Dumping Housing in Isla Vista Needs a Plan
A Six- and Three-Story-Tall Building Wave Moves Toward Downtown
Santa Barbara County’s forced re-zoning to comply with California’s demand for increased housing is, as always, disproportionate in Isla Vista where developers submitted plans for eight- and three-story buildings in the downtown area, each with no parking. These are just two of several high-rise buildings slated for Isla Vista along with a plethora of ADUs (accessory dwelling units). Our town is undergoing “builders need” redevelopment by proxy.
Historically, the county uses I.V. as a dumping ground for projects nobody else wants. I.V., for example, has two homeless housing complexes — one where residents are enjoying housing for life, courtesy of the Housing Authority of Santa Barbara County (HASBARCO) and the other a converted sorority on El Colegio Road. Isla Vista is at the forefront for low-income housing in the county.
There are limits to using Isla Vista to assuage the county’s social shortcomings. Street parking in Isla Vista is at 106 percent capacity per the latest study. Those spaces will decline further once California’s new red curb requirement for crosswalks is implemented.
There are reasonable, measured alternatives to piecemeal buildings. A parking permit program could reverse I.V.’s “two parking spaces per bedroom” demarcation that prevents organized redevelopment in the student residential zone. A permit program could open the door to measured rezoning and realistic rebuilding or expansion of existing structures. That would provide alternatives to “duplexing” residential homes with ADUs and eliminating all on-street parking for an entire block.
As it stands, parking spots in I.V. are “free” relative to the paid parking in campus structures. That means UCSB staff and students park in I.V. — particularly after the Coastal Commission allowed the construction of high-rise dorms on the parking lots at Francisco Torres. Why pay to park on campus when you can park for free in I.V.? Once an I.V. parking spot is valued, the likelihood of private parking structures is realistic.
An I.V. parking permit program will end the idiocy of Deltopia — an ongoing embarrassment that has UCSB named as the country’s number one party school for 2024 — a fitting capstone to a Yang regime that admitted thousands of students without promised housing. A permit program will eliminate parking for unsanctioned parties. No parking, no party, keep it local.
Isla Vista and UCSB are within the Coastal Zone. The county is responsible for maintaining four coastal access points in I.V. At present, one is completely blocked off. None have designated coastal access parking. With no parking, the public is unable to access their beach in Isla Vista. Since 2014 the California Legislature set the penalty for obstructing coastal access at $11,250 a day for up to five years and $20 million.
Piecemeal building in I.V. without addressing lack of parking and beach access needs to end. Stop dumping housing in Isla Vista. Implement a parking permit program and sensible rezoning.
Peter Neushul is a longtime Isla Vista resident.