418 N Milpas St and 915-923 E Gutierrez St.

The project at 418 N. Milpas St. and 915–923 E. Gutierrez St. in Santa Barbara, California, involves merging two adjacent parcels into a single 41,477-square-foot lot to facilitate the construction of a four-story, 108,698-square-foot mixed-use building. The development will replace existing nonresidential structures, eight senior-restricted residential units, and thirteen trees with 90 new rental units—29 studios, 46 one-bedroom, and 15 two-bedroom units—ranging in size from 350 to 974 square feet with an average of 632 square feet. Nine units are reserved for very-low income households, six for moderate-income households, and one for workforce housing households earning between 120% and 200% of the Area Median Income. In addition to residential units, the building will include 850 square feet of net commercial space and 69 parking stalls, comprising 65 residential, 3 commercial, and one loading stall, with vehicle access maintained through a shared driveway on E. Gutierrez Street. The project eliminates two existing driveways and is designed to comply with the City of Santa Barbara’s Affordable Housing Overlay (AUD) Program and the State Density Bonus Law, while qualifying as a Builder’s Remedy project under California law. Environmental clearance has been sought under CEQA Guidelines Section 15332, which grants a categorical exemption for infill development due to the site’s urban location, existing infrastructure, and lack of significant environmental impacts. The City of Santa Barbara is the lead agency overseeing the project, with Julia Pujo serving as the primary point of contact for environmental compliance and planning matters. While the solicitation number PLN2024-00156 and posted date of September 10, 2025, indicate a pre-award notice, no formal contract value, pricing details, FAR clauses, packaging or invoicing requirements, contractor representations, or award evaluation criteria are specified, as this document functions as a planning and regulatory notice rather than a federal contracting vehicle.