Santa Barbara — The housing shortage and the future of rent‑stabilization took center stage at a candidate forum for the District 5 seat on the Santa Barbara City Council. All three hopefuls — Cevin Cathell, James Zurlinden and Ian Baucke — agreed that the city needs more homes, but each offered a different diagnosis and set of solutions.
Historical Responsibility
James Zurlinden traced the problem back to the late 1990s and early 2000s, when property values began to surge. “The late ’90s into early 2000. I believe, was when it really started going. That’s when property values started increasing. And the city has a responsibility to this,” he said, arguing that municipal decisions of that era set the stage for today’s scarcity.
Population Growth vs. Supply
Ian Baucke was blunt about the city’s role in the current deficit. “This city is largely responsible for the lack of increased inventory to keep up with just natural population growth,” he asserted, emphasizing that new construction has not kept pace with the steady rise in residents.
Vacancy Rate Benchmark
Cevin Cathell pointed to a “healthy vacancy rate” of 8% as a target. “A healthy vacancy rate is 8%. We have a long way to go until we get there and we need more housing,” he explained, suggesting that reaching that benchmark would ease pressure on renters and landlords alike.
Rent‑Stabilization Concerns
The candidates also weighed the city’s rent‑stabilization ordinance. Cathell warned that overly restrictive rules could push housing providers out of the market. “I foresee that people will get out of the business because this will be so restrictive and people will be worried about making their ends meet. The housing providers that we will end up with less housing,” he said.
Zurlinden framed the issue as a matter of property owners’ rights, especially when owners need to leave the city temporarily. “If you’re going away for a month to go visit your family because they’ve been pushed out of Santa Barbara, because it’s been too expensive, you should have that right. That’s your property, right?”
Supply‑Side Solutions
Baucke argued that the city should focus on expanding supply while safeguarding property rights. “We need to make sure that the city doesn’t step on your property rights for that. We need to move on to supply, supply, supply, supply,” he said, highlighting zoning reform and accessory dwelling units (ADUs) as practical tools. “So I look forward to liberating property rights across the city with zoning reform, with ADUs for sale.”
Common Ground and Divergence
All three candidates concur that Santa Barbara must add housing, yet they differ on how much regulation should shape that effort. Cathell leans toward preserving rent‑stabilization to protect renters, Zurlinden emphasizes owners’ freedom to use their homes, and Baucke pushes for zoning changes and ADUs to increase inventory.
The forum underscored the stakes for District 5 voters, who will decide which approach guides the city’s next steps on housing, property rights and rent‑stabilization. The race remains open, with the primary election slated for March 2027.
Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.
