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First District Supervisor Das Williams — Statement Regarding Loss of Life of Local Teen

by Community Contributor • June 24, 2024 • Comments Off

Statement Regarding Loss of Life of Local Teen

My heart was broken to hear of the death of one of our local youth as the result of a train strike last week. This is a horrifying accident, and as a parent, it deeply pains me to imagine the grief that this young man’s loved ones are going through right now.

The County Behavioral Wellness team is offering resources and supportfor anyone who is affected by this tragedy. The Community Wellness Team can be reached at 805-364-2750.

As the SBCAG representative to LOSSAN, the rail corridor agency spanning San Diego to San Luis Obispo, I am dedicated to working with Union Pacific (the private company that owns the tracks and the land around them) and our County Parks division to enhance safety near Fernald Point. We have requested a report on the next LOSSAN agenda regarding track safety for pedestrians and will be making a formal request to Union Pacific to address the “attractive nuisance” structure in the area.

These informal crossings can be much more dangerous than meets the eye. Union Pacific has reminded us that the public is urged to only cross the tracks at formal crossings. When new modern County infrastructure is built, it is designed with the purpose of channeling pedestrians towards these formal crossings (as with the Santa Claus Lane Streetscape Project). In areas where this is not the case, situational awareness of your surroundings is urged.

This young man had a full life and future in front of him. My deepest condolences and prayers are with his loved ones and all in our community who have been affected by this tragedy.

Flood Map Open House

Santa Barbara County Flood Control is hosting a public open house to discuss local flood risks and the newly revised Federal Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) issued by FEMA. I invite you to join me on Tuesday, July 9 from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm for a discussion with experts, as well as representatives from Federal and local agencies.

Mitigating the risk of flooding continues to be a top priority for the County. Of course, we all remember the devastation of the 1/9 Debris Flow, and in subsequent storms, neighborhoods in Santa Barbara and Montecito have experienced flooding that has damaged properties and put lives at risk. That’s why it’s critical that we continue our momentum to improve the flood control system. In just the last 2 years, we have opened the Randall Road Debris Basin, made capacity improvements to the Cold Springs Debris, and launched the Flood Mitigation Master Planning process to set priorities for channel improvements.

Learn More

Opioid Settlement

The opioid epidemic has been a saddening scourge on our community. Like many of you, I was angered by the reports of major pharmaceutical companies causing the proliferation of these drugs, ignoring the warning signs of addiction to make their shareholders’ profits larger.

In 2019, I worked to have the County opt-in to a lawsuit against major opioid manufacturers and distributors to try and bring some small measure of justice. The lawsuit was successful, and the settlement provided the County payments that are projected to total 21 million dollars.

This week the Board of Supervisors adopted the OUR SBC Allocation, which commits those dollars to a variety of treatment and prevention efforts. Among the allocations is funding to improve mental health and substance use treatment in our jail, expansion of the sobering center, and 12 new sober living beds.

Affordable Homeownership Opportunity

Habitat for Humanity of Southern Santa Barbara County, one of our local housing nonprofits, has begun the process of selecting two families for new affordable homes on East Coast Street in Santa Barbara.

Applications will be accepted July 8-19. Two homes on E. Cota St. will be available for purchase. All applicants must attend a mandatory orientation. Please click below to respond. For more information about the planned development and eligibility, please click here.