The Bill Comes Due in 2026

Whoever is elected this fall will immediately confront decisions that will shape housing, downtown vitality, and the city’s financial stability for decades to come. With four of seven council seats up for election, Santa Barbara is not choosing a direction for the immediate future, but it is choosing whether it will remain in control of its future at all. The decisions around housing, downtown, and finances all come due to the people elected in this next ballot.

Housing is the most obvious example. For years, Santa Barbara has talked about the need for more housing without producing enough. That approach is no longer sustainable. When cities fail to meet state housing requirements, the consequences are real and increasingly unavoidable. If we continue to fail to deliver new housing, we will see more consequences, such as the Builder’s Remedy projects and forced housing from Sacramento. If residents are surprised or frustrated by recent housing proposals like the Mission project or Grand Avenue, they should understand that these are symptoms of inaction, not overreach from Sacramento. If we want to protect what makes Santa Barbara special, we need to take responsibility for shaping growth rather than having it imposed on us.

Unfortunately, the city’s current approach has made that harder, not easier. Layering on red tape, discretionary approvals, and delay has not produced better outcomes. It has produced fewer homes, higher costs, and growing frustration. Many cities and counties, including Santa Barbara County, are moving toward more objective standards and streamlined approvals to enable housing to move forward in a predictable and orderly way. The City of Santa Barbara has been slow to engage in that discussion. Modernizing the planning process is not about cutting corners. It is about making decisions clearer, processes and timelines shorter and more reliable, and outcomes more consistent.

Downtown Santa Barbara faces an eerily similar problem of inaction. We have spent years debating the future of State Street without committing to a long-term direction. The next City Council will not be able to avoid hard choices. Whether State Street reopens, is redesigned, or remains closed needs to be resolved once and for all. So do questions around retail and residential balance, public safety, parking, cleanliness, and enforcement. These issues are interconnected, and indecision has a cost. A downtown without a clear plan struggles to thrive. Put yourself in the place of business owners and retailers. Would you invest in something that could dramatically change before you even open your doors? The next council will need to make important decisions that stand the test of time, not ones designed to delay until the next report or event.

Finally, the city’s projected income is falling short of known expenses and contingencies. Unfortunately, there is already discussion of raising taxes or cutting services. Before going down either path, we should be asking whether the city is operating as efficiently as possible. In the private sector, organizations regularly assess how they spend money, use technology, and improve processes. Local government should be held to the same standard, especially when resources are tight. We see companies in the private sector making great strides in efficiency by leveraging modern technologies and process improvements. Do we not believe this could also be done in the public sector? 

There is also too little discussion of how to grow the city’s revenue without raising taxes. Housing can help here as well. Downtown Santa Barbara has many single-story buildings and underused upper floors. Adding housing above retail and converting existing space would bring more residents downtown, support local businesses, create jobs, and increase sales and property tax revenue. More people living downtown also tends to improve public safety through activity and presence. More businesses choosing to open in Santa Barbara generate more income for the city. These are practical, well-understood outcomes in cities that have revitalized their downtowns.

This election should be viewed less as a popularity contest and more as a job interview, with you, the Santa Barbara citizen, as the employer. When voting, ask yourself if the candidates have experience making decisions of this magnitude. Have they managed complex budgets, balanced competing interests, and delivered results under pressure? Can they articulate a long-term vision that extends beyond the next election cycle? 

The bill for years of delay is coming due and the next City Council will be responsible for paying it. This is one of the most consequential local elections Santa Barbara will face in the next 20 years. Before you check that box on the ballot, ask yourself a simple question:  

Would I hire this person to run the city I love?