Santa Barbara City Councilwoman Alejandra Gutierrez explains in the latest episode of “Santa Barbara Talks” with Josh Molina that rent control is not working and she will not support it.
“I don’t think rent control is the solution to our housing market,” says Gutierrez. “It’s just a temporary band-aid. The only people who benefit from it are those who have homes now.”
Gutierrez is running for re-election to represent Eastside District 1 on the City Council. She is facing union leader Wendy Santamaria. Also in the race in November is Cruzito Herrera Cruz, who has run for office several times.
There is a clear difference between Gutierrez and Santamaria on the issue of rent control.
In a previous episode of Santa Barbara Talks, Santamaria said she supports rent control with a 2 percent annual increase as part of a package of housing reforms needed to protect working families.
In the podcast, Gutierrez explains her position on rent control and talks about affordable housing, her first term on the city council and her personal background.
Gutierrez has raised about $16,600 in campaign contributions so far, including several donations from property owners.
“Those who are calling for a 2% rent cap like to say, ‘Oh, the Latino community is being displaced.’ In fact, there is still a large Latino community living here,” Gutierrez says. “Many of them say, ‘Yes, I’ll pay this high rent because the city is safe and has a lot of resources.'”
She said when she worked at Franklin Elementary School, she asked many parents why they stayed in Santa Barbara when it was so expensive.
“They said, ‘Señorita Alejandra, I don’t want to live in another city. I know it’s expensive, but I know my children are safe,'” Gutierrez says in the podcast.
In the podcast, Gutierrez says she is doing what she believes is in the best interest of her constituents and the city as a whole.
“You need a leadership that does not put the political agenda above the needs of the people,” Gutierrez said. “It takes a lot of courage to make decisions that you know are not going to be very popular.”
For more content and podcasts from journalist Josh Molina, visit SantaBarbaraTalks.com. Molina covers education, Santa Barbara City Hall and business for Noozhawk.com. He previously worked at the San Jose Mercury News, covering government, neighborhoods, City Hall and redevelopment. Consider donating to support this podcast at santabarbaratalks.com. The audio version of the podcast is also available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and all podcast platforms.
