Overall, I thought the article on Calle Milpas was good — a reflection of local pride in a thriving community.
There’s an authenticity to this part of Santa Barbara. That’s the REAL “real.” What’s unique to our calle is that our residences are adjacent to the businesses, unlike State Street. The businesses are woven into the neighborhood fabric. The food and vibes are good. People now want to move over here. Tourists want to eat here, and that takes away our parking spaces. There’s not a single Starbucks and let’s hope we can keep it that way. Our own Franklin School is in the top 30 percent of all California elementary schools. That doesn’t happen without effective leadership and parent/teacher/community buy in.
Staggering rent increases and housing displacement issues remain.