Santa Barbara Current

Santa Barbara Current

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Santa Barbara Raises Its Own Costs – Then Tells Landlords They Can’t

By Bonnie Donovan

Dec 12, 2025
∙ Paid

Santa Barbara’s affordability crisis isn’t caused by landlords—it’s created by the City’s own policies.

Why can the City, County, and State increase fees, taxes, and utility rates on us—then tell us we can’t adjust rents to cover those same increases?

That question came into sharp focus this week during SB Current’s Second Anniversary and Christmas party …

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