Anonymous
Source: County of Santa Barbara
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The County is preparing its first-ever EJE and is also updating its Housing Element. Both elements are part of the Santa Barbara County Comprehensive Plan. The Housing Element will contain policies and programs to increase housing development within unincorporated areas of the county. It will also plan for housing for everyone in our county, including seniors, families, and workers. Accordingly, the Housing Element will allow all types of housing, including houses, apartments, and farm labor housing.
EJ means that people of all races, cultures, and incomes are treated with equity in government laws and programs. In other words, EJ affirms that everyone has the right to a healthy environment, equitable access to decision-making processes, and protection from environmental and health hazards. The EJE will identify the needs within EJ communities and contain new policies or update existing policies to prioritize the needs of the EJ communities.
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Is there a solution or idea in that rant Pstar?
@ A-165####### Your quote of, “….and yet homelessness grows…” is so deceiving- Vagrancy / street living GROWs as drug addiction ever increases (Meth/fentanyl,etc) and is affecting our population to the point people lose everything and live on the streets… Time to face reality.
Government intervention generally achieves the opposite of its stated intention. If the county government is going to intervene in the economy with the stated intention of making housing more affordable, you can count on housing becoming less affordable. We really have two choices. We can continue to maintain the greater Santa Barbara area as an elite and exclusive enclave for the wealthy through extremely restrictive policies that limit new housing construction. Alternatively, we can reduce restrictions and allow the construction of new housing to meet demand. I think most residents would prefer to maintain the wealth and exclusivity of the status quo. Why don’t we just embrace that concept instead of pretending we want to provide low cost housing for the masses? Perhaps we could provide a streamlined process to complete new high density housing projects in Lompoc and Santa Maria, while effectively freezing new construction in Santa Barbara, goleta, and carpinteria? This would provide ample low cost housing without infringing on the wealthy enclave of the Santa Barbara area.
because you dont get preferential treatment just because your bank account is larger.
I breathe the same air as you, walk the same dirt roads as you. No on should be considered “unhoused” because they arent rich. I have lived here my entire life and am NOT rich, but have watched and been disgusted by the “steering” the rich do here.
how bout the rich realize they dont get to bully the system, in essence stealing from everyone they deem “lesser”. The concept of “well its a nice place…….” is great and all. but it was a nice place when I was born, It was a nice place when my parents bought their first home for 60k. it was nice then too.
there is nothing more disgusting in the world today than greed, even more so when housing is concerned. we have 2nd/3rd/4th houses here in this town. house people spend less than 3 months a year occupying. Then we have people struggling to pay rents that are SO outside the realm of possibility they are living in squalor.
It is NOT sustainable, what we gona have 10million dollar condos? 400million dollar homes? dont be stupid
Yep, agreed. We need to put restrictions on letting “retirees” buy a home here, as you say. Let those darn old people live on the streets. Only young people and young families should have the right to buy a home in Santa Barbara.
It’s always going to be expensive to live here. We can try and make it less desirable, but that obviously isn’t really a viable option (though one might say our local leaders are doing just that).
@ NAVA Perhaps, having parents who have lived in SB, you will enventually inherit their property and get to pay their low property tax… Unless, your parents live in SB Housing Authority or other section 8 housing…. Most of the SB kids I know, got houses in Goleta , SB and Carp from family- Unfortunately, I was not so fortunate and had to live in Santa Maria for 10 years and keep “flipping up”… Maybe instead of 2 B.A.’s you could go to a trade school and make big money or work for the County/ City – Your story shows that College doesn’t mean “financial success…”