After La Casa de la Raza was red-tagged by the City of Santa Barbara in May for serious safety violations, it has officially reopened its doors. The space at 601 E. Montecito Street serves as a vital space for the Hispanic community in the city. Volunteers and community members rallied to bring the building back to code, with supporters showing up with their own tools to help restore the space.
Highlights
- On Thursday, La Casa de la Raza partially reopened after being red-tagged in May.
- The restoration was a collaborative effort among Santa Barbara community members, who showed up with tools to help resolve the code violations.
- The space was designated as a historic site last year for representing the rich cultural heritage of the Latinx community in the city.
La Casa to Serve as the Meeting Place for Immigrants and Information Center During Recent ICE Raids
In a report to KEYT News, lead Volunteer Jacqueline Inda shared that the collaborative effort entailed the repair of faulty wiring and resolving fire safety concerns. This allowed the city inspectors to remove the red tag last week, on Thursday. La Casa de la Raza also shared pictures and videos of the tag being peeled off the wall of the building, signaling their comeback.
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Over the past few weeks, representatives of La Casa requested the city expedite the inspection of the building so the space could reopen. While some construction phases have been delayed due to missing and incorrect parts, the team persevered. “Sometimes you would hope [materials] were going to get here,” said Inda, “but we had to reschedule inspections just because the hardware didn’t come in.”
The building is now open; however, certain sections remain under repair. The theater space remains closed until a second exit door is installed, and the kitchen is limited to cold food service until gas lines are repaired. The space is currently being used to support immigrants who have been affected by the ongoing ICE raids in the state. Going forward, La Casa plans to host meetings and share information related to immigration enforcement and immigrant safety.
La Casa is also converting a catering truck into a mobile food pantry to reach those afraid to leave their homes. Community members are stepping up to donate non-perishable food items to help those in need. Inda also noted that potential support from the Mexican consulate could help provide international protection.
Last year La Casa de la Raza was designated a historic landmark and is once again serving the people of Santa Barbara as a safe haven for the immigrant community. It is a sanctuary and a safe space, serving as a symbol of the community’s resilience.
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It’s good to see this community resource up and running again, and not just ending up knocked down and replaced with some ugly box to warehouse humans in tiny cells for thousands of dollars per month in endless rent. I hope it receives the love and careful preservation it deserves.
Oh and….the Americanification and politicization of Spanish words and terms to fit current trends…just don’t. It’s “Latino” or “Latina”…not “Latinx”. Spanish is a beautiful language; stop “reimagining” it to submit to trendiness and special interests.