Goleta Tenants Implore City for Renoviction Ordinance Protection

A group of tenants facing renoviction implored the Goleta City Council on Monday evening to create rental protections similar to those enacted by Santa Barbara city and county. Their apartments at 462 Linfield Place — a quiet neighborhood of condos and single-family homes between Girsh Park and Phelps Road — was bought by Sheik and Zabeen Cale, who sent lease termination notices to all the tenants, stating they intended to “demolish or substantially remodel” their residences, one of the conditions of the state’s no-fault, just-cause eviction rules. The Cales also waived the final month’s rent, which they were offering in lieu of relocation assistance, and stated an “itemized balance” of the security deposits would be returned.

The four apartments — of one and two bedrooms — house 13 people in total: “Families, all middle class, Asian, Hispanic, mixed race, and one old fart: me,” said Maggi Heinrich. She and her neighbors were now facing the current rental climate where . landlords wanted not only a month’s rent but two times that as a security deposit, Heinrich was finding costing $9,000 or more upfront.

Heinrich read a statement from her neighbor, Nicole Gomez, to the council, which said in part: “Families in our building are hardworking, respectful people who deserve to have the basic security of a roof over their head. They should not have to live in fear of a moment’s notice, being given a month to gather our things and find a new house. Especially not when the purpose of the eviction is financial greed masked as substantial repairs.”

Heinrich recalled when the property had changed hands before, several years ago, and the new buyers had come to each unit to introduce themselves. “My rent didn’t change for four years” after that, she said. Her landlord had told the new owners at the time, “They’re good tenants. Be kind to them.”

Goleta has an ordinance similar to Santa Barbara County’s in the works, which should arrive to the council in early 2024, said Kelly Hoover, a city spokesperson. “The new rules would not apply retroactively,” she said. The county rules require a landlord to have permits and give tenants details about the renovations. The tenants at Linfield Place were not told what renovations they were being evicted for, Heinrich said, and Hoover said the city had found no permit applications ongoing for the property. Hoover also said the tenants were able to use the City of Santa Barbara’s rental mediation services.

The only information available about the new owners was an email address provided in the termination notices. The Cales did not reply to questions about the evictions before deadline.