I am genuinely disheartened by last week's Independent publishing a disingenuous photo of the proposed development behind the Mission. I love reading The Independent, and always appreciated the publication for being honest, but the photo of a dark tower looming over a historical site is plain fear-mongering.
I read the entirety of the article and appreciate the research done on the mysterious developers, as well as the historical context of the buildings currently on the site. The rest of the article reads as pandering to a NIMBY audience. A small caption stating the photo doesn't represent the proposed development is ignored by most readers.
Why do I care? As a young professional with family, friends, and work keeping me in Santa Barbara, it hurts that my favorite publication is being weaponized for the NIMBY minority. I may never be able to own a space in this city and this article is further hindering future developments from being approved by altering the opinions of those who hold power (I mean wealth).