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The tern obstacles refers to those factors which /,~.ede ~he satis- faction of housing ne---6-e~and the solution of housing-related problems. The term constraints refers to those factors which, at least in the short run, are relati'9~l~ "fixed" or "given" f~-o,, the standpoint of what the City of Santa Aha can actually do about resolving outstanding problems and obstacles. In essence, constraints establish the parmmeters within · which City housing-related actions can be initiated. A~roach to the Housh/ ]~lement As previously mentioned, housing in Santa ha and throughout the nation is in trouble. The symptoms may be cited under three general cate- gories: 1. inadeqnate supply of housing for low and moderate income facilities, 2. unequml opportunities - lack of housing choice and mobility, 3. deteriorating housing quality. This Housing Element addresses these problems, both in terms of identifi- cation of the problems and action programs (including City-wide goals and policies), to assit in alleviating each of thom. Thus, this report deals with one of the most enduring sources of controversy and misunderstanding in urban affairs - the issue of housing needs and what to do about it. At the very minimum, housing needs are, at any moment of time, the needs of the families and other households who do not have what the Congress in the Housing Act of 1949 called "a decent home and a suitable living en- viror~ent." Overwhelmingly, these households are among the poor, the near poor and the lower economic middle class. Much of the controversy comes on two points: (1) In more concrete terms, what is a "decent" home and what is a "suitable" living environ- ment? (2) What of needs beyond those of the present physical environment and the present moment? How many more households will be formed over the coming five, ten or twenty-five years? ~nat will they be able to spend on housing? Where will they want to live? Will internal migration of our 04.