There are not enough affordable homes for all of the people who want to live in San Luis Obispo. At the same time, there seems to be a lot of empty commercial space. So why not just convert those empty storefronts to places where people can live? 

The answer is so complicated that it's going to take more than one episode to explain it. This is the first conversation in a series about how public policy and public input affect how cities make housing decisions. 

In this episode, I talk with Peter Brown, the director of Public Works for the City of Belmont, California, about the evolution of zoning laws.

This is more of a homework assignment than a typical action item. The goal is to learn about zoning so you'll be ready when it's action time.

Read the recent NYT article about this issue: "American Cities Have a Conversion Problem, and It’s Not Just Offices" (gift link).

Take a look at the zoning map and regulations for the City of SLO.

Learn about the Housing Authority of San Luis Obispo (HASLO).

Episode produced by Jordan Triebel. Music by Wes Bisheff. Follow Agenda Breakdown on Instagram for updates and action opportunities. Subscribe to Agenda Breakdown on Spotify, Apple, or where you get your podcasts—and if you liked the show, please leave us a review!

Like most cities, San Luis Obispo has laws on the books that limit the construction of new housing—because having too much housing in a given neighborhood used to be a common concern. Times have changed, and the lack of affordable housing has topped the city's list of priorities in recent years. So city leaders are proposing a plan that would remove some of the obstacles to building more housing units in the city's downtown core. Michael Codron, community development director for the city of SLO, joined me to talk about the Downtown Flexible Density Program and what it may mean for the future of housing in downtown SLO. 

Action Item: 

The Open City Hall survey on downtown housing is open through Wednesday, Feb. 15. I'll post a link in the show notes, or you can access it directly at slocity.org/OpenCityHall. After the survey closes, this topic will go to the Planning Commission on Feb. 22 and then to city council on March 21. If you want to stay informed about those meetings and other opportunities to give feedback to city leaders, subscribe to the city's email notifications at slocity.org. I'll put a direct link in the show notes.

This episode was produced by Samantha Riordan, with music by Wes Bisheff. If you liked the show, you can go to agendabreakdown.com to listen to past episodes, leave a review on your favorite podcast platform, and follow us on social media.

Want to support Agenda Breakdown by becoming a subscriber? Details at agendabreakdown.com.

Every other January, the city of SLO hosts a public workshop where residents can weigh in on the city's spending priorities for the next two-year budget cycle. I spoke with Whitney Szentesi, the public communications manager for the City of SLO, about how the budget process works and what to expect at the community forum.

Action item: 

Before you go to the community forum on Jan. 26 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Ludwick Community Center, take a look at the results of the online survey that closed last month. Reading some of the 1,300 responses may help guide your thoughts about your own priorities. 

This episode was produced by Samantha Riordan, with music by Wes Bisheff. If you liked the show, you can go to agendabreakdown.com to listen to past episodes, leave a review on your favorite podcast platform, and follow us on social media.

Want to support Agenda Breakdown by becoming a subscriber? Details at agendabreakdown.com.