Real Estate Development February 2, 2022

SB 9 PROJECT APPLICATION GUIDE – County of Santa Cruz

SB 9 Project Application Guide – Updated: 1/3/2022

What is Senate Bill 9 (SB 9)?

In 2021, Governor Newsom signed into law Senate Bill 9 (SB 9) to further address California’s housing shortage. SB 9 is in effect starting January 1, 2022. This law establishes a streamlined process to develop two primary dwelling units on one eligible single-family zoned parcel, and to split one eligible single-family zoned parcel into two separate parcels of approximately equal size. SB 9 also provides more flexible property setbacks and parking standards and extends subdivision approval expirations for eligible parcels.

What is the SB 9 Project Application Process?

In Santa Cruz County, usually special approval from the Planning Department (called “discretionary approval”) is required before an applicant may submit an application for a subdivision or for construction of two primary dwellings on one single family zoned parcel. Eligible SB 9 applications are streamlined because they do not require discretionary approval and are only subject to objective planning standards, except that coastal development permits may still be required for parcels located in the coastal zone. The SB 9 application process includes the following steps:

SB 9 Project Application Process

County of Santa Cruz SB 9 Project Application Process

A pre-application consultation with County Planning staff is strongly recommended prior to submittal to determine if your project is eligible for the SB 9 application process. Once submitted, the County will review the SB 9 Project Application and associated materials for consistency with the eligibility criteria required by state law (see page 2). If eligible, the County will review the coastal development permit, building permit, and/or land division application to determine if it meets the County’s objective standards for approval.

What are Objective Standards?

Objective standards are standards that involve no personal or subjective judgment by a public official. These standards can be found in the County Code and General Plan/Local Coastal Program. For example, a building height limit of two stories is an objective standard. In comparison, a requirement that a building must blend appropriately with the neighborhood character is a subjective standard.

IS MY PROJECT ELIGIBLE FOR THE SB 9 APPLICATION PROCESS?

See the Santa Cruz County GISWeb for parcel information to determine if your project meets the eligibility criteria:

Eligibility Criteria SB9

IS MY PROJECT ELIGIBLE FOR THE SB 9 APPLICATION PROCESS?

These are general guidelines. Please refer to Gov. Code §65852.21 and §66411.7 and review the SB 9 Project Application for detailed eligibility information.

Moving February 2, 2022

Tips to Juggle Selling Your House and Moving at the Same Time

House for sale.

House for sale.

Buying or selling a home can be an exciting adventure. However, handling both transactions simultaneously can be difficult. And if you need to juggle selling your house and moving at the same time, you might be in a bit of a pickle. So, we came up with some helpful tips to make the whole process go smoothly. With our help, you will sell your house and move into your new one in no time and stress-free.

First of all, make a plan

When you need to sell a house and move, you have to organize every step. You can’t, for example, list your home without knowing the market. You risk having to wait longer than expected to sell your home. That might happen if you overpriced your house or didn’t know how to make the listing appealing. Therefore, we advise you to make a step-by-step plan before starting to look for buyers or moving companies. That will save you a lot of time and money, and it will allow you to focus on every aspect of the process as you should. But, if you are bad at time management and planning, you should consider hiring a professional. A real estate agent will save you money and time during the sale.

Research the market

If you want to have a successful sale, you should know how to present your property. So, before you start doing anything else, research the market. That allows you to make an accurate estimate of the price at which you should sell your property. Also, you will see how other sellers present their homes. At the same time, if you view listings periodically, you can estimate how quickly your house will sell. And that can help you plan your next steps and your time more accurately.

Woman researching on the internet.

To be able to juggle selling your house and moving at the same time, you need to do a lot of research.

Start the moving process at the right time

After you finish researching and listing your home for sale, you can start planning the move. And you don’t need to exaggerate or overcrowd your schedule. You should do things slowly and thoroughly, especially if you are new to packing and moving. First, you can make an inventory of your items and a checklist so that you can make packing easy and stress-free. If you know what you need to take, you won’t have to worry about leaving things behind. Furthermore, this is your chance to sort your belongings and decide what you should keep. Before a move, it is usually a good idea to declutter; it will spare you the burden of carrying useless items to your new home and overcrowding it from the beginning.

Set your budget

When you know how much your home will sell for, you can make a budget for the move. That is if the sale comes before the moving. If not, you will need to think about your options. For example, you should have some money saved up to cover the expenses of the packing supplies. Even if it might not seem like much, buying boxes, bubble wrap, sealing tape, labels, markers, and so on can add up and become quite expensive. Not to mention that besides buying the packing supplies, you will have to pay bills until you move. So be prepared for such expenses so that they don’t take you by surprise.

Person saving money in a piggy bank.

Selling and moving at the same time can be expensive, so it’s a good idea to save some money.

Look for the best moving company

After you have a budget in mind for the move, it’s time to start looking for a moving company. Even if you are moving locally and think you can handle it, it is best to leave it to the experts. Professional movers can ensure that your belongings are kept safe during transport and that they arrive at the new location at the right time. Also, they are equipped and trained to handle large or fragile objects so that you don’t have to risk any injuries. In the end, even if it can seem to be costly, hiring moving professionals will only bring you benefits.

Consider renting before moving

It might happen that your home will sell faster than you expected. In that case, you have to be prepared to move out quickly. Or, you can rent a place in advance to have time to explore the neighborhood before deciding on a home. That can help you save money by not having to rush into decisions. You will have time to wait for the right buyer for your property and make the most out of the sale. And after that, you will have enough time to look for your perfect future home.

Luggage and boxes on a bed.

You might need to move twice if you have to sell your home before you find your new one.

Be prepared to encounter problems

Whenever you try to juggle selling your house and moving at the same time, you can expect problems. After all, you need to remember that you are not the only one involved in the game. Your buyer may have financial difficulties, your seller may take too long to meet all of the conditions, or you may encounter some unforeseen costs. As a result, don’t expect everything to go smoothly to avoid disappointment. Instead, prepare for any scenario, be patient, and calm. Things will eventually fall into place, and you will have the desired outcome. It just might happen a bit later.

Hire a real estate agent

If you want to make things easier on yourself, consider hiring a professional to help you. Real estate agents are the best option when you need to juggle multiple processes at a time. For instance, a real estate agent can take care of selling your home while you focus on the move. Your agent will ensure that you get the best price for your property, and they can also sell it faster than you can. In addition, real estate agents know the market and all the tips and tricks that close deals. Not to mention that they are familiar with housing regulations, so they can help you solve any legal problems that can appear.

Final words

It may seem challenging to juggle selling your house and moving at the same time. However, everything is possible if you have a good plan and stay organized. Moreover, if you team up with the best professionals, your success is guaranteed.

Closing can be scheduled to close simultaneously to make it easier!