Save the Rental Housing Mediation Task Force!

The Santa Barbara County Democratic Party is a member of the Rental Housing Roundtable:

Save the Rental Housing Mediation Task Force!
Voice your support for RHMTF to City Council on December 6th!

As you may have heard, after 35 years of successful service to residents of the City of Santa Barbara and the surrounding communities, the Rental Housing Mediation Task Force (RHMTF) is in danger of being disbanded due to program budget cuts!

Since its inception in 1976, this program and its 15 City Council-appointed volunteer mediators have served as an invaluable community resource, providing tenants and landlords a venue to peaceably resolve disputes, helping countless individuals and families to avoid homelessness, and keeping contentious and often emotional housing issues from making their way into the local courts, saving community resources and money both for the disputants and the city.

We need your help to let the Santa Barbara City Council know how important the Task Force is to our community!

The RHMTF has aided thousands of people over the years, many of whom would not have otherwise received assistance with their housing crises. Time is of the essence, since the City Council will be addressing the funding update and the future outlook of the Task Force on December 6th. Please consider reaching out to show your support, so that together we may be able to ensure the survival of this indispensible program, allowing it to serve many more of our residents in the years to come.

To obtain more information about contributing to the continuance of the RHMTF, please contact Andrea Bifano, Senior Rental Housing Mediation Specialist, at (805) 564-5420 or ABifano@SantaBarbaraCA.gov.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

The Rental Housing Mediation Task Force Advisory Group Members

Ways that YOU can help

1) Write a letter/email of support!

First and foremost, consider writing a letter or email to the Santa Barbara City Council by December 5th expressing your support for continued funding for the RHMTF program. If appropriate, you can share that you have used the RHMTF or have made referrals, and know the benefit of the program’s mediation services

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Dear City Councilmember ________________,

The Rental Housing Mediation Task Force (RHMTF) provides an essential service to residents of Santa Barbara through mediation for landlords and renters. In Santa Barbara, 60% of residents are renters. The RHMTF has provided mediation through an all-volunteer board since 1976. This Santa Barbara City program makes a huge impact on residents at risk for homelessness and saves community resources and money both for the disputants and the city.

Please join me in supporting this vital Santa Barbara City service for the residents of Santa Barbara and ensuring continued City funding for the RHMTF

Thank you for your support,

Name,
Organization/Individual Name

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Emails can be sent to Council members at:
HSchneider@SantaBarbaraCA.gov, GHouse@SantaBarbaraCA.gov, DFrancisco@SantaBarbaraCA.gov, FHotchkiss@SantaBarbaraCA.gov, HWhite@SantaBarbaraCA.gov, MSelf@SantaBarbaraCA.gov, RRowse@SantaBarbaraCA.gov.

(Please be sure to cc ABifano@SantaBarbaraCA.gov to ensure that your letter can be included in the presentation to City Council)

Letters can be mailed to:
Mayor and Council
City Hall
735 Anacapa St.
Santa Barbara,CA 93101

2) Attend the City Council meeting on December 6th!

The council will be addressing the funding update and the future outlook of the Task Force.

Tuesday, December 6th at 2:00pm at City Hall, 735 Anacapa St.

3) Make a tax deductible donation to the Task Force:

DONATE
http://www.santabarbaraca.gov/Resident/Home/RHMTF

Donations can be mailed to 2nd Story Associates, 808 Laguna Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101. Please write “RHMTF” in the memo line of the check.

114 E. Haley St. Suite E | Santa Barbara, CA 93101 US