Tag archives: housing

Here is a deep dive into the state of the housing market in Montecito, Santa Barbara, and the Santa Ynez Valley, along with my predictions for 2024. Let’s look at the numbers.  South Santa Barbara County Stats  South Santa Barbara County (Goleta to Carpinteria) saw the sale of 1,011 homes and condos in 2023; this […]

Last month’s groundbreaking ceremony marked Sanctuary Centers’ initiation of its forthcoming new building. To witness the launch of this transformative community benefit project was, of course, a thrilling moment. The project, which will provide 34 units of new housing along with co-located medical, dental and behavioral health clinics, represents a milestone moment in the nonprofit’s […]

The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors narrowly approved the Housing Element Update (HEU) on Tuesday, solidifying the State-mandated housing chapter of the County’s Comprehensive Plan. The purpose of the Housing Element is to accommodate existing and projected housing needs for all residents of the unincorporated County.  County planners presented the HEU to the Supervisors, […]

Fewer sales, higher prices, steady as she goes… or is there a sales slowdown ahead? From this summer’s highest prices, yet slower than recent year’s summer sales volume, to now fall peaks and valleys and Ellen’s new fantasy listing, our market is one thing one month and another the next. What is consistent though, is […]

I’m not a civil engineer so I admit to being somewhat confused about the need for roundabouts versus single lane stops due to the improvements to the HWY101. More lanes are not exiting onto San Ysidro or Coast Village at once are they? My concern is one of proper (and pleasing) scale and awkwardness. These […]

It was nice to wake up to sun this morning. We have had our share of ‘Faugust’ mornings and I’m still not sure summer fully happened. The long days of light are dimming yet it’s still lovely and soon will be less crowded on Coast Village Road on the weekends. Locals, get ready for September […]

“Buy land, they’re not making it anymore.” – Mark Twain Over the long run, Montecito real estate has been an excellent investment. Indeed, price growth has averaged about 8% per annum over the past five years versus 7% for the greater Santa Barbara area and 6% nationally. These price premiums of Santa Barbara and Montecito […]

Well, it’s just about the start of summer, or almost. Solstice is next week and don’t even get me started about the May gray and the June gloom, oops, too late. But on a sunnier note, let’s start with Montecito Real Estate stats, about as good a place to start as any. As I reported […]

At our board meeting on May 9th, we had two surprises: We did our first hybrid meeting at the Montecito Fire Station on San Ysidro Rd., and we sure appreciate their hosting us.  We welcomed Jack Lorenz from Dignity Moves as our guest speaker, and he wowed the crowd in person and online. The Hands […]

In November 2020 2nd District County Supervisor Laura Capps, then School Board Member Capps, took a run for the 1st District County Supervisor seat challenging Supervisor Das Williams. Despite this paper’s strong endorsement of Capps for her refreshing perspective on campaign reform, the need for more transparency in the government (on issues like cannabis and […]

At the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors hearing on Tuesday, the Board was briefed on the Housing Element Update, a draft of which was recently submitted to the State’s Housing and Community Development Department. The Housing Element process occurs every eight years, and requires that local governments must adopt plans and systems that provide […]

The rain has stopped and the sun has been shining for several days in a row now – which is a relief. Creeks are relaxing, as are residents. Montecito and her flood and debris flow prevention steps clearly worked during the larger storms that presented themselves this first quarter of 2023. What a wet and […]

As a person who has experienced homelessness as a former addict living on the streets of Ventura County, I have come to understand how chronic vagrancy gives homelessness a bad name. For the last four years I have made the choice to wake up clean and sober so I can advocate for others like me […]

It’s 2023 and it already feels like a different world. So much steady rain filling reservoirs, cleaning streets (into the ocean sadly), giving us something to really celebrate in the new year. They say that when it is raining is actually a great time to see a home you are considering buying. Watching how the […]

We’ve got a lot on our plate here at the Montecito Association, and we’re happy to tackle it. Two weeks ago, the County had a huge public meeting on the updated Housing Element required by the state of California’s Housing and Community Development. You’ve read in these pages of how we realized the threat of […]

An impromptu press conference with U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) Region IX Administrator Jason Pu was held on October 26, at the Santa Barbara Housing Authority Offices on Laguna Street. Rounding out the HUD support were state and local politicians Congressman Salud Carbajal, City of Goleta Councilmember James Kyriaco MPA, and First […]

The Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara put on a host visit and tour with HUD Region IX Administrator, Jason Pu, former San Gabriel City Councilmember who was appointed by President Joe Biden to serve as Regional Administrator for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Region IX, which covers areas of […]

We are experiencing a home remodel and new building renaissance in Montecito that I have not seen in my 20 years living here, nor in the 20 years prior when I would visit family in the area. Very few blocks are without construction of some sort. One thousand (give or take) new homeowners have bought […]

The issue of short-term rentals (STRs) in the Coastal Zone could be back in front of County lawmakers as soon as next year, reports Darcel Elliott with First District Supervisor Das Williams’ office, who spoke at the Montecito Association Board of Directors meeting earlier this week.  STRs continue to be unregulated in the Coastal Zone, […]

With one of the most world-recognized names in TV, magazine, and print news media, Rona Barrett fashioned her career on well-researched and deep-dive interviews, asking the questions no one would have at the time. Barrett broke many glass ceilings in the media industry for women and as a person with muscular dystrophy. She took on […]