Housing & Development · Santa Barbara, CA
Santa Barbara City Council approved a citywide rent stabilization ordinance on October 6, 2026, in a 4-3 vote, capping annual rent increases at 60 percent of the Consumer Price Index or 3 percent, whichever is lower. The program is scheduled to launch in January 2027, with $500,000 set aside for implementation including a rental registry fee study. A referendum petition backed by the Santa Barbara Rental Property Association is actively gathering signatures outside supermarkets, requiring approximately 5,500 signatures in 30 days to place the measure before voters in a special election next year. The ordinance includes exemptions for deed-restricted affordable and Section 8 units, added through a separate vote after internal council disagreement. A temporary rent freeze enacted in January 2026 remains in effect until the new policy takes hold.
Local Politics · Santa Barbara, CA
The Committee to Reopen State Street submitted a petition with 6,000 signatures—exceeding the 5,400 minimum—to the Santa Barbara city clerk on Wednesday, October 14, seeking a voter referendum on whether cars should be allowed back on State Street. The initiative followed the City Council's 6-1 approval of the State Street Master Plan on September 1, which maintains the vehicle-free configuration in place since the COVID pandemic and carries an estimated cost near $100 million including stormwater infrastructure work. Hundreds of merchants under the State Street Business Alliance funded legal costs for the referendum effort, while the committee advocates a "shared-use" street with low-speed vehicle access, parking, wide sidewalks, outdoor dining, and retractable bollards. The city clerk will now verify signatures before the City Council decides whether to repeal the ordinance or place the question before voters in a future election.
Housing & Development · Santa Barbara, CA
The city of Santa Barbara and Santa Barbara Airport are seeking public feedback on a draft Climate Adaptation Plan to protect aviation infrastructure and Goleta Slough wetlands from rising sea levels and severe flooding. The airport currently faces a 20% annual risk of flood-related closure, which officials project could reach 60% by 2076 without intervention. Last December's holiday-season flooding forced flight cancellations at the airport. The project is in its second phase, evaluating strategies ranging from pump installations to slough restoration; a third phase will update the Coastal Land Use Plan by 2027. Community members have until Nov. 13 to submit comments on the draft plan.
