Daily Archives: April 1, 2012

Are you In the Neighborhood?

All residents of Goleta now have access to a free, online social network specifically for their neighborhood called Nextdoor. This private network fosters communication between neighbors which leads to stronger neighborhoods and a safer community. Nextdoor sites are an easy way for residents to get to know their neighbors, exchange information and advice and ask questions. Topics of discussion range from local events and school activities, to contractor recommendations, disaster preparedness, recent crime activity and lost pets.

1. How does Nextdoor work?
Each of the City’s 22 neighborhoods has a private Nextdoor website that is accessible only to the residents of that neighborhood. Once neighbors verify their addresses and join their neighborhood website, they can find other neighbors in the resident directory, view a neighborhood map, ask for advice, exchange local recommendations and share neighborhood information with each other. Neighbors can choose to see and respond to updates via email or only on the website.

2. What types of things do people do on Nextdoor?
People in Goleta are already using their Nextdoor networks to find a great babysitter, alert fellow neighbors to local crimes, learn more about upcoming City construction projects and share an abundance of fruit from their own trees. However, the exchange of information is limitless.

3. How is Nextdoor different from my neighborhood mailing list?
Nextdoor is designed for the specific communication needs of a neighborhood. For example, Nextdoor websites include a neighborhood map and directory of residents, so it’s easy to know who you’re talking to. When a neighbor shares a recommendation for a favorite local service (e.g. gardener, cleaning service, tutor) it’s automatically cataloged so anyone can easily refer back to it at any time. Unlike mailing lists and groups, Nextdoor makes it easy to stay informed without overwhelming people with too many emails. Members can choose to receive emails about each new post, see everything in a single daily digest, or turn off emails and check the website for new posts from neighbors. In addition, Nextdoor archives and organizes all recommendations for easy use across the neighborhood.

4. How do I get started?
Go to Nextdoor.com and put in your address to see if your neighborhood has a leader (also known as  a founder). If so, continue the process and join your neighbors on Nextdoor. If your neighborhood has not yet been established with a leader, or if you have any questions, contact Valerie Kushnerov, Public Information Officer at the City of Goleta, at 961-7507 or vkushnerov@cityofgoleta.org.

Hint: Being the founder is easier than you might expect. The best founders are people who are  willing to invite neighbors to the group through email, a conversation or a flyer dropped off on a doorstep. The time is minimal but the reward of serving your community is great.

Winding Down the City’s Redevelopment Agency

In December 2011, the California Supreme Court ruled that the elimination of redevelopment agencies (RDAs) throughout the State was constitutional. As the City looks at the end of its own agency, we sat down to interview Vyto Adomaitis, Director of Public Safety and Neighborhood Services (formerly the Director of the Redevelopment Agency for the City of Goleta).

Tell us about how redevelopment agencies came about.
Vyto: Redevelopment agencies were established to help local governments revitalize their communities. Goleta’s RDA was created in 1998 by the County of Santa Barbara with the adoption of the Old Town Revitalization Plan (the “Plan”). Upon City incorporation in 2002, the City of Goleta assumed responsibility for its implementation. The Plan is focused on improving infrastructure, developing affordable housing, strengthening and rehabilitating neighborhoods and supporting economic development.

Why did the governor and the legislature move to eliminate RDAs?
Vyto: They believed that it would bring an influx of cash to relieve the State’s coffers when, in fact, it eliminates the best tool the State and cities have for building infrastructure improvements, creating and sustaining affordable housing and creating and retaining jobs. California desperately needs to keep finding ways to create jobs and stimulate local economies—redevelopment agencies were once one of the best local tools to fulfill such laudable goals.

What does this mean for Goleta?
Vyto: The loss of redevelopment is a big blow to Goleta. Our agency was on the cusp of making  significant improvements to our Old Town area. We will no longer receive about $3 million annually to fund projects to improve and enhance the RDA area. Although redevelopment as we know it goes away, the needs and challenges of Old Town remain.

What programs and projects will this affect?
Vyto: The City will no longer be able to offer housing rehabilitation or storefront facade improvement grants. RDAs once served as California’s 2nd largest source of funding for affordable housing after the federal government. Without this vital source of funds for affordable housing, the ability to meet the City’s housing goals—particularly in Old Town—becomes all-the-more difficult. Plans for Old Town beautification and projects, such as the Hollister Redesign, will be put on hold indefinitely or until an alternate funding source becomes available.

Is the San Jose Creek Project in jeopardy?
Vyto: No, the San Jose Creek Project is not in jeopardy as funds have been secured, contracts executed and construction is now underway. The Ekwill and Fowler Road Projects, the design of a new park in Old Town (on Kellogg Avenue) and the Hollister Avenue Bridge Replacement project will also continue to move forward because the funding for these projects come from different funding sources.

However, construction of the new park may be more challenging due to the loss of redevelopment funding. Moreover, securing funding for Hollister Avenue Redesign will also prove challenging given that the City’s main source for that project will no longer be available.

What happens over the next few months?
Vyto: In January 2012, the City assumed the role of Successor Agency both for housing and non-housing functions needed to wind down the affairs of the former Redevelopment Agency for the City of Goleta. Over the next several months, the Successor Agency will continue working with the County Auditor and the State to fully implement the functions of this new entity.

Goleta Launches First Citizen’s Academy

Have you ever wanted to learn more about all of the different types of services our law enforcement personnel provide?

On April 18, the first annual Citizen’s Academy will kick off. The Academy offers you the opportunity to learn more about what the Santa Barbara Sheriff ’s Office personnel do on a day-by-day basis. You’ll get an insider look at the various departments over the course of seven weeks. Topics will include: department history, how a deputy sheriff is trained, forensics, SWAT, narcotics, bomb squad, dive team and much more. The academy will also include a tour of the main jail, the Santa Barbara Courthouse and the Emergency Communications Center.

The academy will begin on Wednesday, April 18 at Goleta’s City Hall at 130 Cremona Drive, Goleta, and will run every Wednesday evening from 6-9 p.m. through May 30. Class locations will vary by topic. The final class includes a Graduation BBQ on Saturday, June 2.

To take advantage of this exciting opportunity, please contact Senior Deputy Greg Sorenson at 968-3878 or drop by the Goleta Police Department’s Substation at the Camino Real Marketplace for more information. The class is restricted to 20 people and will fill quickly. Don’t wait to sign up!

Goleta Businesses Honored By Green Business Program

More Goleta businesses are going green! The Green Business Program of Santa Barbara County recognized six Goleta businesses and 15 other businesses from the region at its annual Green Business Program Luncheon. This event recognizes businesses that go above and beyond required measures to serve as models of sustainability. Celebrating its fourth year with 45 certified businesses across the County, this multijurisdictional, voluntary incentive program provides support, and recognizes participants that implement good environmental management practices. A business achieving certification can save money by reducing the use of energy, water and other resources.

Participating businesses address waste reduction and recycling, environmentally preferable purchasing, energy efficiency and conservation, water conservation, air pollution prevention and alternative transportation with a checklist tailored to their industry type. The program currently offers certification for a variety of businesses.

For more information about the Green Business Program and these businesses, visit www.GreenBizSBC.org.

The City Plans for its First Roundabout

Plans for a roundabout at the intersection of Los Carneros and Calle Real continue to move ahead with anticipated construction this summer. An open house on the roundabout will be held on Wednesday, May 9th, in Council Chambers at City Hall from 6-8 p.m. Drop by to learn more about the roundabout, take a stab at driving through a roundabout, and have your questions answered by City Staff.

Check out the Los Carneros Roundabout tab on ProjectGoleta.com to see additional resources on driving,
walking and biking through roundabouts.

Smart Meters Are Coming to Goleta

Southern California Edison (SCE) has started installing smart electric meters in the Santa Barbara and Ventura areas as part of the Edison Smart Connect program. The technology will help SCE residential and small-business customers to better manage their electricity use and will introduce programs and services designed to help them save money.

Installations are occurring now and continue through July.

The new smart meters are digital, secure, two-way communicating devices that are replacing traditional mechanical meters as a key step in transforming the electric system to a smart grid. They will help SCE pinpoint outages and restore service faster and also enable remote service activation for customers.

The system communicates using radio frequency (RF) signals similar in strength or lower than RF signals from devices such as cell phones, Wi-Fi routers and cordless phones. This level of RF is well below the Federal Communications Commission’s safety guidelines.

The meters measure electricity usage in hourly increments for residential customers and, in the coming months, they will be able to view their energy usage from a computer through SCE.com.

Later this year, customers will be able to sign up for new Edison SmartConnect-enabled programs and services that will help them manage their services online.

SCE has contracted with Corix Utilities, Inc., to perform most of the installations. Corix installers carry identification indicating they are approved SCE contractors.

Residential customers who do not have a smart meter installed and wish to delay installation can request to be placed on a temporary delay list (800-810-2369) until the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) completes its regulatory process regarding opt-out procedures.

For more information, please go to sce.com/edisonsmartconnect. To view videos about Edison SmartConnect, go to sce.com/smartfuture or YouTube.com/SCE.

Celebrating 10 years of the Good Land

On February 1, 2012, Goleta celebrated the 10th anniversary of incorporation. Two special events  marked this important milestone. The first was a City Council Meeting in which Goleta received special recognitions from other agencies. In addition, people who were instrumental in the City’s incorporation and early years shared their recollections. Just a few days later, a birthday party at the Goleta Valley Community Center included music, cake and activities for the whole family.

As part of the 10-year celebration, our online social media network for neighborhoods (Nextdoor.com) was launched.

Visit www.CityofGoleta.org and click on the logo in the middle of the page for continued celebration information.

To Call or Not to Call? THAT is the Question

People often get confused or are uncertain regarding whether to call the 9-1-1 emergency line or 692-5743, the Sheriff ’s non-emergency dispatch number.

Here are some important things to know:

Q: How do we know when TO call 9-1-1?

A: It’s important to remember that 9-1-1 is for emergencies only. Call 9-1-1 if…someone is hurt, in danger, needs an ambulance, fire or immediate law enforcement assistance. If you aren’t sure if the situation you observe is an emergency, err on the side of caution and call 9-1-1. Make sure to clarify with the dispatcher exactly what your observations are. The dispatchers are professionals, and they will know how to prioritize your call and what emergency services will be necessary for the situation.

Q: How do we know when NOT to call 9-1-1?

A: If NO ONE is hurt, in danger, or in need of an ambulance, fire or immediate law enforcement assistance, then most likely there is NO reason to call 9-1-1. However, feel free to use the non-emergency line at 692-5743. Why does it matter? The County Dispatch Center fields emergency calls for the Sheriff ’s Office, Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services. The center also has a language line service, so any language represented in our community can be translated. In addition, the dispatch center has the capability to communicate via text servicing with hearing impaired individuals. All that being said, dispatch is a busy place. Covering unnecessary 9-1-1 calls takes away from true emergencies.

Q: What if I DO have to call 9-1-1 or the non-emergency number, 692-5743?

A: If you DO have to call us, know where you are when placing the call. When you call from a landline (home phone) the dispatch center will know immediately the address from which you are calling. However, in today’s world, everyone has cell phones. If you call from a cell, the dispatch center will not know your location. With this in mind, be aware of your surroundings and make an effort to be as detailed as possible about your location.

Q: Any other pointers or things to remember if we do have to call?

A: Stay calm! And remember, when you are on the phone with the dispatch center, you are their eyes and ears. Stay relaxed. Be as clear and concise as possible so the dispatcher can quickly dispatch the appropriate services to the scene. Also, NEVER hang up when you are on the phone with 9-1-1 (until they tell you to). You may have called 9-1-1 by accident. If you do, do not hang up the phone. Explain to the dispatcher that it was an accident. If you hang up the phone, law enforcement will automatically be dispatched to the location to check if an emergency situation has/is occurring.  This is a huge waste of time and resources.

Goleta Homeowners Eligible for Affordable Home Energy Upgrades

For Goleta homeowners looking for a low-cost way to improve the health and comfort of their homes this spring, there is help!  The County’s new emPowerSBC offers low-cost, long-term loans, qualified contractors, high-dollar rebates and an easy-to-use, online process that will get your home upgrade project moving.

emPowerSBC was developed by the County of Santa Barbara to help homeowners achieve a more comfortable, healthier and energy efficient home while lowering utility bills. Through a partnership with local lenders, emPowerSBC provides low-cost, long-term financing to assist homeowners in making their homes more energy-efficient. Along with attractive rates starting at 5.9% and flexible terms to help spread the cost of a project over a period of up to 15 years, homeowners can also qualify for up to $4,000 in utility rebates to reduce project cost and employ qualified contractors trained in the latest building performance techniques.

Whether you want to begin by improving the comfort and efficiency of your home with a basic package, or want to maximize your energy savings and rebates through advanced package options, emPowerSBC and their partners have the answer for you!

So what are you waiting for? Start your home energy upgrade plan today at emPowerSBC.org.

A Brush with Kindness

Do you or a neighbor own your home but can’t afford to keep up with the exterior maintenance? A Brush with Kindness is a program that helps preserve homeownership by partnering with homeowners struggling to restore and maintain a safe and decent place to live. When basic expenses exceed income month after month, home maintenance is the usual casualty. Years of deferred maintenance can cause a downward spiral of home deterioration and unsafe living conditions. Habitat for Humanity’s program, “A Brush with Kindness,” provides work that includes exterior painting, landscaping and completing minor fence repairs on homes of low-income homeowners.

TO BE ELIGIBLE:
• Family income must be under 80%
of Santa Barbara County’s median income
• Homes must be owner-occupied
• Homeowners must be willing to partner with staff and volunteers
• Homeowners make an affordable re-payment to Habitat for Humanity
for the cost of materials to complete the work

A Brush with Kindness is about connecting people and restoring homes through simple acts of kindness so that homeowners can once again live in a safe and decent home.

If you or someone you know needs this type of help, please contact 805-692-2226 or mail@sbhabitat.org for an eligibility form.