I care deeply about the future of our downtown and our entire community and for the many people who make it special. That is why I’m inviting the community to come together to support the Downtown Santa Barbara Improvement Association’s (DSBIA) call for a "Balanced, Flexible Design for a Thriving State Street" — and I hope you’ll join me! You can add your name to the petition before the City Council meeting on October 21.
State Street is the heart of our community — a place to shop, dine, gather, and celebrate. But since it’s been closed to vehicles, data is showing significantly fewer visitors to State Street and the surrounding area, even as other parts of the city have grown busier. That drop-in visitation has real consequences for our small businesses, property owners, workers, and the overall functionality of the area.
The newly formed DSBIA is working hard to increase vitality back downtown — not just through cleaning, landscaping, and beautification efforts — but also by advocating for a more flexible, balanced State Street design as part of the new Master Plan. This plan works to meld the diverse interests and preferences of our downtown stakeholders and local community.