Sheila Lodge’s emergence as a civic leader marked the beginning of a profound political change in the Santa Barbara body politic. She was a progressive on social matters and a far-reaching thinker when it came to the future of Santa Barbara. She was instrumental in making the Impacts of Growth study possible, and in doing, so she was foundational in keeping Santa Barbara within its resources.
When it came to housing, one of the most important issues facing S.B., she held an almost singular position on the matter. She was fundamentally conservative when it came to the size, scale, and character of the city. She wanted affordable housing, but not at the expense of the liveable city she loved.
She knew that little of the housing prompted by the push for density would end up being affordable. And on this, she stood her ground.
Few Santa Barbara leaders were as comprehensively engaged in the civic life of the town as Sheila. Perhaps only Pearl Chase and Selma Rubin were more so.
Thank you, Sheila!
