Expect a battle.
Eastside resident Jett Black-Maertz is running for Santa Barbara City Council in District 1.
She has some strong views on why she is running, and on incumbent Alejandra Gutierrez.
“I would say that if I felt there was adequate representation of the Eastside I would not be running,” Black-Maertz said. “So, I think everyone gets into politics and good government and public service for various reasons and I think it is a great experience for someone. But I also think it is good to have the self-awareness that it might not be for you.”
Black-Maertz speaks with journalist Josh Molina in the latest episode of the Santa Barbara Talks podcast. Please click on the YouTube video below to watch the full interview.
In this podcast, she also discusses her views on transportation, mobility, housing, State Street and rent control.
“I would be in support of a rent cap,” Black-Maertz said. “I think it is something that has gotten out of hand.”
Black-Maertz said she doesn’t want to put a percentage number out there until she meets with property owners and tenants and find a percentage increase that meets in the middle.
In this podcast, Black-Maertz discusses her background, her advocacy for affordable housing, and efforts to end homelessness. She offers her views on State Street and the Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District.
Black-Maertz is a housing program specialist and head of the county’s Point in Time Count.
She was born at Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital.
Santa Barbara City Council’s District 1 seat is on November’s ballot and Gutierrez is running for re-election. Wendy Santamaria is also reportedly running for the seat.
Joshua Molina is journalist who currently writes for Noozhawk and teaches journalism at Santa Barbara City College. He formerly covered politics and land use for the San Jose Mercury News. Santa Barbara Talks is an independently owned podcast where Molina looks to bring together voices from all perspectives to discuss and provide solutions to the challenges related to housing, education, transportation and other community issues. Subscribe to his podcast here and consider a contribution here.
