Developing Community Solutions for the Benefit of All

The purpose of the Santa Barbara Eastside Society is to address, educate, coordinate, and implement community solutions that improve the quality of life on the Eastside and increase the well-being and health of our diverse community members.

New Beginnings in 2021
An Editorial by Eastside Society President Tino De Guevara
January 11, 2021

Let’s face it. We need a fresh start, and 2021 is the year to do it…or else. Presently, we have a staggering number of Covid 19 infections in California (40,000 daily as of this writing), a dangerous shortage of ICU beds, and a public which refuses to acknowledge the problem. However, if we expect to make a new start and beat this pandemic, we need to sacrifice now in order to have a quality of life by summer. The vaccine is coming our way and we all need to “belly up to the bar” and get inoculated.

With the increasing surge upon us, we know getting vaccinated is one area where we can make an impact. None of us wants to see our family and friends taken ill by this deadly virus when we know it’s preventable. It is anticipated that the County of Santa Barbara will begin vaccinating the general population sometime in spring. Until then, we need to stay vigilant by wearing our masks, distancing ourselves from others, wash our hands frequently and not congregate with too many people outside our families.

Another major issue before us, especially on the Eastside, is the increasing homeless population. No matter your opinion about this issue, we must address it immediately as a community. Already, a taskforce called the Eastside Regional Action Plan has been working diligently to address this growing problem. Their goal this year is to help 25 people find permanent residence and leave the street scene. Most recently, a group named City Net has been awarded a substantial amount of money to provide outreach to homeless citizens. The City of Santa Barbara has established a link to report any homeless needs. One can file a report by typing: SantaBarbaraCA.gov/Encampment Using this link, one can attach pictures and a narrative description of the situation.

Let’s start the year off right and move forward collaborating together and finding solutions to better our community. New beginnings provides opportunities. Let’s put them all to good use.

Tino De Guevara, President,
Santa Barbara Eastside Society

The views expressed in President's Corner are the personal opinions of the Santa Barbara Eastside Society President . They do not represent the official policy or views of the Santa Barbara Eastside Society.

"The Santa Barbara Eastside Society is dedicated to the proposition that community comes first. We hope you become a Member and support 'Community First' by joining the Santa Barbara Eastside Society."

- Tino A. De Guevara, President, Santa Barbara Eastside Society