FYI: WEST DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP WISH LIST

West Downtown Neighbors Are Joining Together to Improve Neighborhood Safety

Dated: 12/28/08

The West Downtown Neighbors are joining together to improve the safety and living standard in our Neighborhood.  

Our neighborhood comprises a diverse group of property owners, residents, businesses, non-profit community service agencies, and new mixed – use developments.  

A portion of the El Pueblo Viejo Design District as well as the Brinkerhoff Historic District are located within the West Downtown Neighborhood Area.

The general boundaries of our neighborhood area are as follows: 

Ortega Ave on the North, 101 Freeway on the South, State St on the East and the 101 Freeway on the West.

All those interested in working on constructive projects to improve our neighborhood are invited to participate. 

We have recognized the escalating crime rate where we live and the dangers posed to our families, day care center children, as well as our businesses.   

We are focused on working with our Local Police Officials, City Council and other organizations to obtain support for measures that will reduce the amount of crime in our community.

Tentative list of issues:

The West Downtown

Neighborhood feels the following measures needs to be addressed forthwith to accomplish neighborhood improvement:

• Request City Council to remove the West Downtown Neighborhood from the approved geographical area of the City that permits Cannabis Dispensaries. We already have several dispensaries providing medicinal marijuana for the patients in the West Downtown area. Due to our high crime condition, we, the West Downtown neighborhood do not meet the criteria for approval of Cannabis Dispensaries per the City Ordinance. Therefore, we have drafted a *sign here* petition to prevent additional dispensary establishments from opening throughout our High Crime Area.
• Establish an “Official Neighborhood Watch Program” with the Police Department to include Police liaison and monthly neighborhood reports on safety implementation measures.
• Request that the Santa Barbara Police implement “Bike Patrols” within our neighborhood and effectively report the number of patrols/incidents monthly on crime statistic list, as these have a significant positive impact on reducing crime.
• Replace defective street light bulbs throughout the neighborhood.  Install new street lights where needed as crime deterrent. 
• Request The City Council to designate the West Downtown Neighborhood Area as an Alcohol Impact Area, due to chronic public inebriation offenses and associated high crime activity in area. 
• West Downtown Neighborhood to form a network among neighborhood landlords to communicate and "self-discipline" the need to carefully screen applicants for rental housing in our neighborhood.  
• Complete the ongoing request to install appropriate historic street lighting within the Brinkerhoff Historic District. (City Dept/ Brinkerhoff Neighborhood effort has been ongoing).