City of Santa Barbara shuts down Casa de la Raza building
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The City of Santa Barbara shut down the historic La Casa De La Raza building on Friday, citing safety concerns and code violations.
Dangerous building conditions at 601 E. Montecito Street have made continued operation of the building unsafe, according to a statement from the city of Santa Barbara.
An inspection took place on May 7 for any building, safety or fire code violations within the building which revealed several concerns for occupants in the building, according to a city statement.
The historic Santa Barbara landmark has been around for over 200 years, and it's served as a hub for local activism.
Casa de la Raza Director Jacqui Inda says this comes at a time of heightened tension, especially in Santa Barbara's migrant community.
“For several months since the election, we have had to deal with citations and misdemeanors from everything from noise to also things like disturbing the peace,” said Casa de la Raza Director Jacqui Inda
The building was red-tagged on Friday.
But Casa de la Raza’s Director Jacqi Inda says the city hasn’t given them the report detailing the violations.
“What do we do in the meantime? How do we help people until we either receive a list of things to fix or figure out a space within the building that is adequate?” said Inda.
As of now they have relocated some of their operations to Cafe la Fonda, but Inda says you can’t completely uproot a community hub.
This building shutdown took place due to several fire risks before a bankruptcy auction for potential buyers to inspect the property, according to a City statement.
Lack of proper exit signs and lighting, lack of exit door hardware, blocked access to the public for required exits, unsafe electrical wiring and unsafe gas piping are some of the issues within the structure, according to a City statement. Red tags placed on the building Friday afternoon cite insufficient egress and gas and electrical issues.
Casa donation manager Jennifer Sanchez issued the following letter on the sudden stop of operations:
While we are still processing this abrupt and forceful actions, we remain committed to serving out community. As a result, our community events, including the upcoming Mother's Day Brunch will be relocated to Café La Fonda, 129 East Anapamu Street, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101.
Jennifer Sanchez, Casa Donation Manager
Jacqueline Inda told Your News Channel that she had hoped a potential buyer might help with the building's financial situation.
Inda also wrote that the City's actions had grave consequences for the region's migrant community.
In its press release, the city of Santa Barbara said it has been informed that Casa De La Raza no longer owns the building and hasn't operated there since 2021. The building is owned by La Casa Founders Holding Company, which formed after Casa De La Raza struggled with mounting debts and a foreclosure on the building.
The city's assertion that Casa De La Raza doesn't operate at 601 E. Montecito Street is harder to pin down. The nonprofit organization has for decades been a cultural center for the city's Chicano and Latinx communities and still uses the building for various events, including assistance, resources and advocacy for undocumented immigrants. Casa De la Raza's website is Lacasafounders.org and lists the La Casa Founders Holding Company and the historic building's address on the website.
The building's sudden closure comes after a string of noise complaints made by neighbors, according to Your News Channel's Tracy Lehr.
A condo owner and resident who preferred to remain anonymous told Your News Channel's Tracy Lehr that neighbors have listed 70 excessive noise incidents since 2022.
The City of Santa Barbara ended its statement on the abrupt change with the following quote:
The City understands that this facility is used as a resource center for undocumented families and acknowledges the heightened concern among our immigrant and Latino communities related to official enforcement actions. The red tag action is being taken purely to protect lives and prevent a potential tragedy. In the spirit of transparency and support, we refer back to the January 2025 statement from City Administrator Kelly McAdoo regarding ICE activity, City Administrator’s Statement on ICE.
We echo that message today: The City of Santa Barbara and its public safety personnel remain committed to fostering an inclusive, supportive, and safe environment for all residents, regardless of immigration status. We do not support any action that causes fear, distrust, or displacement in our community.
The City thanks the community for its continued partnership and understanding as we take urgent action to protect public safety while honoring and supporting the important work that occurs in our neighborhoods every day.
Bryan Latchford, Public Information Officer, City of Santa Barbara
