County Says It Can’t Meet State Growth Goal

The county simply cannot build 20,000 new homes: That is the message to the state Department of Housing and Community Development, which recently assigned Santa Barbara County a tentative share of units to absorb some of the state’s anticipated growth.

The county Assn. of Governments voted recently to contest the number--a range between 19,789 and 21,759 housing units--by requesting an assignment of about 6,000 fewer homes. The county is not required to build the homes, only to set aside land for them.