City Council - July 28, 2026

The City Council of Santa Barbara held a regular meeting on July 28, 2026, which included extensive discussions on multiple procurement and policy matters. Key procurement-related items included the approval of lease agreements for city properties, such as a five-year lease with Chandlery on the Breakwater Inc. and a one-year lease with State of Mind Cafe, as well as agreements related to the Santa Barbara Airport. The council also approved contracts for homelessness services, including a $200,000 contract with Good Samaritan Shelter and a $561,364 contract with Kingdom Causes DBA City Net for outreach and shelter bed management. Additionally, the council deliberated on the adoption of the 2026 homelessness response framework and funding plan, emphasizing the need for expanded services and long-term housing stability. A significant portion of the meeting was devoted to a detailed review and public comment on the draft Residential Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO) and Just Cause Ellis Act amendments. The council considered public input, discussed exemptions, rental registries, governance models, tenant protections, and capital improvement pass-throughs. They provided staff with direction to finalize the ordinances, including conducting a fee study and further analysis on specific exemption categories such as housing authority and deed-restricted affordable housing units. The meeting also included a quasi-judicial hearing on a coastal development permit appeal for residential development at 2339 Edgewater Way, where the council ultimately denied the appeal and upheld the planning commission's approval. Overall, the meeting addressed significant procurement contracts related to homelessness services and advanced key housing policy initiatives affecting future procurement and vendor opportunities in Santa Barbara.