Is LA’s Democrat Socialist “extreme plan” coming to Santa Barbara?

by Bonnie Donovan

Have you read the California/NY Post article on the manifesto being pushed by Democratic Socialists in Los Angeles? It describes a sweeping set of proposals — everything from seizing private property to taking over utilities, banning markets for essential businesses, and fundamentally transforming urban governance. Inside Dem Socialists’ extreme plan for Los Angeles

As you read through that list, you might have thought: Wait, aren’t some of these ideas starting to emerge right here in Santa Barbara? How far do these kinds of policies extend? Could some of them be closer to reality in Santa Barbara than we realize?

Let’s break this down — using a partial list of proposals and asking whether any version of them is already taking shape here.

Side by Side

Here’s a side-by-side comparison between the extreme proposals from the Democratic Socialists in Los Angeles (as referenced in the New York Post article) and the current or potential policy ideas that are being discussed or implemented in Santa Barbara. This will allow you to see how much of the LA plan might already be reflected in Santa Barbara’s housing, economics, and public policy discussions.

1. Seizing Privately Owned Housing to Convert to Public/Social Housing:

LA Proposal

• Goal: Use eminent domain to seize private property (housing) and convert it to public or social housing.

• Vision: Government ownership of a significant portion of private housing stock as a step toward eliminating private profit from housing.

Santa Barbara

• Current Efforts:

• Santa Barbara has no policy aimed at expropriating private housing via eminent domain. However, there are ongoing discussions about rent control and landlord regulation.

• Recent temporary rent freezes passed by the City Council have sparked debates about regulating rents to prevent exploitation in the market. (noozhawk.com)

Question:

Is Santa Barbara’s growing regulation of rents and housing markets a step toward more radical control over private housing in the future?

2. Public Takeover of Essential Industries (e.g., grocery, restaurants, internet, etc.)

LA Proposal

• Goal: Nationalize essential industries such as grocery stores, restaurants, and internet to ensure equitable access and eliminate corporate profit motives.

• Vision: The public ownership model for sectors that serve basic needs (food, services, communication, etc.).

Santa Barbara Current Efforts:

There are no clear plans for municipal ownership of grocery stores or internet providers. However, public ownership of utilities like water and electricity has been discussed in the context of sustainability and environmental policy. (noozhawk.com)

Discussions about public transportation, affordable housing, and environmental regulations may hint at future moves toward increased public management of essential resources.

Question:
Could the focus on environmental sustainability and climate change in Santa Barbara lead to a broader move toward public control of essential industries?

3. Decommissioning Carceral Facilities (Jails) and Replacing with Alternatives

LA Proposal

• Goal: Decommission the Men’s Central Jail and replace it with unarmed alternatives for dealing with crime, such as mental health crisis responders and community-based solutions.

• Vision: Reduce reliance on incarceration and shift to public health-centered approaches.

Santa Barbara Current Efforts:

Santa Barbara has been engaged in discussions about decarceration, mental health crisis intervention, and restorative justice.

Some local activists and groups, such as the Santa Barbara Democratic Socialists, have supported mental health crisis teams as alternatives to armed police response. (noozhawk.com)

Question:

Is Santa Barbara slowly moving toward decriminalizing certain offenses and replacing traditional policing with more health and community-based responses?

4. 100% Renewable Energy by 2035 & Fossil Fuel Elimination

LA Proposal

Goal: Complete fossil fuel elimination by 2035, transitioning to 100% renewable energy sources.

• Vision: A future where all energy is clean, sustainable, and publicly controlled.

Santa Barbara Current Efforts:

Santa Barbara has adopted aggressive climate action policies, including 100% renewable energy by 2030 as part of its Climate Action Plan. (santabarbaraca.gov)

Local policies are actively working toward clean energy transitions, including solar power, energy efficiency initiatives, and carbon neutrality.

Question:

Is Santa Barbara leading the way with climate action, or could its bold goals be just the beginning of even more aggressive energy reforms down the line?

5. Free Public Transportation (Buses, Trains, Bike Shares)

LA Proposal

• Goal: Make all public transportation free (including buses, trains, and bike shares) to ensure equitable access to transit.

• Vision: Free transit as part of a broader effort to reduce private car ownership and reliance on fossil fuels.

Santa Barbara Current Efforts:

Santa Barbara has not yet implemented free public transportation, but discussions about expanding transportation access (e.g., free bus rides for students and discounted transit options) are in play. (santabarbaratransit.com)

Public transit improvements and accessibility are prioritized to help reduce traffic congestion and promote sustainability.

Question:

Could Santa Barbara move toward a model where all public transportation becomes free to reduce congestion and promote environmental goals?

6. Vacancy Tax on Empty Housing Units

LA Proposal

• Goal: Impose a vacancy tax on empty housing units to force property owners to either rent or sell their unused properties.

• Vision: A response to housing scarcity and gentrification by taxing unused properties that contribute to the housing crisis.

Santa Barbara Current Efforts:

While vacancy taxes are not currently enacted in Santa Barbara, the concept has been discussed in the context of increasing affordable housing and addressing speculation. (noozhawk.com)

Question:

Could a vacancy tax be the next step to address housing shortages and curb real estate speculation in Santa Barbara?

7. Universal Rent Control

LA Proposal

• Goal: Implement universal rent control statewide to protect tenants and reduce housing inequality.

• Vision: A future where rent control is universally applied to all housing in the state.

Santa Barbara Current Efforts:

Rent control has been a hot topic in Santa Barbara for years. Rent stabilization measures are being considered to curb skyrocketing rents. In 2026, the city passed a temporary rent freeze to help stabilize rents while longer-term solutions were drafted.

Question:

Is rent control truly the solution to Santa Barbara’s housing crisis, or could it have unintended consequences on new housing development?

8. Ban on Unhosted Short-Term Rentals (e.g., Airbnb)

LA Proposal

• Goal: Ban all unhosted short-term rentals to prevent them from taking housing off the market and exacerbating the housing crisis.

• Vision: A move to prioritize long-term housing and reduce speculative real estate activity.

Santa Barbara Current Efforts:

Santa Barbara has already implemented stringent regulations on short-term rentals (e.g., Airbnb) to preserve housing availability for residents. The city is tightening rules on unhosted rentals. (noozhawk.com)

Question:

Could Santa Barbara’s short-term rental laws evolve into a full ban on unhosted units? What would be the impact on tourism and local residents?

Conclusion:

Is Santa Barbara Already Heading Down This Path?

After reading through the list of policies being advocated by Democratic Socialists in Los Angeles, we must ask: How far are these ideas from becoming reality in Santa Barbara? While some of these ideas are already being discussed, such as rent control, vacancy taxes, and public transportation reforms, the transition to more radical steps like public ownership of utilities or complete fossil fuel elimination is a long-term debate — but one that is clearly growing in momentum.

Santa Barbara has shown some signs of “progressive” policy development, but how far does this push go? Are these progressive ideas truly leading us toward a more socialist future, or are they a natural evolution of policy aimed at addressing an extreme housing crisis? These are the questions that will shape the city’s future.

How far do you think it will go?

Their full list in the California/NY Post article

• Seizing privately owned housing using eminent domain to seize private property and convert to public/social housing

• Build city-owned municipal enterprises and expropriate corporations in essential industries (grocery, restaurants, internet, etc.)

• Decommission Men’s Central Jail and don’t replace with any carceral facilities

• Execute shift to 100% renewable energy by 2035 — complete fossil fuel elimination in 11 years

• Make all public transportation free (buses, trains, bike share)

• Publicly acquire and operate all energy systems — full public takeover of utilities

• Reclaim private and public golf courses via zoning/legislative means for housing/parks

• Divest public pension investments from war profiteers, defense contractors, and fossil fuel companies

• Replace armed police with unarmed alternatives for traffic enforcement and mental health crises

• End all contracts between public agencies and corporations profiting from war/fossil fuels (including Metro’s contracts)

• Ban all unhosted short-term rentals (Airbnb, etc.)

• Prosecute and permanently decertify all cops who kill

• Noncitizen voting in all local elections

• Vacancy tax on empty housing units

• Universal rent control statewide

• Automatic rent freezes and eviction moratoriums with any state of emergency

• Decriminalize all drug use and fund safe injection sites

• Restore voting rights for all former felons

• End all means-testing for child development programs

BREAKING POLL: Whispers are circulating about a formidable contender possibly stepping up to take on Laura Capps in the 2nd District supervisor race. If the vote happened tomorrow, who’d have your support?

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