Recently, a 173-unit mixed income multifamily housing development was proposed on Bailard Avenue in Carpinteria. It was a collaboration between the Santa Barbara County Housing Authority and private developer Red Tail LLC. However, according to Carpinteria City Council member Wade Nomura, who was mayor in 2019 when the council first expressed interest, he now opposes the project. He now feels the city has basically been left out of the planning process and was “not part of the actual development of the plan itself.” He also thought it would be a county run property and the county would take the lead. However, today it appears that Red Tail is at the helm.

As a concerned citizen living in the Carpinteria area, I am worried about Red Tail being in charge, the density of the project and the increase in traffic that would occur if this project is approved. Simply put: I am against urban sprawl in our little town of Carpinteria.