A Cleaner Look & Economic Goals Happening in Downtown Santa Barbara
John Palminteri
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – While the City of Santa Barbara and its partners in economic development work on future plans for the heart of downtown, locals will find the sidewalks and streets cleaner now than they have been in years.
The newly formed Downtown Santa Barbara Improvement Association (DSBIA) has made that a priority. A new report backs it up.
The latest numbers from September 2025 to January 2026 shows, with the work of daily crews, 5,135 trash bags have been filled, 103,786 pounds of trash has been picked up, 382 blocks have been pressure washed and there’s been 113 service calls.
The daily job includes picking up trash, cleaning landscaping, painting over graffiti and wiping down benches and trash cans along with numerous other tasks.
About 66 percent of the funds coming in for the special business district tax has gone to making the area clean and safe.
DSBIA Executive Director Robin Elander said, “our organization is focused on really serving and revitalizing downtown in the areas of maintenance and activation branding and beautification. People are starting to see a difference downtown and they’re seeing people cleaning in an area that they haven’t seen previously and that is what this is all about it is a new district wide maintenance.”
More lighting has been added and efforts are underway for security cameras.
Mayor Randy Rowse was strolling downtown Wednesday and noticing the improvements saying, “things look pretty good. We can always be better and I think enhancing the lighting will go a long way to helping that.”
The focus area is between the underpass and Sola St., and from Chapala St. to Anacapa St.
The area continues to have First Thursday events at galleries, open spaces and with restaurant specials. This week more than 25 activities will be going on at once.
In addition to economic vitality from the businesses, the DSBIA is adding input into the conversation to create new housing in the area.
40 new businesses opened in 2025. Five have opened so far in 2026.
The Latest Breaking News, Weather Alerts, Sports and More Anytime On Our Mobile Apps. Keep Up With the Latest Articles by Signing Up for the News Channel 3-12 Newsletter.