Quit calling Santa Barbara “paradise.” Santa Barbara is not paradise; it’s our home. Especially now, after two major disasters that have caused death and massive destruction, Mother Nature has once again proved that she has no prejudice; every demographic has been impacted by the Thomas Fire and the Montecito mudslides.
Do events like this happen in paradise? I don’t think so. We have been enduring a prolonged drought that is killing off many trees throughout the community. Natural habitats, local species, and animals are all struggling to adjust. With the potential of more severe rain events, the continued drought, and the inevitability of a massive earthquake, Santa Barbara is quite vulnerable.
Surely, our natural beauty and breathtaking vistas remain attractive. However, over the last 35 years, Santa Barbara has worn the mantle of a golden paradise and tourist destination, resulting in a real estate market where prices are 70 percent greater than the national average; a deflated commercial corridor along State Street; congested streets, with a freeway that chugs in 30,000 commuters a day (so much for the environmental capital of the world); zero percent rental availability for working families, and a bustling homeless population. Is this really paradise?