Most renters in the city are probably unaware of the forces driving up rents for working people. Within the last year, developers and landlords have been buying up and converting regular apartments into student housing, particularly near Santa Barbara City College.
In the guise of serving the needs of students, these landlords are exploiting out-of-town students, driving up rents for residents of Santa Barbara, and lining their own pockets — handsomely.
Here are some examples: