Chamber News

The proposed June 2026 ballot measure for a 1% sales tax increase in County unincorporated areas fell short of the four-vote majority needed for passage at the February 3rd Board of Supervisors meeting. The measure was estimated to generate $16.7 million a year and was created amid a projected $23 million County budget deficit for…

February 12, 2026 Each year, our Chamber leaders attend the Western Association of Chamber Executives (WACE) Annual Conference. This year’s theme: “IGNITE: Mind, Chamber, Soul,” was all about sparking professional growth, strengthening leadership, and nurturing the personal creativity that keeps our industry vibrant. We’re proud to highlight that President & CEO, Kristen Miller, taught sessions on transformational leadership,…

February 12, 2026 TechTopia 2026 Summit is a dynamic, half-day innovation experience at UC Santa Barbara’s OASIS, spotlighting the people and technologies shaping the future of the Santa Barbara South Coast. Experience exclusive tours, interactive tech demos, inspiring speakers, and high-impact networking with regional leaders. The event will feature local companies like Amazon, AppFolio, Curvature, Google Quantum, and more to…

February 11, 2026 Thank you to everyone who joined us for this year’s Annual Membership Meeting & South Coast Leadership Forum. We hope you found the program informative, inspiring, and valuable as the Chamber unveiled its five-year strategic plan, announced the launch of BEAM, shared key initiatives to boost regional economic growth, and introduced the…

Assembly Bill 671 is a new piece of state legislation that streamlines the permit process for restaurant tenant improvements by requiring local building departments to approve or deny project plans within 20 business days, or 10 business days for resubmissions. The bill only applies to interior renovations of restaurants and projects that do not require…

February 3, 2026 AB 671 is a new state law designed to streamline the approval process for restaurant tenant improvement permits by imposing stricter review deadlines on local building departments and providing the option to have plans approved by an experienced architect or engineer, known as a Qualified Professional Certifier. AB 671 took effect on…

January 22, 2026 The Chamber has released its Q4 2025 Data Dashboard, offering comprehensive insights across key regional indicators, including residential and commercial real estate, building permits, workforce trends, sales tax, tourism, taxable cannabis sales, homelessness, and poverty throughout Santa Barbara County and the South Coast. Source materials and additional details are available in the…

On December 16 the Santa Barbara City Council reviewed a work plan for the development of a Rent Stabilization Ordinance and Program, and provided feedback to guide further research and ordinance development. Following the December 16 meeting, the Council met on January 13 and voted 4-3 to pass a temporary rent increase moratorium (also known…

The City of Santa Barbara’s Ordinance Committee met for a second time (Tuesday, January 13) to discuss the proposed massage ordinance. Among other provisions aimed at combatting human trafficking in the community, the current proposal aims to update local massage rules to align with the state’s stricter massage regulations. However, some of these arbitrary requirements will create significant burdens on massage…