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Yes, you make some good points, jillz. I commuted from Ventura County to Goleta and it was grueling. To take the edge of things and to save a few bucks, I rode an express commuter bus, but I spent 12 - 13 hours away from home to work eight. Thankfully, I work where I live now, and as such have regained my sanity.
That said, it's difficult to justify Santa Barbara housing costs. Buying a house is a financial impossibility given the low wages jobs pay in SB. But focusing on rent. A minuscule, rundown 600 sq. ft. house on the West Side rents for around $1,800 - $2,000/mo. That same rent in Ventura would give you a nice clean place, two or three times the size -- in a good neighborhood -- with an awesome view of the ocean and Channel Islands, or right on the beach. For me, moving out of Santa Barbara allowed me to purchase TWO houses a mere 30 - 40 miles down the coast. Trade-offs? You bet!
I hear ya! Buying a home is something I have come to accept will not be happening in my immediate future. Also, I DO have fantastic rent ($1200 for a 2 bed/2 bath in a building that isn't run down) so renting here is worthwhile for now. Not sure what is going to happen if my landlord ever sells the building. I guess I will have to suck it up and pay real rent here or decide to drive a distance. I am guessing that since I am lazy and LOVE my sleep, I will pay the higher rent.
Should I be Surprised someone thinks my post was "bizarre?" Guess not.
Like I said, there is no accounting for taste. I read another post where someone described SLO as being a wealthy community, with big beautiful houses, and lots of rich people and manicured lawns. My husband and I just looked at eachother and shook our heads at that one. I thought that was pretty "bizarre." What glasses are they wearing ??
We see far more run down, poorly maintained, and, well, dirty, properties around the area than we'd like. Businesses, as well as homes. In fact, my husband just poured $20,000 dollars of his own money into the building he rents for his business. The landlord wasn't about to, and he decided it was important to have a clean and upscale pleasant environment to do business in, so he paid for it himself. Wouldn't you like to have renters like that? Wouldn't you like to have neighbors like that? Well, let me tell you about our neighbors. We are in the best part of town. The building right next door looks like a trash dump, and has had the same rusting cars on the lawn for a year ????? It's filthy and looks like a biohazard. The building is crumbling, the steps are hazardous, there is no lawn, just dirt and the windows haven't been washed since the Eisenhower presidency. Right in a major business area of respected professionals, and in a year no one has said anything, they don't even care. There are no laws about this I asssume. No zoning. Just do whatever you want. But we have never lived like this before. We have certain standards that we don't find others aspire to here. Just read the posts and you will see people will probably call my feelings about this "bizarre" as well. All I can think is, Don't buy the travel books, they are full of biases and they sugar coat everything. Everything is "paradise." Well, one man's paradise is another man's hovel. You are not going on vacation.......just the natural raw beauty of a place is not enough when it comes to living there. What you need are the real opinions, no matter how stinky they are ! You need objectivity when deciding to choose new friends, new jobs, and a new place where you will feel like you fit in, not where you feel like a fish out of water, or misunderstood, or "bizarre."
One may say rich people are snooty, and unfriendly, but, remember, the working class people can be just as hostile and anti-everything to those who have a little money and would like to see better maintenance, new things, changes, updates, and some progress. Maintenance, new things and changes means money out of pocket, and the people with no money don't want it and are threatened by it. This is no new argument. We have found the body politic in the SLO area to sometimes be divisive, at odds with one another, unwelcoming to outsiders, engaged in a full-on identity crisis, and closed minded to new things, new people, and/or new ideas. It's in the paper every day whether obviously opined or just implied. In fact, just recently, I read a very offensive and sarcastic little piece by a Tribune journalist on the Cal Poly students returning to school. She sarcastically remarked how the students were back in town taking up all the valuable tables at the best downtown SLO restaurants. There they were, ordering the steaks with "daddy's money" while the "poor little matchgirls" like her, who have to work for a living, were left just standing outside in the cold, staring into the windows at the students happily chowing down. That was really telling for me. Cal Poly virtually supports this town and the people in it !!! I shudder to think of what this area would be without the infusion of money, jobs, and a little culture that it brings here. Where was the Editor when that cute little story was up for approval? I feel like I live in a place which disdains the upper classes instead of welcoming them, and I don't get it because, truthfully, they are the ones who pour their money into the community to make it, or keep it, a better place. And, they are the ones who support the local tradespeople and their jobs. So go figure.
I have learned a lot by reading all of the posts on here. I would say to anyone on the subject of moving, just stay away from the travel guides or the Chamber of Commerce as a way to get to know an area. Search the internet for Blogs instead!!!! This is really a great site to talk and share.....thanks, and if any women out there would like a new friend, if they are of like mind......please contact me........it'll be a while before we can move again.
Hi from someone who lives in santa barbara. I agree with some of what you're observing, but please note, I worked almost 20 years for the local medical clinic in town and its commonly admitted that medical care in SB is going down down down. We couldnt even get drs in many specialties to come to SB at all and had to lower standards for new hire doctors to degrees from third world med schools. SB has some major problems---and more importantly, the problems are getting exponentially worse. traffic and terrible pollution lack of medical care and hordes of people committing crimes etc. Every time I go down town I have to come home and take a shower---hordes of yucky people and homeless that are aggressive--i've been assaulted and touched inappropriately 6 times in the last several months just trying to walk down the mall. SLO i've lived in too--it is slower---but count your blessings it has cleaner air and you can fix up a nice house and walk down town without being slimed. I'm moving up to SLO to live in peace--and I'll drive to SB whenever I crave trendy shops and food. Maybe you will find you like SLO better as time goes on?!
Katee
SB air pollution problems? the first I've heard of this.
I know they have problems with smoke from wildfires from time to time but it goes away as the winds change.
I think now that there is a choice missing in this thread. Paso Robles
Each city differs in size, and thus each city differs. Here's my 2030 projections for each city:
Santa Maria 100,000
Santa Barbara 80,000
Paso Robles 65,000
San Luis Obispo 48,000
Santa Maria has an enclosed mall, strip mall, and lots of big box centers. Lots of gangs. But lots of stuff to do. Racecar speedway, amusement park, and more.
Santa Barbara has 2 open-air malls, a nice downtown, not as many gangs, and is most pricey to live there.
Paso Robles has 2 small gangs right now that will grow with the increase of population, is going to have 1 open-air mall, has a water park, good quality of living, and tons to do.
San Luis Obispo has an even better downtown than Santa Barbara, has even better quality of living than the others and has no gangs, and has a strip mall because of being a college town and having lots of retirees. There's tons of things for adults to do here.
And I'd like to add that the state has SLO county planning to have roughly 355,000 population by 2030 because of the fail in families and affordable housing in the area. and when tells the county to do it, it WILL happen!
Hi from someone who lives in santa barbara. I agree with some of what you're observing, but please note, I worked almost 20 years for the local medical clinic in town and its commonly admitted that medical care in SB is going down down down. We couldnt even get drs in many specialties to come to SB at all and had to lower standards for new hire doctors to degrees from third world med schools. SB has some major problems---and more importantly, the problems are getting exponentially worse. traffic and terrible pollution lack of medical care and hordes of people committing crimes etc. Every time I go down town I have to come home and take a shower---hordes of yucky people and homeless that are aggressive--i've been assaulted and touched inappropriately 6 times in the last several months just trying to walk down the mall. SLO i've lived in too--it is slower---but count your blessings it has cleaner air and you can fix up a nice house and walk down town without being slimed. I'm moving up to SLO to live in peace--and I'll drive to SB whenever I crave trendy shops and food. Maybe you will find you like SLO better as time goes on?!
Katee
you beat me to it. i was going to post that the homeless in downtown santa barbara is just out of control. i use to love going downtown but not anymore, the homeless have ruined it!!! i have nothing against homeless ppl but, i have talked to friends who live and work in santa barbara, and they agree, santa barbara has a homeless problem. many of the homeless are just downright rude, inconsiderate, loud, and worst of all "touchy". i have scene them inappropriate touch young girls (12-13 yo) and use adult language right infront of young children (5-6 yo). and....if u dont give them money they will downright yell at you at the top of their lungs and im not kidding i can hear them yelling a block away!!! (im not joking, this is for real).
something has to be done. i know ppl on this site have friends or family in santa barbara who are in law enforcement. please ask them, that law abiding ppl like myself and many others, are "beginning" to stay away from santa barbara because of the rude homeless ppl. i use to like going out to eat, and getting a seat outdoors along the sidewalk ("downtown" along state st), but not anymore, i "now" would rather sit somewhere way way inside the restaurant. cause...believe it or not, the homeless are "actually" walking into the businesses and asking ppl (while there eating) for food or money!!!.
funny part is, while living in santa maria (orcutt actually), i have been asked for money by the homeless more times in santa barbara in one day (just visiting), than i have "living" in santa maria in more than two long decades!!! im not a santa barbara basher, i love santa barbara, but....this whole "homeless" thing is just getting old. someone please, "solve" the homeless problem in santa barbara.
SB air pollution problems? the first I've heard of this.
I know they have problems with smoke from wildfires from time to time but it goes away as the winds change.
Hi, yes, unfortunately Santa Barbara is getting very polluted. Check out the lung assoc. info on the web--it's about as bad according to that site as L.A. I have researched this. Santa Barbara and Long beach are two areas of the coast where foreign ships come the closest--due to geography. The diesel pollution from ships, believe it or not, causes more pollution even than the thousands and thousands of commuting cars that come into SB each day because people cant afford to live here. The ship situation is so bad that the paper reports frequently on the progress of law suits trying to force regulation on those ships. I personally am very sensitive to pollution. My symptoms ALWAYS clear when I drive north out of santa barbara---- just as soon as I hit Arroyo Grande--- and I feet better yet as I go on up into San Luis Obispo. It's not just anecdotal--its repeatable==every time! Santa Barb ara did USE to be paradise---but it is paradise being lost.
Hi, yes, unfortunately Santa Barbara is getting very polluted. Check out the lung assoc. info on the web--it's about as bad according to that site as L.A. I have researched this. Santa Barbara and Long beach are two areas of the coast where foreign ships come the closest--due to geography. The diesel pollution from ships, believe it or not, causes more pollution even than the thousands and thousands of commuting cars that come into SB each day because people cant afford to live here. The ship situation is so bad that the paper reports frequently on the progress of law suits trying to force regulation on those ships. I personally am very sensitive to pollution. My symptoms ALWAYS clear when I drive north out of santa barbara---- just as soon as I hit Arroyo Grande--- and I feet better yet as I go on up into San Luis Obispo. It's not just anecdotal--its repeatable==every time! Santa Barb ara did USE to be paradise---but it is paradise being lost.
Thank you. I'm thinking of relocating to SB myself and this could effect my decision. Do you happen to have the link to the website you mentioned? I checked The 'Air Quality Index' score (based on data gathered from the EPA, USGS, and local authorities.) and it came out at a relatively good rating of 2.8. STI: ERsys - Santa Barbara, CA (Air Quality)
Santa Maria has gangs, smog, traffic, affordible housing, middle and poor class, and lots of big-box stores. but it has good communities like orcutt around the city.
Santa Barbara has gangs, traffic, expensive housing, high poor population (small middle class), and not getting better.
Santa Barbara is building an Edwards Cinema, and they have 2 open-air malls and the downtown for upscale shopping. Then they have some other stuff to do.
San Luis Obispo has a Regal Cinema in Arroyo Grande, Movie Experience in SLO downtown, the Grad nightclub, sunset drive-in theater, a good clean downtown, an auto mall, a strip mall with gottschalks-cost plus-bed'bath'beyond', staples-and others, a regional airport, and pricing is almost as high as santa barbara. slo is a college town, so there is a middle and rich class.
paso robles has a lot more to do than santa barbara and san luis obispo. though it's at 29,000 population right now, it will be about 65,000 population in 2030. pricing is cheap, no smog and same amount of traffic as san luis, but more gangs. though, it's hotter in paso than the other cities.
Thank you. I'm thinking of relocating to SB myself and this could effect my decision. Do you happen to have the link to the website you mentioned? I checked The 'Air Quality Index' score (based on data gathered from the EPA, USGS, and local authorities.) and it came out at a relatively good rating of 2.8. STI: ERsys - Santa Barbara, CA (Air Quality)
Carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, particulate and sulfur dioxide were all measured in the score taken in 2001.
Hi, re: pollution in SB--I'm not sure how those sites you mention are calculating their data--if Long Beach is only moderate by their measure--they must be doing their ratings in comparison to some very "forgiving" standard. Really, southern california in general is supposed to have the worst air in the nation. Sorry I don't have the link, but maybe check out the santa barbara, ca site----then just scroll down to the environment part and follow links to the lung assoc. air pollution graph---it shows SB mostly "in the red" which on their graph means among the most polluted places--etc. Also, in this site SB county meets I think federal but fails state air pollution standards. Its from 2005 though, and its worse now. Also, SB is pretty vested in covering up its problems since tourism is so big here--- and all the rich and famous who live here can afford to insulate themselves and fly off to second homes frequently. It is hard to find up- to- date accurate info for anywhere from those sites. But here's some data I've heard---hope it helps--like any info, take from it what seems useful to you and consider it along with info from other sources to make your own decisions----1)SB is just up the coast from L.A. and experts say a lot of "yesterday's" L.A. smog blows up here---2)Frequent newspaper reports about foreign tanker traffic coming through SB channel spewing diesel and creating more pollution than any other source 3) Thousands of cars --several "cities" worth--drive into SB daily to work since they cant afford to live here. The stalled traffic nightmare that creates also creates a lot of pollution. 4) industrial sources. Best of luck in your search!
you beat me to it. i was going to post that the homeless in downtown santa barbara is just out of control. i use to love going downtown but not anymore, the homeless have ruined it!!! i have nothing against homeless ppl but, i have talked to friends who live and work in santa barbara, and they agree, santa barbara has a homeless problem. many of the homeless are just downright rude, inconsiderate, loud, and worst of all "touchy". i have scene them inappropriate touch young girls (12-13 yo) and use adult language right infront of young children (5-6 yo). and....if u dont give them money they will downright yell at you at the top of their lungs and im not kidding i can hear them yelling a block away!!! (im not joking, this is for real).
something has to be done. i know ppl on this site have friends or family in santa barbara who are in law enforcement. please ask them, that law abiding ppl like myself and many others, are "beginning" to stay away from santa barbara because of the rude homeless ppl. i use to like going out to eat, and getting a seat outdoors along the sidewalk ("downtown" along state st), but not anymore, i "now" would rather sit somewhere way way inside the restaurant. cause...believe it or not, the homeless are "actually" walking into the businesses and asking ppl (while there eating) for food or money!!!.
funny part is, while living in santa maria (orcutt actually), i have been asked for money by the homeless more times in santa barbara in one day (just visiting), than i have "living" in santa maria in more than two long decades!!! im not a santa barbara basher, i love santa barbara, but....this whole "homeless" thing is just getting old. someone please, "solve" the homeless problem in santa barbara.
Hi, I agree with you, and have observed the same. Business owners downtown have told me they lose a lot of business because customers are afraid or don't want the hassle of being hassled by the militant homeless. SB is very very welcoming to them and make a lot of concessions to them. Until that changes, the situation won't change. I hear that in Solvang the police escort them out of town. And please, no one get me wrong, when I'm talking about "the homeless" here, I don't really mean just people who have no home. I mean people who live on the streets and are aggressive and threatening to other people and infringe on the rights of others.
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TO LDDIamondGirl
santa barbara homeless
i have nothing against homeless ppl but, i have talked to friends who live and work in santa barbara, and they agree, santa barbara has a homeless problem. many of the homeless are just downright rude, inconsiderate, loud, and worst of all "touchy". i have scene them inappropriate touch young girls (12-13 yo) and use adult language right infront of young children (5-6 yo). and....if u dont give them money they will downright yell at you at the top of their lungs and im not kidding i can hear them yelling a block away!!! 
.
