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T H U R S DAY, D E C E M B E R 16 , 2 0 21
Ground broken on Vera Cruz Village
Habit Burger Grill sold
Reichard family sells Santa Barbara County sites to Yum! Brands
Housing Authority acquires Cota Street lot from stalled AUD project
KENNETH SONG/NEWS-PRESS
The original Habit Burger Grill in Old Town Goleta was the starting point for what eventually became a chain with 300 locations in 14 states.
By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR
ANNELISE HANSHAW/NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS
Representatives from the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara, its partners and the city broke ground on Vera Cruz Village Wednesday morning at 116 E Cota St.
Every day at lunch, a large crowd stands outside the Habit Burger Grill on State Street, eager to enjoy a Charburger, chicken or veggie burger (complete with avocado), or get a malt or shake. Maybe a salad. Lines might get long, but no one seems to mind the wait, and customers appear to be from all ages. The popular, locally owned restaurant has been in business for more than 40 years with sites that include where it all began — the original Habit Burger Grill in Old Town Goleta. From there, it grew over the decades into today’s chain with 300 locations in 14 states. Now one era is ending, and a new chapter begins. Brent Reichard, the founder of Habit Burger Grill, and his
brother, Bruce Reichard, are retiring from the hamburger business. They’re selling the Reichard family’s eight remaining Habit Burger Grill restaurants in Santa Barbara County (which include the busy State Street and Old Town Goleta locations) to Yum! Brands. On March 1, Yum! Brands will take over the operations. “I will miss working with all of our incredible team members and am so proud of all their hard work and commitment to take care of our customers every day,” Brent Reichard said in a statement. “I have had the pleasure of meeting and working with many great people and really value what a great journey this has been.” He said the decision to sell was a difficult one but explained it was never an option for his or Please see HABIT on A2
Congress passes $770 billion defense bill By CASEY HARPER
At left, Rob Fredericks, executive director and CEO of the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara, thanks dozens for their support as he opens the ceremony. At right, the Housing Authority purchased the designs when it acquired the lot. The building will stand four stories tall and contain 28 studio apartments and a one-bedroom manager’s apartment.
By ANNELISE HANSHAW NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Representatives of the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara raised ceremonial shovels on a concrete lot Wednesday morning to mark the groundbreaking of Vera Cruz Village, an apartment complex intended for low-income, disabled and homeless residents. The Housing Authority purchased the property, located at 116 E. Cota St., and its design 18 months ago from Cota Street LLC. The company had spent about five years designing and getting approvals through the city’s Average-Unit-Density Program for 15 market-rate, two-bedroom units — but it stalled near the finish line. The Housing Authority preserved Cota Street LLC’s design but split the two-bedroom units into studio apartments.
The four-story, contemporary building will have 28 studio apartments and a one-bedroom unit for an apartment manager. Common spaces, like a courtyard and offices, fulfill the Housing Authority’s vision for on-site support services. “THE DEAL OF THE CENTURY” Assem Demachkie, a former co-owner of the property, told the News-Press he is glad the Housing Authority is able to create affordable housing with the lot — noting it “got the deal of the century.” But he has questions about the city’s handling of his architect’s design. He, like many builders, felt burdened by a long Architectural Board of Review process. He said the board made multiple changes to the emergency exit door, to be located by an alleyway. He said although the board insisted upon the location and
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design of the door, City Attorney Ariel Calonne stopped the project in 2018 when he saw its location. Mr. Calonne said the alley didn’t exist, Mr. Demachkie said. “They kept using vague language that nowhere in their books did this alley exist,” he said. The door’s location was a linchpin of the design. Moving it would spur a complete reengineering of the building — something the project had already endured once. Mr. Demachkie researched and learned the alley was created before the city was incorporated. He had an attorney send a letter to Mr. Calonne. “After we made a deal with the Housing Authority, the city attorney conceded,” he said, noting the alleyway exit is in the Housing Authority’s plans. Skip Szymanski, the Housing Authority’s deputy executive director and chief operating
officer, heard about the project’s holdup from either the owner or architect as they discussed a possible purchase. Then the Housing Authority approached the city in early-to-mid 2020 about the possibility of acquiring the Cota lot. “At the time, the city was in the process of internally resolving the issue,” he said. “We don’t want to inherit a problem.” The city saw Mr. Demachkie’s argument (delivered through lawyers) and told the Housing Authority the holdup was effectively resolved. Mr. Demachkie said he never got an all clear from the city. The Housing Authority got its assurance before it negotiated with already-agitated Cota Street LLC. Mr. Szymanski, who originally thought to look at AUD projects Please see VERA CRUZ on A4
THE CENTER SQUARE SENIOR REPORTER
(The Center Square) — Congress passed a $770 billion defense bill Wednesday, authorizing a wide range of military spending for the next year. The Senate passed the bipartisan 2022 National Defense Authorization Act with an 89-10 vote, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden. The bill, which is passed annually in some form, includes a revamp of how the the military deals with sexual assaults as well as a 2.7% pay increase for military members and employees at the Department of Defense. The bill also creates an “Afghanistan War Commission” to evaluate the U.S. military’s presence — and withdrawal from — that nation. “The passage of this year’s national defense bill bolsters our security, ensures our nation’s defenders can effectively confront adversaries like
Communist China and Russia, and directly benefits Tennessee’s military and research communities,” said Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn. The NDAA came after months of wrangling over the debt ceiling, funding for the government, and the infrastructure and “Build Back Better” spending bills. The legislation, which President Biden is expected to sign, funds the gamut of military activity, from new equipment to salaries and more. The bill faced several points of contention, including when a contingent of Republicans fought to include language protecting U.S. service members who refuse to take the COVID vaccine. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced earlier this year that service members who refuse the vaccine will likely face discharge. After Republican efforts, the newly passed NDAA prevents them from receiving dishonorable discharges, but they can still be discharged. Please see BILL on A3
INSIDE
L O T T E RY RESULTS
Classified................. B4 Life...................... B1-2 Obituaries............... A4
Wednesday’s SUPER LOTTO: N/A Meganumber: N/A
Wednesday’s DAILY 4: 5-7-2-9
Tuesday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 33-35-44-55-69 Meganumber: 20
Wednesday’s FANTASY 5: 1-2-8-11-38
Wednesday’s DAILY DERBY: 03-11-07 Time: 1:48.55
Wednesday’s POWERBALL: N/A Meganumber: N/A
Sudoku................... B3 Weather................. A4
Wednesday’s DAILY 3: 8-4-5 / Wednesday’s Midday 7-4-7