Santa Barbara County First District Supervisor Das Williams — Taking Action to Prevent Homelessness
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Taking Action To Support Renters
This week, the Board of Supervisors adopted an ordinance that strengthens protections for tenants in the unincorporated areas of the County. It is my hope that these protections will make the playing field more level for renters in unincorporated areas during this unprecedented housing crisis and prevent people from losing their homes.
The most important protection we can put in place for renters (and for our planet and climate) is allowing more rental housing close to jobs. Only by our community refusing to build any new rental housing can landlords command such immense power over our lives. Our housing element, which is being worked on now, can help address this.
The County is announcing a new program with Good Samaritan Shelter to support tenants in need by providing supplemental relocation assistance to renters in need. This program augments (not supplants) the relocation assistance entitled to tenants under County Code Chapter 44.
The program will cover the cost of security deposit and first month’s rent
Low-income tenants who are residents of a unit in the unincorporated areas of Santa Barbara County are eligible
This week I had the chance to honor James Stubchaer, the former director of County Flood Control with an honorary plaque at Lower Mission Creek. Our County Flood Control Division are often the unsung heroes that go above and beyond to keep our community safe. During this January’s heavy storm season, they worked overtime to clear creeks of obstructions and ready our debris basins to handle future storms. Mr. Stubchaer’s accomplishments span long beyond his tenure, particularly in training a group of capable deputies to carry on the important work of keeping us safe from flooding and debris flows. Next time you walk down State Street from the Waterfront take a glance at the new plaque honoring Mr. Stubchaer’s accomplishments.
Volunteers Needed for Restorative Justice Program
The Neighborhood Restorative Justice Program needs volunteers! The Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office is expanding the Neighborhood Restorative Justice Program to all cities countywide in July and is looking for community-driven individuals who want to be part of a change in their community. The Neighborhood Restorative Justice Program aims to divert low-level misdemeanor offenders from entering into the criminal justice system by utilizing restorative justice practices.
Someone you know has a drone taking up space in their closet? Want to help save Ukrainian lives?
We have a solution. Civilian drones save lives in the conflict because they replace a lot of the dangerous scouting efforts usually done by humans. But that also means they are being shot down in high numbers. Ukraine does not have the industrial capacity or oil revenue that Russia does for this “drone race” so we aim to help with either your donated drones or donations to purchase/manufacture drones.
There is additional urgency because a local from Carpinteria is flying over in 5 days and we want to send some with her!
Heat pumps have gained traction as a preferred HVAC and water heating technology—and state plans indicate that new gas furnace and water heaters will not be permitted in California after 2030. Heat pumps offer great home energy savings, but homeowners want to know: How do they work? What’s available? And what works best for different homes and the central coast climate?
3C-REN is hosting a Heat Pumps for Homeowners webinar on August 1st with guest speaker Larry Waters, an HVAC industry veteran who’s installed nothing but heat pumps since 2015. 3C-REN staff will also join to help residents access all available incentives to make their projects affordable.
