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MyspaceI guess it’s time for me to admit that I am a person who lives in a 600 square foot “cube” in a section of neighborhood that has some (gasp) density.
I am a retired educator who has been living in a small one-bedroom apartment in the 1500 block of Laguna Street for the past year. ( I am also a 20-year resident of Santa Barbara, so please don’t dismiss me as an interloper.) In a three-block area close to my complex, there are six other apartment complexes with similar-size “cubes,” along with nicely restored bungalows and larger homes, and as far as I can tell everyone is coexisting quite well.
Even more amazing to those who get the vapors when they contemplate density, I live two blocks from some of the most historic and highly valued homes in this town. I am even brash enough to walk by these houses and admire their landscaping as I walk my five blocks to the rose garden at the Mission. So far, none of the residents in those lovely large houses has thrown rocks at me (though maybe they would like to).
Could we please have a calm and all-embracing discussion about affordable housing for Santa Barbara residents without the hysterics of those who shudder at the thought of living in fewer than 2,000 square feet, or even living close to people who reside in smaller spaces?
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Comments
Any sane discussion would begin with pricing. I'm willing to bet the author pays 1200 to 1500 a month for the 1 br apt that should cost half that if not less. Some HUD housing of twice that size goes for 600 to 700 a month in North County. If the State or County could find a way to buy a few foreclosures or more maybe just the rent could make the payments. This would being helping neighbors in many different ways.
SmileySam (anonymous profile)
September 26, 2011 at 11:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
By last count SB has the highest number of low income units per population in the state of California. Amazingly, prices are still relatively high, albeit not as high as in San Francisco where the low income crowd has rent control AND astronomic rents.
A more sane discussion is why if you cannot afford to live here you feel you have an inalienable right to live here...it took me years after immigrating to afford it, I never felt the government owed it to me...
italiansurg (anonymous profile)
September 27, 2011 at 7:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
jfklbj, you really have to do a better job of reading for comprehension. The author says she lives in the 1500 block of Laguna. That's close to Alice Keck Park. Yet you think she may live in Mission Canyon. Puhleeeze.
SezMe (anonymous profile)
September 28, 2011 at 1:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
SmaileySam, any sane discussion of rental unit pricing would begin by recognizing that one cannot compare prices in central Santa Barbara with those in north county.
The rest of your comment makes no sense so I cannot comment.
SezMe (anonymous profile)
September 28, 2011 at 1:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The people who make Santa Barbara great, and make it run are continually being priced out of the area.
Ken_Volok (anonymous profile)
September 28, 2011 at 12:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The main problems City's with lots of high-density housing have are increased crime, violence, noise pollution, and air pollution. When you increase density you increase population density's. That's partly why pollution and crime are worse in City's with high populations and density's.
http://newsinfo.iu.edu/news/page/norm...
http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/s...
Georgy (anonymous profile)
September 28, 2011 at 8:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
"The people who make Santa Barbara great, and make it run are continually being priced out of the area."
Amen.
billclausen (anonymous profile)
October 5, 2011 at 8:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)