Santee extends plan to streamline housing project

By Gary Warth

May 27, 2026

Building affordable housing should be easier in Santee for years to come under a plan finalized by the City Council on May 27.

Council members at the meeting unanimously approved amending the city’s Essential Housing Program, which was adopted in 2021 and set to expire on Aug. 25. The amendment extends the program through June 30, 2029.

Essential Housing Programs specifically target professionals considered essential to a community such as teachers, healthcare workers and first responders, a group that may earn too much to qualify for low-income assistance but too little to afford market-rate housing.

The amendment, however, notes that Santee is facing a crisis for a range of income levels. A lack of housing is a primary driver to higher rent and a contributing cause to homelessness.

The program establishes procedures and standards for streamlining housing construction with concessions, waivers and density bonuses for projects that further the city’s housing objectives.

Three projects have already been approved under the program.

The Townsend project, originally known as Mission Gorge Road, is under construction.

Fajita Ranch and The Exchange, originally called Santee Town Center, also have been approved but are not yet built.

By extending the program to 2029, the amendment also aligns the Essential Housing Program with the city’s Housing Element, a state-mandated document that outlines a city’s plan for housing people of all income levels and is updated every eight years.