Action sought to prevent mass tenancy termination in Isla Vista

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The Isla Vista Community Services District board approved a letter Monday urging the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors to act to prevent the upcoming mass termination of tenancy at two apartment complexes in Isla Vista.

The board warned the tenancy termination would happen at the CBC and Sweeps complexes. Their combined 234 units make up at least 6% of the rental units in Isla Vista, and at least 1,000 people are projected to live there, according to the district.

Chicago developer Core Spaces wants to raise rates.

“It’s pretty horrible,” Jonathan Abboud, general manager of the Isla Vista Community Services District, told the News-Press.

IVCSD’s board of directors urged the county board of supervisors to explore every possible legal avenue to protect residents and minimize the impact on countywide housing prices, as well as establish policies to restrict events like this from happening in the future. Most of the eviction notice dates are within 60 days or sometime in June, and some are later, according to Mr. Abboud.

Proposals put forth in the letter include: funding legal counsel for all tenants living in the unincorporated county facing eviction and termination of tenancy and updating Ordinance 44.44 to close possible loopholes that may be used in this situation and strengthen its provisions for renters moving forward.

Proposals also include adopting additional legislation to regulate “renovictions” as recently approved by Santa Barbara City Council. Another proposal is to require developers to receive full approval of permits for renovations before any further action can be taken by them, requiring a staggered timeline of implementation, requiring tenants to be able to return to their original rent, and requiring relocation assistance for tenants during renovations.

Proposals also include a moratorium on mass evictions in light of a local and state housing crisis.

“I’ve been living in IV for 35 years, and you know to my recollection this is the first mass eviction that I have seen to this magnitude,” one public commenter said during the Board of Supervisors meeting. “As a native Spanish speaker, I can say that one of the biggest issues is the translation of legalese, so they are really going to need help on that.”

At the March 28 board of directors meeting, Alex Entrekin of the Legal Aid Foundation said, “A number of notices on a scale that is fairly unimaginable. These are notices of termination of tenancy, not evictions. Evictions come when or if a tenant stays past the end date of a termination notice. Evictions follow a court order and can only be legally posted by the sheriff.

“I will be there every Saturday for the foreseeable future with tenants giving advice and information,” Mr. Entrekin said.

“We are trying to educate people and provide basic information to help tenants navigate this. There are just very basic rights that people should check before they run and pay double the rent.”

Legal Aid Foundation is also planning a “Know Your Rights” Zoom call in both English and Spanish on a date yet to be determined.

“This mass eviction — perhaps the largest in California — is a devastating CODE RED emergency for nearly 1,000 people in our community and could not be more urgent for me and my team,” said Santa Barbara County District 2 Supervisor Laura Capps in a news release Tuesday. “As I explained to an executive of the new out-of-state landlord, Core Spaces, who admitted he was

TRAFFIC, CRIME & FIRE BLOTTER

unaware about the lives of the people they are upending, this is a senseless travesty for people who have been working hard to diligently pay their rent — many who have raised their young children there.”

The county board of supervisors will plans to hold a special hearing on this issue on a date to be determined.

“I thank Santa Barbara County Chair and District 1 Supervisor Das Williams for working with me to schedule a special Board of Supervisors meeting to explore legal options and fight for people who are victims of housing exploitation,” said Supervisor Capps. “We will continue working in partnership with Isla Vista Tenants Union, Isla Vista Community Service District, UCSB AS Legal, Santa Barbara Tenants Union as well as the County Social Services staff who canvassed with us to offer resources.” email: kzehnder@newspress.com

Fyi

Those who have been impacted by the tenancy issue are asked to reach out to Supervisor Laura Capps’ office at lcapps@countyofsb.org or 805-5682191.

Emergency personnel respond to the scene of a head-on collision Monday in Santa Maria.

Firefighters respond to call about missing surfer

MONTECITO — The Montecito Fire Department responded to a call for an ocean rescue at approximately 6:30 p.m. Monday at Miramar Beach.

The first responders went to the beach after Miramar Resort employees called 9-1-1 to report they had lost sight of a kite surfer in the water. At 8 p.m., the missing kite surfer reported he rescued himself after abandoning his foil in the water.

Montecito Fire responded with a battalion chief, engine and squad. Assistance was provided by Carpinteria-Summerland Fire Department with a battalion chief, engine and rescue water craft, the Santa Barbara County Fire’s rescue water craft and helicopter, and Santa Barbara Harbor Patrol boat. The U.S. Coast Guard also launched a boat and helicopter to assist.

Search efforts were complicated by high winds in the area. National Weather Service LosAngeles had issued a wind advisory for Montecito due to strong winds 20-30 mph with gusts of 50-60 mph. A high surf advisory was also in effect.

The Montecito Fire Department reminds people to be cautious during hazardous weather conditions.

— Katherine Zehnder

Collision results in fatality

ORCUTT — A man was killed when his vehicle and another vehicle hit each other during a head-on collision Monday night on Highway 135 in Orcutt.

The adult male driver was the solo occupant of the first vehicle and pronounced deceased at the scene, said Capt. Scott Safechuck, public information officer for the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.

A woman in the second vehicle was in serious condition and transported by air (Calstar) to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.

The Santa Barbara County Fire Department had two paramedic engines and a battalion chief on the scene. The Santa Maria Fire Department had one engine there, and the scene also included Calstar, CHP and an ambulance.

Call time was 6:50 p.m., Capt. Safechuck said in a tweet.

— Katherine Zehnder

Sheriff’s office welcomes deputies

SANTA BARBARA — The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office welcomed three new deputies and congratulated them upon their graduation from the Ventura County Criminal Justice Training Center’s Law Enforcement Academy, the Sheriff’s Office announced Monday.

Sheriff Bill Brown welcomed the new deputies, Shannon Carroll, Luis Lopez and Cole Schoenneman, on Friday.

The ceremony, which marks a beginning milestone in each deputy’s career, was shared with their close family members and included a badge-pinning ceremony where recruits have their badges pinned on their uniforms by their mothers, fathers and significant others.

This shared moment marks the culmination of more than six months of hard work by the recruits and unwavering support from the family members who stood by them.

Shortly after the swearingin ceremony, the new deputies, along with their classmates, graduated from the Ventura County Criminal Justice Training Center’s Law Enforcement Academy.

The class of 38 recruits completed more than six months of comprehensive California Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) instruction. Some of the academy instruction included community policing, report writing, laws of arrest, search and seizure, firearms, ethics, investigation procedures, patrol techniques, arrest and control, physical training, CPR/ First Aid and emergency vehicle operations.

If you are interested in a career in law enforcement or know someone who is, visit sbsheriff. org to apply.

Neil Hartstein

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