Since 2014, the annual San Luis Obispo County Housing Summit has brought awareness of the housing crisis in the community.
The summit’s mission is to bring community members together and work toward solutions to create housing opportunities on the central coast.
“It's to bring awareness of the local housing crisis,” said Jocelyn Brennan, SLO County Housing Summit emcee. “The cost of living here is very high. We don't have as many high-wage jobs as some of the more metropolitan areas.”
According to homeownership price data from Reach Central Coast and the San Luis Obispo County Association of Realtors, the cost of a home in 2025 is nearly 10 times the annual income of $95,576.
But for renters, the data states that the average rent in San Luis Obispo County is between $2,500 and $2,925 a month.
“Most of us are renters now, people under 40, I think in the city we're 60% renters,” said Jessica Goswick, SLO County Housing Summit panelist. “That might have changed and that means the majority of people living in San Luis Obispo are renters.”
Dalia Flores, a panelist at the housing summit, expressed how the housing crisis is impacting locals and students in the area.
“I don’t think we can move forward and keep the locals and keep the people that come here to learn and get an education from Cal Poly here, living and working in SLO, which is so important,” said Flores. “Without addressing the housing crisis that we're in, specifically in SLO here. Everyone wants to live here, but we can't afford to.”
California gubernatorial candidate, Toni Atkins, spoke at the summit and told me that the housing crisis is impacting our state’s economy.
“It impacts our economy,” said Atkins. “It's a humanitarian issue. [It] should be a human right. Housing is a number one priority. Housing is foundational. Everyone should have a place to call home — and it really is. It's about the families. It's about the individuals. It's about wanting to be able to keep our kids and our grandkids here in this great state.”
Micahel Massey, a panelist and the founder of Generation Build, says the fight for housing requires the community’s support.
“The reality is we may be one of the last generations to have a future here before we turn into a full retirement community and so fighting for that type of housing is a necessity,” said Massey. “We need all of your help to get there.”
