In August of 2024, Santa Barbara County officials revised the Isla Vista bluff policy, with the last revision made in January of 2020. These new revisions were made in response to ongoing concerns about student and resident safety near the eroding cliffs.
According to county reporting, there have been a total of 14 casualties in the last 30 years due to the Isla Vista bluffs. The new policy aims to further improve safety by introducing twice-yearly mandated measurements of properties and enforcing the policy more strictly.
“The revised policy was shared with property owners and property managers. It’s also listed on the county website.” Communications Director for Laura Capps, Eleanor Gartner, said. “Our planning and development department sends out notifications as well as a follow-up as needed.”
A stand-out revision to the new bluff policy is the requirement for all properties with any portion within 20 feet of the bluffs—such as the deck foundation of a building—to now be measured twice a year by a licensed surveyor or civil engineer. This data must be submitted in April and October of each year to the Santa Barbara County Building Safety Division. The new revision ensures more frequent and accurate data on the bluffs’ persistent erosion.
If residents notice significant changes in bluff stability, Jonathan Abboud, Isla Vista Community Services District (IVCSD) General Manager and City College Trustee President advises them to contact property owners and the county building inspector. Residents can obtain this information on the IVCSD website.
“That website has a lot of information on the dos and don’ts, history of this issue, different factors involved, and what to do as a host,” Abboud said. “Sadly, other information we have on there is a name list of lives who’ve been lost.”
The average cost for a licensed contractor or civil engineer varies depending on the company, size of the property, and location.
“The county of Santa Barbara and Supervisor Capps are trying to do as much as they can to work with property owners and property management companies to make sure buildings are as safe as possible for tenants,” Gartner said.
Gartner hopes the revision doesn’t affect rent, as this is an issue that the county will be monitoring.
“It’s expensive already, so we’re really hopeful that property owners are wanting to be a willing partner in making their property safer,” Gartner said.
The county is also trying to build capacity and resources for tenants. Gartner noted that the county works closely with two resources for renters, Isla Vista Tenants Union and the Legal Aid Foundation.
“This seeds into a proactive rental inspection pilot program that will be launching next summer,” Gartner said.
The new program is specific to Isla Vista as it addresses any building safety concerns. The program will reportedly also include legal aid resources for low-income student tenants. As students begin to come back for the school year, they should stay informed; social gatherings are on the rise again, and Deltopia is roughly six months away.
Other safety measures have also been enforced, such as prohibiting paid parties and gatherings of more than 250 people in residential areas.
“If there are individuals on the other side of a fence from a deck on the bluff or people are on the roof, that now means a party can be shut down immediately by law enforcement. Hosts should be responsible by minimizing crowding on their decks,” Abboud said
Gartner noted that nearly a year ago, Laura Capps released her 8-Point Isla Vista Bluff Safety Plan, and it has shown significant improvements. Changes such as county fences being up to six feet tall, safety lighting installations, and shrubbery planted to fill in gaps where fencing couldn’t have helped mediate safety concerns.
“Please be safe,” Gartner said. “Please practice safety measures. Please look out for your peers, friends, and visitors.”
