The Downtown Santa Barbara Improvement Association (DSBIA) is pleased to share exciting updates as momentum builds around the revitalization of our city’s historic core. As outlined in the newly released Summer 2025 Newsletter, DSBIA is rolling out a series of key initiatives this fall—from enhanced maintenance services to public safety investments, bold policy advocacy, and a dynamic new brand for downtown.
Beginning this September, DSBIA will launch a comprehensive suite of enhanced janitorial, pressure washing, and landscaping services throughout the district. These improvements aim to elevate the look and feel of downtown Santa Barbara—creating a cleaner, more welcoming experience for residents, workers, and visitors alike.
Alongside this rollout, a new Vacant Window Beautification Program will activate empty storefronts with local art and enliven downtown while attracting new businesses.
“We’re stepping into a new chapter for downtown,” said Robin Elander, Executive Director of DSBIA. “This fall’s improvements reflect our commitment to bold action—helping downtown feel cleaner, safer, and more alive than ever before.”
Public Policy and Safety: Building a Stronger Foundation
To support long-term revitalization, DSBIA is advancing several public safety and policy efforts designed to make downtown more responsive, resilient, and economically competitive:
- Launching a Security Camera Grant Program to help deter crime and improve safety throughout the district.
- Supporting adaptive reuse of vacant commercial buildings into much-needed housing.
- Convening a Housing Task Force to shape practical, community-informed solutions.
- Advocating for streamlined permitting to reduce barriers to new and growing businesses.
- Investing in street-level improvements such as news rack upgrades, and activation of underused public spaces.
Community Events Bringing People Back Downtown
Recent DSBIA-led events have brought fresh energy to the district, helping to drive foot traffic and support local businesses:
- Live Art & Wine Tour (May): Over 500 attendees visited 10 venues featuring 30+ wineries and 15 food partners.
- Spring Dance Series (April–June): Hundreds gathered for live music and free outdoor dance classes on State Street.
- EQ25 Celebration: Commemorated the 1925 Santa Barbara earthquake and honored downtown’s enduring architecture and resilience.
A More Flexible State Street
DSBIA is championing a flexible design for State Street that balances vehicle access and pedestrian space. The proposed more flexible approach allows for vehicle traffic during non-peak times of day or week while maintaining walkability and space for parades, markets, and special events. The vision includes more organized areas for cyclists and expanded outdoor dining, supporting a vibrant, safe accessible downtown all year long. We invite the community to support this more balanced approach to advance year-round vitality and accommodate it’s diverse users.
Annual Meeting & Board Nominations Now Open
The public is invited to attend DSBIA’s Annual Meeting & Mixer on Thursday, September 25 from 3:30–5:30 PM (location TBD). The event will introduce DSBIA’s inaugural board of directors, highlight organizational goals, and celebrate early achievements in revitalization.
– RSVP to attend: info@downtownsb.org
– Board nominations accepted through August 15: nominations@downtownsb.org
Get Involved and Stay Connected
All DSBIA board and committee meetings are open to the public. Board meetings take place on the fourth Thursday of each month at 3:30 PM at the Balboa Building Theatre, 735 State Street. Committee meeting schedules and agendas are posted online: www.downtownsb.org/about/cbid
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Or they could save a ton of money and open up State street to vehicles….share the road with cyclists. Power wash the area, get rid of all the eyesore parklettes to bring back the vibrancy to the area. The closing of state street has not worked for over 6 years and to continue down the same path demonstrates denial. We can temporary close parts of state street for parades , farmer’s market and special events like in the past. The money they keep spending on designs after designs has wasted millions. Time to open state street, share the road and bring back the vibrancy.
https://youtu.be/IhdoMLVx02Y?si=3hSTaxiSo9XLCK5E
Make it an all electric vehicle use road, electric bus, electric cars, partner with WERIDE
https://youtube.com/shorts/o6jfFqSFsCE?si=CS9cYPqyFVfBo2Qz, https://www.weride.ai/en , use the electric trolly, allow private electric vehicles, bikes, use side walks for pedestrians ….you can keep CO2 emissions down while opening up state street to traffic
Sun, fully agree and so does more than half of the downtown workers, and folks that live down here. Open the road, remove the trash and let’s get back to business. If you’re not on the 500 block, this road being closed does not help you. businesses are failing, long term clients point to the road being closed. We want our downtown restored to what it was. Stop wasting time and millions more of our tax dollars and other funding on more stupid designs from LA architects. It was better when it was an open road, we had our parades, we have police patrols, and downtown wasn’t a disaster. Those that spend a half hour down here each week, i don’t care if you like it closed. Those of us that work here and live here want it opened.
Good call KNein. I agree completely. But let’s ask ourselves – what is it with our City Council that they want to keep the old COVID things going on downtown years later? Take a look at the politics and work experience of the Council majority. Liberal dems with zero business experience, little common sense, and mostly looking to keep moving up the career politician ladder.
Sac – and they/them replies to a month old article likening the city council to the galactic senate compromised by the Sith in the Star Wars series….
About 5 years too late
FREE STATE STREET!
posting about this now that I’ve had some time to observe these people “cleaning” downtown. I work on State, i’m watching them as I type this. 3 of them out front near Amazon, gently sweeping a tiny pile of leaves in the gutter, into the water in the gutter and now the 3 of them are staring at it.
I’ve observed one yesterday on Carrillo standing around, sweeping leaves again, in the gutter.
Other than that, I do not see them doing much of anything. This is a huge waste of time and money. Half of them seem like they are up to no good when approached and some seem like they just got out of prison. This is a bit weird.
I Imagine you’re trying to copy what the city of Ventura has been doing for decades, but you’ve missed the mark greatly. You had some downtown cleaning crews that did a great job, one guy named Art was on top of it. This crew of zombies that you’ve hired seem confused on what they are doing and reluctant to really want to do anything. Fail.
why on earth does this City government seem to be so backwards on downtown? It’s embarrassing at this point.