Santa Barbara Can Both Support Responsible Housing Providers and Protect Renters

January 14, 2026

Santa Barbara faces an affordable housing crisis impacting teachers, service workers, and families, worsened by rising costs for small-scale housing providers. A tailored rent stabilization program aims to limit excessive rent hikes, protect tenants, support responsible local owners, and prevent corporate buyouts. The program would apply mainly to older multi-unit rentals, include maintenance cost adjustments, and promote housing stability through clear, fair rules developed with community input.

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Ruth Martinez-Infante

+1-805-570-4646

Sotheby's International Realty

Santa Barbara, California

Ruth Martinez-Infante has been living locally for over 30 years. Knowledge of each neighborhood and crevice of this precious city is second nature to her, due to her long love affair with the city and its rich history. Community advocacy in education also drives her; she participated in the PTA and was awarded for her volunteer work there. Her children were a part of Old Spanish Days Fiesta, and her daughter, Paloma, was even Spirit of Fiesta! A full-time real estate agent with over 10 years of experience, customer satisfaction and advocacy are part of RuthÃ¢â¬â¢s DNA. She has been in sales for 30 years, since her professional beginnings selling time-shares in the resort town of Cozumel, Mexico. Before finding her passion in real estate, she attended a year of medical school in her beautiful hometown of Oaxaca and even studied at SB Business College in legal systems. A scholar at heart, she is also an interpreter and translator in English/Spanish whic allows her to represent the Spanish speaking community and international buyers. Some of her achievement include instituting the Kermesse Festival as a means of fundraising and increasing the participation of the Latino community in schools, representing the Spanish-speaking body of El Camino School District, and volunteering at the District English Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC.) She also successfully advocated at the state capitol in Sacramento for the reduction of the student-teacher ratio. Ã¢â¬ÅI am committed to strong, long-lasting relationships, whether they are clients or good friends, or both. To see them living happily and peacefully in their dream homes year after year gives me the utmost satisfaction.Ã¢â¬ï¿½ Ã¢â¬ÅMe comprometo a tener una fuerte y duradera relaciÃÂ³n, ya sea con mis clientes, buenos amigos, o ambos. Verlos viviendo feliz y pacificamente en la casa de sus sueÃÂ±os, aÃÂ±o tras aÃÂ±o, me da la mas grande satisfacciÃÂ³n.Ã¢â¬ï¿½

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