facilities.

The study has two components:

1. User Fee Study: First, it is a review of the City’s existing fees for services excluding Water and Sewer rates (subject to Proposition 218), and Parking and Transit rate-based fees. The study involves multiple Departments and identifies the “reasonable cost” of providing services, as City staff currently provides them, at existing, known, or reasonably anticipated service and staff levels; it then compares the result to the current fee amount to determine whether it’s recovering the full cost of the service provided. The fee study also provides an opportunity to add new fee recommendations or remove outdated fees or services.
2. Impact Fee Nexus Study: Second, it is a review of the City’s adopted development impact fees (AB 1600) for transportation, parks and recreation, police, fire, water and wastewater.

Any property owner that wishes to build the following will pay Development Impact Fees:

• Any new residential or non-residential development
• Additions and expansions to existing non-residential development
• Additions and expansions to residential developments that paid discounted impact fees
• Additions, expansions and remodels that result in a change of land use

A fee study is typically performed by local governments every 3-5 years to adjust user fees and charges to changing costs and circumstances. The last fee study the City completed was more than five (5) years ago (in 2017).

In California, user fees are required to conform to the statutory requirements of the California Constitution, Proposition 218, and the California Code of Regulations. The law also requires that the City Council adopt fees by either ordinance or resolution. Any fees set higher than the estimated total cost of providing the related services must be approved by a popular vote of two-thirds of voters because the charge would then be considered a tax and not a fee.

In the interim, user fees were adjusted by annual changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and impact fees were adjusted annually by the California Construction Cost Index (CCCI) for impact fees, as the City has been impacted by cost increases and inflationary pressures on labor, materials and supplies. Additionally, in rare cases, additional changes have been made to ensure that cost recoveries were more in line with Council-approved guidelines.

Scope of the User Fee Study

The scope of the User Fee Study encompasses a review and calculation of the user fees listed in the existing Comprehensive Fee Schedule and charged by the following City of San Luis Obispo Departments, as well as any general government fees charged by various departments (copies, recordings, etc).

• Community Development
• Public Works
• Parks & Recreation
• Police
• Fire
• Finance
• City Clerk
• Utilities

Scope of the Impact Fee Study

 The scope of this study encompasses a review and calculation of the development impact fees listed in the Comprehensive Fee Schedule, including:

• Transportation Impact Fees
• Parkland Impact Fees
• Police Impact Fees
• Fire Impact Fees
• Water & Wastewater Impact Fees

Insurance companies use their own risk models to assess how likely a home is to be damaged by fire. These models are different from CAL FIRE’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone (FHSZ) maps because they consider short-term and structure-specific factors, such as the materials your home is built from and how well it is maintained.

While insurance companies probably don’t use CAL FIRE’s FHSZ maps directly, they do rely on much of the same wildfire-related data. However, their models are updated more frequently and take into account additional factors beyond what CAL FIRE includes in its hazard mapping, which is designed to stay consistent for at least 10 years.

If you are concerned about your insurance going up, look into becoming a FireWise Community and Safer from Wildfires programs.

You should contact the Development Review Division by calling 781-7015.

Businesses and properties near the project area will be impacted by this project. Businesses and property owners that will have work being completed on their property have received formal notification from the City and will continue to receive important updates from the City. Properties adjacent to the project area may experience noise during construction, increased construction traffic, or minor temporary traffic controls. If you have specific questions about the project impacts, please reach out to the Project Manager, Noah Maidrand at 805-783-7854 or nmaidran@slocity.org.

Depending on the type of approval you will appeal, the appeal may have to go to hearing.  You will have to turn in an appeals form and pay a fee. Learn more here. 

Once you determine what exception is allowed for your project, according to the Zoning Regulations submit a planning application, the application checklist for your type of exception, and pay the associated fees. 

Many factors, such as the location or size of the project, can influence the amount of time it will take for your project to get reviewed by staff and taken to hearing for approval. 

Once you have identified the type of approval you will need for your project refer to the below table for cycle-times.  Click on the each approval type to view a flowchart noting major milestones in the project approval process.

NOTE:

^*   Cycle times begin at the time an application has been deemed complete.

^‡  If an initial study of environmental review is required, a minimum of 4 weeks is added to the cycle time. If an EIR is required, project timelines will be substantially increased.

 The City reviews applications on a first-come, first-served basis.  However, we are committed to processing your plans as quickly and efficiently as possible.  The City's goal is to complete the plan checks within the following time frames:

The cost of an application will vary depending on the type of permit or approval needed and the scope of review a project will require. Fees for projects can be found at the following link. This is separate from the fees associated with building permit inspections and plan review.  Building review and inspection fees are related to the square footage and type of project.  For more information please call the Building and Safety Division at 805-781-7180.

Planning Services Fee Schedule

Building: New Construction Fee Schedule - INSPECTION FEES

Building:  New Construction Fee Schedule - PLAN CHECK FEES

Although Pre-Application is not required, it may highlight any fatal flaws in your project before submitting a more costly application.  Projects possessing one or more of the following characteristics should do Pre-Application review:

• Residential Projects > 20 Dwelling  Units

• Mixed-Use Projects

• Commercial Projects > 20,000 Sq. Ft. New Development

• Projects Located in Annexation or Expansion areas

• Projects > Three Stories

• Hillside Development on Slopes > 20%

• Large Tract Maps > 25 lots

• Projects Requiring an EIR

• General Plan or Specific Plan Amendments

• Rezones

• Areas not served by Utilities

Architectural review evaluates the suitability and appropriateness of individual project design and to help achieve attractive and environmentally sensitive development.  Review the City’s Design Guidelines to learn more click here.

The first step would be to identify the zoning for the location of your project. With this information you can reference Table 9 of the Zoning Regulations which indicates the land uses allowed by zone. This denotes what type of permit will be required to allow that use in each zoning district if allowed at all.

Multiple severe storms struck the City between December 2022 and March 2023. The January 9^th storm was considered the most impactful, with the March 14^th event considered severe as well.

Volunteers age 13 and younger must be accompanied by an adult. Children under the age of 18 need a parent or guardian's signature.

Yes, and in some cases a background check may be required.