In a 4-3 vote on Tuesday, the Santa Barbara City Council moved forward with a plan to appropriate up to $400,000 from the city’s flexible housing and homelessness fund to cover the legal costs to defend the city against a lawsuit filed by landlords challenging the city’s temporary rent freeze and rent stabilization ordinance.
The item was originally discussed as part of the council’s consent agenda on April 29, with councilmembers Mike Jordan and Eric Friedman both voicing concerns about the financial impact of setting aside money for the lawsuit when the city was facing increasing budgetary challenges. During that discussion, City Attorney John Doimas explained that the city would be using the money to contract attorneys who specialize in this type of federal litigation, and without the additional funding, the city would be forced to defend the lawsuit internally with its own limited resources.
When the item returned on May 12, it passed with four members of the council voting in support of the additional funding. Councilmembers Friedman and Jordan and Mayor Randy Rowse voted in opposition.
“It is my belief that we need to equip our city attorney’s office with the tools that they need to defend us,” Councilmember Wendy Santamaria said.
