Santa Barbara’s Eastside Sees Uptick in Homeless-Related Calls for Service
Snapshot of Data from City Police Shows Rise in ‘Nuisance-Related Crimes and Drug Issues in the Area’ Surrounding Cacique Street
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The area surrounding Cacique Street on Santa Barbara’s Eastside has emerged as a hotspot for homeless-related calls for service, with residents and employees saying they have witnessed an uptick in open drug use and trading, physical fights, and dangerous mental-health episodes in the area in recent months.
A snapshot of data from the Santa Barbara Police Department (SBPD) shows that homeless-related calls for service to the 800 block of Cacique Street between January and August have increased by 14 percent from 2023 to 2024. These calls generally deal with “nuisance-related crimes and drug issues in the area,” said Sergeant Bryan Kerr, a spokesperson with the SBPD.
