SB CAN September 2009 Information & Action Alert

Submitted by sbcan_exec on Mon, 06/07/2010 - 17:19

 

Santa Barbara County Action Network
INFORMATION & ACTION ALERT
September, 2009
 
Greetings SB CAN members and friends! Please take a few moments to review our news. And feel free to forward to your friends and others who are interested in creating sustainable communities through sound planning that integrates housing, open space and transportation—our HOT principles.
 
News in brief:
 
1. Major Changes at SB CAN
2. Workshop on Energy Legislation, Aug. 24, Santa Maria
3. Hearing on Wal-Mart Expansion, Aug. 26, Lompoc
4. “Creating Sustainable Communities” Series, Starts September 16, Santa Maria
5. “NO on Measure B” Campaign Hold Opening Press Conference, Santa Barbara
6. Community Events
Film “Iron Jawed Angel” League of Women Votes, Aug. 26, Santa Maria
Santa Maria Green Car Show, September 5, Santa Maria
7. SB CAN Column: “Preserving Affordable Rentals and Mobile Homes”
 
Now the Details:
 
1.    Major Changes at SB CAN
 
We hope you’ve received our latest newsletter by now, but in case you haven’t heard, SB CAN has been undergoing some major restructuring.
 
SB CAN is now a 501(c)3 organization. This means that all membership dues, donations, and grants made to SB CAN will now be tax-deductible. We believe this is an important step in helping to sustain SB CAN and our mission to create sustainable communities through taking a holistic approach to community planning by balancing our needs for housing, open space, and transportation.
 
At the same time, the SB CAN Action Fund was created as a 501(c)4 nonprofit that will be able to continue the work needed to develop and elect progressive candidates to office. This new organization is still evolving, but its first major action was to host a public forum for Santa Barbara City Council and Mayor earlier this month.
 
Due to the loss of its South Coast staff, SB CAN is temporarily closing its office in Santa Barbara. However, Executive Director Deborah Brasket is still available county-wide and can be reached at 805-722-5094 and deborah@sbcan.org.
 
Join SB CAN, make a donation, or renew your membership at: http://www.sbcan.org/civicrm/contribute/transact
 
2.   Workshop on Energy Legislation, Aug. 24, Santa Maria
 
What: Stakeholders Workshop on Energy Legislation, Community Environmental Center (CEC)
Where: Betteravia Government Center, 511 E. Lakeside Parkway, Santa Maria
When: Monday, August 24, 8-11 AM 2009
 
Concerns about large out-of-pocket costs are some of the biggest barriers that many property owners face when exploring whether to make their homes and businesses more energy efficient (such as adding insulation, improved furnaces, air conditioners and water heaters) or when adding a renewable energy system (such as solar photovoltaics or solar hot water system). Although all these measures pay back over time, the up-front costs can be too big of a hurdle for many. Last December, California paved the way for individual cities and counties to help their residents get over those hurdles by enacting a new “enabling” law. Through AB 811, a government entity or jurisdiction (i.e., the County) can voluntarily develop a program that lends money to property owners to make energy efficiency improvements and/or add a solar system to their home.
 
If you’d like to hear more, join SB CAN as one of the co-sponsors at CEC’s stakeholders workshop in Santa Maria. Call 805-963-0583 x111 for more details.
 
3.   Wal-Mart Expansion Protest & Public Hearing, August 26
 
What: Lompoc Rally Opposing Wal-Mart Expansion, Followed by Public Hearing
Where: City Council Chambers, 100 Civic Center Plaza (on West Ocean)
When: August 26, 6 PM – Protest Rally; 6:30 Public Hearing
 
Wal-Mart in Lompoc wants to expand to a superstore, entailing a size increase from around 113,000 square feet to a whopping 151,000.   Included in this expansion would be the opening up of a full size grocery store within its premises. Local grocery stores, already hurting from the depressed economy, will surely be further affected by this. Lompoc cannot afford one more business closure; it already possesses a disproportionate number of empty storefronts.
 
In response, a group has formed to fight this expansion. Join us on Wednesday, August 26 at 6:00 pm for a public rally to protest Wal-Mart expansion held outside the city council chambers. At 6:30 the city will hold a public meeting to discuss the environmental review process, take public input about the scope of environmental issues, and discuss the timing for public input into the EIR once it is in progress. An environmental checklist prior to the EIR to be developed starting in October can be found on the City of Lompoc's website, http://www.cityoflompoc.com/, under the heading of Community Development, subheading Planning - Major Projects. Feel free to contact Rosemary Holmes, filmbuffroze@gmail.com for ongoing information on protest actions.
 
4.   Workshop Series on “Creating Sustainable Communities”
 
This fall SB CAN will be conducting a series of workshops on sustainability in Santa Maria.  These workshops will give community members the knowledge, understanding, and tools they need to become more involved in community planning.  Special emphasis will be given to balancing the needs for housing, open space, and transportation. Participants will be encouraged to attend all four workshops and will be provided with material on sustainable principles and best practices.
 
Co-sponsors include the Community Environmental Council, and The Sustainability Project.
 
Santa Maria Public Library, Shepard Hall
421 South McClelland Street
6:30 – 8:30 PM on the following dates
 
September 16 - “What is Sustainability?  Key Principles & Best Practices”
Keynote Speaker, Detlev Peikert, AIA, will give an overview of what is meant by sustainability, its key principles, and a look at some models.
 
September 23 - “Best Practices in Land Use”
A panel of speakers will discuss: Preserving open space by avoiding sprawl; Creating compact, walkable, mixed use communities; Building affordable housing that is attractive and sustainable; Creating a vibrant downtown and sense of space. Panelists include: Christina McGinnes from the OPEN Project; Mickey Flacks, SB4All; Fred Lamont, Executive Director of the Santa Barbara Housing Authority; and Larry Appel, Santa Maria Community Development Director.
 
October 7 - “Best Practices in Sustainable Transportation, Energy Use, Landscaping & Community Gardening”
A panel of speakers will discuss: A plan to reduce our carbon footprint;Public transit and energy conservation in Santa Maria; Sustainable landscaping and green building practices; Latest trends in community gardening and backyard harvesting. Panelists include Michael Chiacos from the Community Environmental Council (CEC), and David Whitehead, Santa Maria Public Works Director.
 
October 21 - “Visioning a Sustainable Santa Maria” October 21
An interactive visioning workshop, where people will have a chance to talk about how their communities could become more sustainable, based on information gained at previous workshops in the series.
 
This series of workshops was made possible by a grant from The Fund for Santa Barbara. For more information, contact Deborah Brasket, SB CAN Executive Director, at 722-5094 or deborah@sbcan.org.
 
5.   “NO on Measure B” Campaign Hold Opening Press Conference
 
This week, SB CAN joined an impressive and diverse Coalition including environmentalists, the Democratic Party, the Santa Barbara region Chamber of Commerce, PUEBLO, COAST, and the Coastal Housing Coalition among others to formally announce our opposition to Measure B.  More than 50 people turned out to say that Measure B—an initiative to restrict building heights in the City of Santa Barbara, is bad for our environment, our economy and working families.
You can read the coverage of the press conference here: http://www.noozhawk.com/local_news/article/081809_opponents_form_united_front_against_building_height_initiative

To help in our efforts to defeat Measure B, watch this great video about Santa Barbara height limits and forward to your friends: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYxI0s_qUtM

Or make a $10, $20 or $50 donation to the No on Measure B Coalition:https://etribute.durkeeandassociates.com/c.php?c=NoOnB%20

Let us know if you are willing to walk precincts in the coming weeks!
Together, we can defeat Measure B! Let’s preserve our heritage and protect our future!

6.Community Events
Help Celebrate Women’s Equality Day, August 26
 
WHAT: HBO’s Film “Iron Jawed Angels”
WHERE: SantaMaria Public Library, Shepard Hall, 421 South McClelland Street
WHEN: Wednesday, August 26, 6 PM
 
Join the League of Women Voters of Santa Maria Valley in celebrating the passage of the 19th Amendment with a free public showing of this celebrated film following the struggles of suffragists Alice Paul and Lucy Burns as they fought for “Votes for Women.”
 
For more information, call 805-268-2734, or visit www.LMVSMV.org
 
Santa Maria Green Car Show, September 5
 
What: Santa Maria Green Car Show
Where: Santa Maria Fairpark, West Stowell
When: Saturday, September 5, 10 AM – 5 PM
 
The Santa Maria Green Car Showwill beshowcasing the latest technologies in hybrid, clean diesel, and fuel efficient vehicles on Saturday, September 5th.  Come see many of the newest of the dozens of hybrids and efficient vehicles – some of which just hit the market in the last few months.  Learn about Cash for Clunkers and see many of the greenest vehicles all in one place.  The show will take place at the Santa Maria Fairpark, from 10 am to 5 pm and information is available at http://www.chargoproductions.com/pg3_cc2008shows.html
 
7. SB CAN Column – “Preserving Affordable Rentals and Mobile Homes”
 
Every second and fourth Friday, an SB CAN column appears in the Looking Forward column in the Santa Maria Times. Our columns also appear in the Lompoc Record and at Noozhawk.com. You can read recent columns posted on our website www.sbcan.org under "SB CAN Editorials." 
 
Preserving Affordable Rentals and Mobile Homes
by Deborah Brasket, SB CAN Executive Director
Affordable housing is an endangered species in Santa Barbara County, one that that needs protection.
More than 95 percent of households on the South Coast and 85 percent of North County residents who don’t already own a home cannot afford to buy housing, nor can they afford to buy the home they live in today, according to a 2006 Housing Element report. Even worse, more than 57 percent of South Coast households and 48 percent of North County households cannot afford the average rent for a two-bedroom apartment in their communities. In addition, more than 5,000 families are still waiting for help from the county Housing Authority. With more homes in foreclosure, and growing unemployment, this situation is bound to get worse before it gets better.
While the creation of new, affordable housing is an important part of addressing this lack, equally vital is the preservation of existing affordable housing, including rental and mobile homes. Yet, the loss of such housing is growing. Over the last three years in Santa Barbara County, tenants in scores of affordable rental units have been evicted to enable conversions of their apartments to condominiums.
At the same time, a growing number of mobile-home park owners have been seeking to convert their parks to resident-owned condominiums or subdivisions to increase profits. Consequently, mobile-home owners are mounting costly lawsuits they can ill afford, to defend existing affordable housing.
Fortunately, several local grassroots efforts have been organized to protect affordable housing.
Earlier this year, the Rental Housing Roundtable (RHR) was formed to address the lack of legal protections for Santa Barbara County renters. This group seeks to end unjust evictions, increase the number of rental units available, and develop cooperative ownership. RHR, a coalition of community organizations and concerned individuals, is urging the county to amend Ordinance 4444, relating to the rights and duties of tenants and landlords in rental properties. On Aug. 18, the Board of Supervisors will hear recommendations for improving the ordinance to provide assistance to renters displaced by circumstances beyond their control. Recommended amendments include expanding the categories covered by the ordinance to include protections for tenants and landlords during demolitions, remodeling efforts, land-use rezones, and condo conversions. Establishing a formal system for tracking evictions and increasing relocation payments is also recommended.
Other concerned individuals and organizations are working to protect residents of mobile-home parks from losing their homes and unreasonable space rent hikes. Many seniors, working families and low-income mobile-home residents already have affordable housing — but this could change overnight, if AB 761 passes, and if AB 566 fails. See www.comocal.org/ for more information.
“Many park residents live on Social Security, are handicapped, or are collecting SSI,” states Sharon Rose, who is coordinating one of the efforts. “Should conversion and rent decontrol be allowed, low-income and disabled people will not find comparable housing. It does not exist in Santa Barbara County. If mobile-home housing is allowed to convert to housing for only the upper middle classes, many fixed-income and low-income seniors and others will no longer have access to affordable mobile home ownership.” Santa Barbara County needs to create a Ventura-style rent-control ordinance to regulate conversions of mobile-home parks to resident ownership, and to require input from a majority of residents before allowing condo conversion.
It’s worth remembering that the people at risk of losing their affordable housing are our neighbors, grandparents, disabled veterans, retired teachers and other hard-working individuals and families, including first-responders. We cannot afford to lose affordable housing when a shortage exists. These recommendations are steps we must take to create ordinances that will protect affordable rentals and mobile-home parks and their tenants from the process of gentrification.
Deborah Brasket, SB CAN Executive Director
805-722-5094 / deborah@sbcan.org / www.sbcan.org
Date: 
20 Sep 2009 - 1:20pm