[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6743738,"mediaKeyId","2172993-83008172841dbb5a949ece6ad78e057a","parentId",2172993,"title","City moves toward pilots on State Street: sidewalk ‘pedlets’, standardized dining furniture and shuttle trials","audioSeconds",1031,"startMs",18180000,"endMs",19211000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2172993-83008172841dbb5a949ece6ad78e057a&start=18180&end=19211","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2172993-83008172841dbb5a949ece6ad78e057a/thumbnail_18180000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6743738/Santa-Barbara-City/Santa-Barbara-County/California/City-moves-toward-pilots-on-State-Street-sidewalk-pedlets-standardized-dining-furniture-and-shuttle-trials","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6743738-57bd949a9460c90423ca09fc1c400f45/orig.mp4?Expires=1771176473&Signature=gN-8An7TT4TeyavAqOZM5AQqgNYARFF3DLfUnuLWW5GWViKx9HBjGssaq5XhLOV3ceoDy~-YqKPqifH1E4KGjq0WLJMUT5G9mGR5B-89sFABuVp5KmScmLLh~bGVwz1JkY0WJvOM163Z5HCn1gEvqwIJ4YcQWyL8J6x6WYDEXnNo4lBuPLyIrU3HFRwWA8UprHLFB7Lc9NDje9RYMr5uyt4QqjpzALEYgPMiC50J4hLp8rv3YbUA0jyhOa6fbxfDud5OkDT5W07wQNQvbtTvBFoNrriAE6iWktmUoVXOsXn9bV4vI-FlV73CH3kavEfgGyVFzBIkKtD1Gxh0ae-yZw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Santa Barbara, CA","date","2025-01-29T05:57:24.277Z","article","Public Works staff presented an update to the City Council on Jan. 28 on the State Street Short-Term Action Plan and listed several pilot projects staff plan to test and refine before finalizing the State Street Master Plan.

Key pilots described by staff (Sarah Clark, Downtown Team Manager):
- 1200 block sidewalk pilot: shrink some planter footprints (keep existing trees), refresh lower-level landscaping and expand sidewalk dining; staff estimates roughly $60,000 for the work and expects construction after the film festival as part of a sidewalk brick-repair project.
- 500 block “pedlets” pilot: modular, removable sidewalk extensions (8 feet wide) designed to move on-street dining from parklets onto expanded sidewalk platforms; staff estimates the pedlet pilot cost around $453,000 and targets installation for Memorial Day; engineering, police and fire review and community outreach were described as ongoing.
- Outdoor-dining standardization: staff and Historic Landmarks Commission (HLC) subcommittee proposed a small set of uniform furniture options and will return to HLC to evaluate a potential city purchase/lease program for standardized tables and chairs.
- Amenities and placemaking: staff presented an array of potential low- and medium-cost amenities—musical elements, game tables, play blocks and large interactive sculptures—and a pilot budget subtotal of roughly $162,000; funding source not finalized.
- Mobility pilots: staff described coordinating with Cycling Without Age (volunteer tri-shaw rides), testing small 6–7 passenger accessible golf-cart-style shuttles during peak times and a return of an MTD circulator shuttle for summer 2025 (MTD proposal under review; estimated pilot cost communicated in the presentation).

Public and council response: Several presenters emphasized ADA access, safe tie-downs and driver training for any tri-shaw or cart-based service, and asked staff to confirm liability and insurance terms. Accessibility advocates asked for wheelchair-accessible vehicles and clear tie-down/securement systems; others urged year-round shuttle service rather than a limited summer pilot. Councilmembers supported piloting ideas but emphasized safety, equitable impacts for all businesses, and the need to coordinate parade routes and emergency vehicle access when parklets and pedlets are installed.

Next steps: staff will continue vendor procurement for pedlets and outreach to affected businesses, coordinate with the Historic Landmarks Commission and Access Advisory Committee, finalize a procurement/lease vs purchase analysis for pedlets and furniture, and return with implementation details. Pilots planned for spring/summer 2025 will inform the final State Street Master Plan expected later in 2025.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council - January 28, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","City staff described pilot projects for State Street—modular sidewalk extensions dubbed 'pedlets' for the 500 block, a sidewalk reconfiguration pilot on the 1200 block, standardized outdoor-dining furniture and mobility pilots (tri-shaws and small shuttles)—and set target implementation windows in spring/summer 2025.","taxTitle","Santa Barbara City, Santa Barbara County, California","taxId",4209,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6743747,"Santa Barbara staff propose balanced use of Measure I revenue; housing advocates press for larger housing allocation",517,4200000,4717000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2172993-83008172841dbb5a949ece6ad78e057a&start=4200&end=4717","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2172993-83008172841dbb5a949ece6ad78e057a/thumbnail_4200000.jpg","/articles/6743747/Santa-Barbara-City/Santa-Barbara-County/California/Santa-Barbara-staff-propose-balanced-use-of-Measure-I-revenue-housing-advocates-press-for-larger-housing-allocation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6743747-9921cabb9aa2ea19e1784eca54261082/orig.mp4?Expires=1771176473&Signature=WtR25j8R0QB2dE7E0uUryJhY4L3J2GneTqQFMHHqdDBTR0s7Ioxx75-lJRDUHmG6lUHRjRQGhbwF-BI3HAJoX~Z-QS0Ku0NnGq67u87vH2nRnsKucF0hylP4cKE~mEN9mA0Dm-y0DWHi6fA1r~YfF2Youkf~-KS5HnhR3YupSMCBoluQWudUDCu5i7eXBAJ6BbvDxx3EzBdb8xgOYXyKnq-qv9oTML8GdnXjz6pguV~0B8QjtW2IEzbNtsBQ0pRcGyuhPbv1p0wWyIEu0sIH-77TvjWa5b60j-ffrPWgM6t4KL1bbeVquE-4CMx4JD6xqMsJVG3vgztUp~xdBryJeQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff briefed the Santa Barbara City Council on Jan. 28 on options for spending revenues from Measure I, the half-cent sales tax the city’s voters approved in November 2024. City Administrator Kelly McAdoo and Finance Director Demartini told the council Measure I is projected to generate about $15.1 million a year and that including it in the fiscal-year 2026 forecast would turn a previously projected $10.7 million operating shortfall into an estimated $4.4 million surplus.

The staff presentation framed the tax as intended to “maintain essential local services” and recommended three parallel uses if council wants to preserve current service levels: restore certain frozen positions (including several police positions), continue expanded library hours previously funded by one-time federal dollars, and commit a set annual allocation into the Local Housing Trust Fund. Staff proposed a starting housing allocation of $1 million to $2 million per year and said the city could explore percentage-based or graduated approaches if Measure I revenues exceed estimates.

Why it matters: Council members and the public repeatedly returned to three interlocking constraints—uncertainty about future federal and state funding (including recent pauses in some federal programs), an ongoing citywide classification-and-compensation study that may raise salary costs, and recommendations from an impending fire department standards-of-coverage review that could add recurring costs. Staff emphasized the need for flexibility so the budget can respond if federal grants are cut or if the studies produce larger-than-expected cost increases.

Public and advocacy response: More than a dozen speakers from tenant groups, affordable-housing nonprofits and faith-based organizations urged the council to direct substantially more Measure I money to housing. Speakers asked the council either to (a) allocate a defined chunk of Measure I annually—advocates cited figures in the 30–35% range—or (b) place a $5 million baseline in the Local Housing Trust Fund to maximize matching opportunities with state programs. Housing advocates said any stable local contribution improves the city’s ability to win state funds that require local matching. Tenant-rights speakers also urged rent protections, including a cap on post-remodel rent increases.

Council discussion and next steps: Council members asked technical questions about how an allocation would be recorded and whether money moved into the Local Housing Trust Fund could be pulled back for other uses. Staff and the city attorney advised that funds can be transferred between city accounts but warned that moving funds into restricted accounts can make them harder to reallocate later. Several councilmembers favored staging or earmarking a modest dedicated housing amount now while retaining flexibility to scale allocations in the FY2026 budget process. Multiple members stressed the need to reserve funds for implementing the upcoming class-and-comp and fire standards recommendations.

The council did not adopt a final allocation on Jan. 28. Staff sought—and received—direction to continue outreach and to return to the council with detailed budget proposals and implementation options during the FY2026 budget process in April–May.","City staff briefed the Santa Barbara City Council on options for spending Measure I sales-tax revenue—estimated at about $15.1 million annually—and recommended restoring some frozen positions, preserving library hours and setting aside $1–$2 million a year for the Local Housing Trust Fund as the starting approach.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6743735,"County arts office briefs council on public art, grants and creative-economy metrics",572,4219000,4791000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2172993-83008172841dbb5a949ece6ad78e057a&start=4219&end=4791","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2172993-83008172841dbb5a949ece6ad78e057a/thumbnail_4219000.jpg","/articles/6743735/Santa-Barbara-City/Santa-Barbara-County/California/County-arts-office-briefs-council-on-public-art-grants-and-creative-economy-metrics","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6743735-6fed517b83de4ffb48e0502c4e3c6b39/orig.mp4?Expires=1771176473&Signature=mDYRKT6yDadayjFeIy13e4OfWHr9iky~zoY5bmz8TFr9Rb0TSRye3hfKSe7lSzXFm1Dt-TAHclLCTy8kUold3E~JyQNLmWjCRvnQyDUIJhHJ27yNTo~OaekOFIaoesWxBLSe6SZLYElHABvbLhrSmW3fq0-pdN8oEmPuFwqsPyBipWOZ-MaJt04rKYrvInMQQcFGwms77jERm8LJ9DFbWRw8qWXoiRPWkEoh7lYXPH9o86cjsaNYJyEWbqX66AKWtcd9RzPN7FAR4yDI2TtaSjgazI-1~iGdMKZHczPfAfpxWPsOD5m2U7rHZrDAs2kw1bXWcAzq6GCQOfv2fhNJ5A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Santa Barbara County Office of Arts and Culture presented an annual update to the City Council on Jan. 28, outlining four decades of city–county partnership delivering public art, community grants and cultural programs.

Executive Director Sarah York Rubin summarized the office’s role as the city arts ‘front office’: administering community cultural arts grants and festival support, curating City Hall exhibitions, stewarding the city’s public-art collection, and coordinating public-art project pipelines. Highlights included the county office’s public-art work in the State Street promenade (KRail murals), the 15th anniversary of the Pianos on State program, the Tiny Library pop-ups and the Sunken Garden film series.

Funding and impact: The office said the city commits roughly $250,000 annually to support community cultural arts grants and that in 2023 those grants helped festivals and events that drew 100,000 participants countywide. The office reported securing loans and donations for the city collection, including an offered donation of artwork valued at about $350,000 from artist Roland Peterson. The office also described a master-plan-level creative-economy analysis showing that the creative industries generate roughly 7% of county gross product and that digital media is a large component of that output.

Challenges: The office flagged rising costs for materials and labor, pressure on performing arts to recover post-COVID attendance, and the growing number of grant applicants—63 this year requesting roughly $750,000 while available city allocations remain limited. The office asked council and staff to continue coordinated support for public art maintenance and a sustainable funding approach for grants and venue operations.

Next steps: The office seeks council support for ongoing grant administration, continued city–county collaboration on public art projects (including a Bloomberg Asphalt Art grant application for State & Carrillo), and further work on creative-economy data to guide investments.

Speakers at the meeting included Sarah York Rubin (Executive Director, County Office of Arts & Culture), Hannah Rubalcava (grants/contracts manager), and Rosalina Masisco (Santa Barbara Dance Institute), who described community impacts from dance education programs.","The County Office of Arts and Culture updated the Santa Barbara City Council on its public-art programming, cultural grants and creative-economy work, and said continued city support is critical amid rising operational costs and increased grant demand.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6743743,"Tenants and advocates press Santa Barbara council for post-remodel rent caps amid wave of renoviction complaints",1004,1481000,2485000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2172993-83008172841dbb5a949ece6ad78e057a&start=1481&end=2485","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2172993-83008172841dbb5a949ece6ad78e057a/thumbnail_1481000.jpg","/articles/6743743/Santa-Barbara-City/Santa-Barbara-County/California/Tenants-and-advocates-press-Santa-Barbara-council-for-post-remodel-rent-caps-amid-wave-of-renoviction-complaints","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6743743-b5f400b6ce15e2729b122da6e326e79d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771176473&Signature=F8oF1gX6CKICfggf-ZBJVfoU5aDmFUSU9GMaLsLj3Wz00kXcaOXnD~WNoz8KIt1aDrMHDbctGUuMxNu77dYY27-AWhj7bgXpBTvOOXLGjMVqEsOVD2m1q4zdOkC6ci7WGvDya9mlLNDeRe3wouF~QTYIP~1AOKxzexXnGLCaNbgT24cR2KZWjOzI1sfMXfjaGk~yDNcOLeNp-chdI~NVyHsAdQXYQ4~d5nJF1dP27icONw0lsY5ExgF-QEH1dyTZmaCltyyirreBgMjAS~CLBvsliAK8dn~EGEqovhA0qk0IPHBpYqTEuMzlq9DxRw4znRFsKwwm7m09l7uLBUH09A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dozens of residents and tenant advocates used the Santa Barbara City Council’s Jan. 28 public comment period to describe a pattern of alleged “renovictions” and harassment at multiple rental properties—most prominently a cluster on Upper Bath Street and the 215 Bath complex—and to urge immediate local action.

Speakers described similar accounts: new owners or out-of-town management declining to cash rent checks, serving eviction notices (which some tenants said were procedurally flawed), offer buy-outs, carrying out long delays in maintenance, and replacing affordable long-term tenants with higher-rent occupants or short-term student beds. Several speakers said they and their neighbors are essential workers—teachers, home-health aides, nurses, hotel workers—and that displacement threatens the local workforce. One speaker said some neighbors are participating in a rent strike to protest alleged harassment and chronic habitability problems.

What residents asked for: Many called on the council to move urgently on these items (some tied to emergency declarations triggered by Southern California wildfires): a temporary rent freeze or eviction moratorium for displaced households; a locally enacted cap on post-remodel rents (often called a ‘right-of-return’ cap); more enforcement and faster action on habitability complaints; and legal support for tenants facing buyouts or notices. Tenant groups argued a predictable local housing contribution—such as a baseline deposit into the Local Housing Trust Fund—would also help produce more deed-restricted housing.

City response and legal context: During the same meeting the city administrator and staff described a range of funding, legal and program tools available to the city (Measure I, Local Housing Trust Fund, CDBG and other federal/state grants). Staff warned that some federal funding was under temporary administrative review and that state matching programs often require local matching funds to be available before an application is filed. The city did not take formal action on tenant requests at the Jan. 28 meeting; councilmembers asked staff to return with budgetary options and legal implications during the upcoming FY2026 budget process.

Provenance: This article summarizes successive public-comment statements given during the council’s general public comment block (Jan. 28) and the follow-up testimony during the Measure I item. Speakers included multiple tenants (Peggy Nicholson, Declan Claus, Veronica Strauss, Laura Stevens, and others) and representatives of the Santa Barbara Tenants Union and community organizations.","Multiple Bath Street tenants and tenant-advocacy groups told the City Council that renovictions and buyer-driven displacement have forced long-term residents from rental housing and urged adoption of post-remodel rent caps, an eviction moratorium and an expedited rent-freeze to protect local workforce and families affected by recent fires in Los","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

City moves toward pilots on State Street: sidewalk ‘pedlets’, standardized dining furniture and shuttle trials

Santa Barbara staff propose balanced use of Measure I revenue; housing advocates press for larger housing allocation

County arts office briefs council on public art, grants and creative-economy metrics

Tenants and advocates press Santa Barbara council for post-remodel rent caps amid wave of renoviction complaints