State Street remains an opportunity for so much in our city. Getting this right matters. Closed-street models, like the one State Street currently has, have had mixed results in other cities. My approach is to learn what worked in other cities, and what hasn't and adapt it to make it Santa Barbara. 

 This is critical to implementing the Master Plan in timely, efficient and financially responsible manner. On the Master Plan specifically, I'm committed to bringing residents and business owners into the conversation before decisions are finalized, since this corridor belongs to the people who live and work here. State Street's best days are ahead of us, but only if we're willing to try new things and get it right for our city.


I proposed the Local Housing Trust Fund with Councilmember Meagan Harmon.  The LHFT is the most pro-affordable housing policy passed by the Council this decade.  The initial $3M investment led to a 45-unit affordable housing project with the Housing Authority that is under construction today.  I've worked directly with developers to convert a previously approved market-rate project into 20% affordable project.  

When this project goes to construction it will have 16 affordable units for working families. This is the type of innovation we need, especially for State Street, which requires significant investment in housing  I support expanding supply through smart, collaborative partnerships, and I believe downtown specifically has real potential for housing above ground-floor retail, bringing more life to that corridor. My approach pairs reasonable tenant protections with supply growth, because relying on just one tool isn't useful or honest.

As a bike commuter and recreational rider, I understand how important it is that all modes of transportation are safe, whether it is bikes, pedestrian or other choices. I support prioritizing protected bike infrastructure, safer, more visible crosswalks near schools and high-traffic areas, and better coordination with our transit providers, so bus service is reliable enough to be an effective alternative to driving. 

Any street redesign has to be done in partnership with the residents and businesses along that corridor, so changes reflect what actually makes those streets safer. Transparent input from residents, patrons, and business owners helps us use our dollars and capacity wisely while removing conflict points for Santa Barbarans.

I've spent eight years on the Finance Committee holding the City to a simple standard: you can't build Santa Barbara's future on a budget you can't sustain. That means prioritizing core infrastructure maintenance, like our streets and fire stations. Street are critical for pedestrian and bikes, not just cars.  Deteriorating streets lead to bike accidents, pedestrian trip and falls and other injuries, which often result in costly litigation that could have been avoided through commitment to street maintenance. 

Street maintenance also improves ADA access for members of our community who have mobility challenges.  I also support the City's new Wastewater and Water Systems Climate Adaptation Plan specifically because it takes a phased, responsible approach to protecting critical infrastructure before it becomes a costly emergency. New investments are worth making when they're paired with a funding plan - not reserves we can't replace - and I'll keep applying that same discipline to every infrastructure decision as Mayor.


Small businesses are the backbone of Santa Barbara's economy, and I'll continue working to streamline permitting and reduce unnecessary delays that make it harder for local businesses to open, operate, or expand. I support public-private partnerships, similar to my involvement with the Library Foundation that funded Library Plaza without overloading taxpayers, to bring real investment downtown without displacing the local businesses already here.

I also understand that financial prosperity means expanding Santa Barbara’s economic base.  We cannot remain a city that relies on just tourism, tech and taxes to fund critical services. I will work with local businesses, education institutions, the building trades, commercial fisherman and other stakeholders to broaden economic opportunity.  

I supported the State Street Master Plan after years of community input, and I'm ready to move forward. My vision is a downtown that locals love, not just visitors as a vibrant paseo with outdoor dining, music, art, shade, and places to sit, with accessible trolleys, lighting, parades and programming to bring people downtown. 

I support keeping State Street car-free. The promenade gave us something special, and the plan keeps it flexible as needs change. Implementation needs to be timely, and we can't let businesses suffer during the wait, so I will push for visible interim improvements now. I'd also like the city to acquire the former News-Press building next to City Hall as a civic anchor. Downtown should reflect our history, including the Chumash and El Pueblo Viejo, while becoming a true neighborhood.

We need both more homes and stronger protections for the people already here. On supply, I'll prioritize housing in vacant retail spaces downtown and at La Cumbre Plaza through a specific plan, streamline review with clearer objective standards, and track permit timelines so we fix where projects stall. 

On affordability, I pushed to direct more Measure I funds to our Local Housing Trust Fund, as voters were promised, and I'll keep partnering with the Housing Authority and nonprofit builders, including using city-owned land for affordable homes. I support stability as well as production of affordable workforce housing. Keeping families from being priced out has to happen now. We need both, at the same time.

Safety comes first. I prioritize fixing our most dangerous intersections and corridors, using collision data to guide where we invest, starting with the routes kids take to school. Downtown, the master plan gives us a chance to build safe, connected bike routes that move people around the paseo, not just through it, with clear separation between cyclists, e-bikes, and pedestrians. 

E-bike safety is a real concern for residents, and we need better design plus education and enforcement. For transit, we need reliable, frequent service connecting neighborhoods to downtown, and to make the Transit Center a welcoming gateway. Good street design is about making every trip safer, and giving people real choices so they can leave the car at home when they want to.

Deferred maintenance is the most expensive choice a city can make. Aging pipes, roads, and facilities only cost more the longer we wait, so maintaining what we have is a priority. I've pushed for stronger budget transparency so residents can see what we spend and what it delivers, and I've argued for keeping promises made with Measure I while replenishing reserves responsibly. 

New investments should pay us back over time: replacing the infrastructure under State Street as the master plan moves forward, fire and climate resilience, water security, and housing on city-owned land. I'll pursue state and federal funds aggressively so local dollars go further. As a scientist, I believe in planning for the long term, and that means budgeting for the city we'll be in twenty years, not just next year.

Small businesses are the heart of Santa Barbara, and too many have been strained by vacancies, high rents, and slow permitting. 

First, I'll make it faster and cheaper to open or expand a business, especially in vacant downtown spaces, with clear timelines and a single point of contact at City Hall. 

Second, I'll protect outdoor dining in some form, because it's helped restaurants survive and made downtown lively. 

Third, more housing downtown means more daily customers, so housing and business support go hand in hand. I also want to support local arts, culture, and events that draw people downtown year-round. 

A resilient economy can't depend on tourism alone, so I'll work with City College, UCSB, and local entrepreneurs to grow good jobs so that the next generation can build careers and a life here. I support a “red, blue, and green economy” that builds on fire resilience, sustainable fishing, and expanding the environmental sector.

The current Council has already approved the plan, and the next Council must determine how best to move forward. I support a flexible approach that allows for some automobile access.

 I would begin by reevaluating the 10% affordable housing target and challenging the assumption that it is sufficient. Our goal should reflect the full scale of the community’s housing needs. I would also continue partnering with the Housing Authority and nonprofit organizations that are investing in and expanding affordable housing.

I would prioritize evaluating how the current transit plan aligns or conflicts with the State Street Master Plan and assessing its effects on the streets adjacent to State Street.

As we develop funding packages for construction projects and new developments, we should dedicate a percentage of those funds to ongoing infrastructure maintenance.

We need to focus on the development of Milpas Street as well as State Street. I would invest more of our tax dollars in revitalizing the Milpas Street retail district because it is vital to the entire community. I would also propose dividing large, vacant buildings on State Street into smaller commercial spaces, making them more accessible and affordable for small businesses.