City of Santa Barbara

What City of Santa Barbara does

The City of Santa Barbara is a municipal government entity incorporated in 1850 and headquartered at 735 Anacapa Street in Santa Barbara, California. It provides the full suite of municipal services to city residents, local businesses, short-term rental operators, and visitors through 14+ operational departments including Police, Fire, Public Works, Water Resources, Parks and Recreation, Airport, Library, Community Development, Finance, Human Resources, Information Technology, the City Attorney's office, and a Sustainability & Resilience Division. A dedicated Housing and Human Services Division, led since January 2026 by Caroline "Carrie" Paine, manages affordable housing, homelessness response, Community Development Block Grants, and HOME Investment Partnerships. The City maintains 30+ Advisory Boards, Commissions, and Committees and operates on a compressed 9/80 schedule implemented in July 2007.

The City delivers services through an omnichannel network anchored by City Hall and satellite offices (Downtown Parking Office at 1221 Anacapa Street, the David Gebhard Public Meeting Room at 630 Garden Street, the Louise Lowry Davis Center, the Westside Neighborhood Center, and Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden), supplemented by digital channels including the santabarbaraca.gov web portal, the SB Connect mobile application (iOS and Android), the WaterSmart online utility billing portal, City TV/YouTube live streaming, Nextdoor, and email newsletters. Service delivery is supported by partnerships with the Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District (Downtown-Waterfront Shuttle), the Santa Barbara Zoo, the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County, Visit Santa Barbara, the California Coastal Commission, and the California Coastal Conservancy.

The City's revenue model is tax-and-fee based rather than commercial: it collects a 12% Transient Occupancy Tax (10% unrestricted, 2% restricted to Creeks Restoration under Measure B), a 2% Tourism Business Improvement District assessment, a 6% Utility Users Tax on water/refuse/electric/natural gas, a 5.75% Telecommunications UUT, a Business Tax Certificate on gross receipts, a Commercial Cannabis Business Tax, a Parking & Business Improvement Area assessment, and an Outdoor Business Facility License at $2.00 per square foot on the State Street Promenade. Operational funding also flows from utility billing, federal and state grants, and a proposed Short-Term Rental Permit ($3,334 initial application + $2,897 annual renewal). The City operates under an elected Mayor and City Council; it is not a private enterprise and does not have publicly traded equity.

Name

City of Santa Barbara

Legal name

City of Santa Barbara

Website

https://santabarbaraca.gov

Company type

Public

Founded year

1850

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

The City of Santa Barbara is a municipal government incorporated in 1850, serving residents, local businesses, short-term rental operators, and visitors of Santa Barbara, California with police, fire, utilities, permitting, housing, library, and parks services funded by taxes and fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Government Services

NAICS

Executive Offices (92111), Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (925), Justice, Public Order, and Safety Activities (922)

SIC

Sanitary Services (4950), Airports, Flying Fields & Airport Terminal Services (4581)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Works & Municipal Infrastructure (Streets, Stormwater, Facilities) (BPAIACAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services (BPAIACAI), Housing & Neighborhood Services (Local Housing Programs) (BPAIACAJ), Municipal Tax & Revenue Administration (Local) (BPAIACAD), Stormwater Management & MS4 Compliance Services (BPALAMAL)

Keywords

• Municipal government services
• Public utility services
• Business permitting licensing
• Public safety services
• Parks recreation programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Barbara

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT): Tax imposed on transient guests staying in hotels, inns, motels, or short-term rentals for 30 consecutive days or less. Collected by operators and distributed to the City monthly. Of the TOT received, 10% is Unrestricted Revenue and 2% is restricted to Creeks Restoration & Water Quality Improvement (Measure B).
2. Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID) Assessment: Assessment district developed by Visit Santa Barbara and lodging businesses, funding tourism programs that directly support assessed businesses. Does not apply to guest charges or complimentary rooms.
3. Utility Users Tax (UUT): General tax levied on the use of residential and commercial utility services, including water, refuse, electric, and natural gas at a rate of 6%.
4. Telecommunications Utility Users Tax: Tax levied on telephone, cellular, VoIP, video, and cable television services at a rate of 5.75%.
5. Business Tax Certificate: Tax based on gross receipts of sales for any person conducting business from or in the City limits.
6. Outdoor Business Facility License Fees: Fees assessed at $2.00 per square foot for all facility types operating on State Street Promenade. Supports increased maintenance and cleaning on the promenade.
7. Commercial Cannabis Business Tax: Tax on commercial cannabis businesses operating within the City.
8. Parking & Business Improvement Area (PBIA) Assessment: Assessment on businesses to support parking and business improvement initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The City of Santa Barbara is a municipal government that delivers a broad portfolio of public services to its residents, businesses, and visitors, including public safety (Police and Fire), water and wastewater utilities, parks and recreation, library services, construction permitting, business licensing, tax collection, and affordable housing programs. Service delivery is increasingly digital, anchored by the santabarbaraca.gov portal and the SB Connect mobile app that allow residents to report issues, request services, pay utility bills, apply for permits, and remit business taxes online.

Product overview

The City of Santa Barbara provides a portfolio of digital citizen services centered on its official website (santabarbaraca.gov) and mobile app (SB Connect). The offering is best characterized as a platform of interconnected municipal services rather than a unified software product. Key digital services include the SB Connect mobile app for issue reporting and service requests; the Outdoor Business Facility Licensing and Outdoor Dining Programs for business permits on the State Street Promenade; the Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) collection system for hotels and short-term rentals; the Utility Users Tax (UUT) system for utility providers; the WaterSmart online utility billing portal; and the City Events Calendar for community information. These services are delivered through the city's main web portal with supporting mobile apps and online payment/billing systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SB Connect Mobile App Mobile application for iPhone and Android that lets residents report non-emergency issues, request municipal services, and submit complaints to the City of Santa Barbara.
• Outdoor Business Facility (OBF) Licensing License program that allows businesses on the State Street Promenade (400-1300 blocks) to extend operations into the public right-of-way, with online application via SeamlessDocs at $2.00 per square foot.
• Outdoor Dining Programs Multiple programs enabling restaurants to provide outdoor seating including State Street Promenade (OBF License), Sidewalk Dining, Parklets in Public Right-of-Way, and Outdoor Dining Expansion on Private Property.
• Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) Collection System Online system for hotels, motels, and short-term rental operators to register, file monthly remittance forms, and pay the 12% TOT plus 2% TBID assessment.
• Utility Users Tax (UUT) System Online system for utility providers and businesses to file and remit monthly Utility Users Tax (6% on water, refuse, electric, natural gas) and Telecommunications UUT (5.75%).
• WaterSmart Online Utility Billing Online 24/7 portal for water, sewer, and trash bill payments with options for online payment, mail, or night drop box at City Hall.
• City Events Calendar Comprehensive calendar listing City Council meetings, public meetings, community events, library events, and holiday closures with filtering and subscription capabilities.
• Downtown-Waterfront Shuttle

Quantifiable outcome

• Short-term rental ordinance may reduce Transit Occupancy Tax revenue by $2.4 million to $4 million annually
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District (MTD)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 May 2026City of Santa Barbara provides operating funding for MTD's all-electric Downtown-Waterfront Shuttle service for summer 2026, operating May 29 through September 7. Shuttle runs as a circulator route connecting Harbor, Waterfront, Santa Barbara Zoo, Train Depot, and Downtown destinations with 20-minute headways.
• Santa Barbara ZoominorGTM or Marketing Partner · 28 May 2026Santa Barbara Zoo partnered with MTD and the City to offer free shuttle rides for zoo members and ticket holders on the Downtown-Waterfront Shuttle service, encouraging visitor use of public transit.
• California Coastal CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 December 2025Jointly funded the Draft Wastewater and Water Systems Climate Adaptation Plan with California Coastal Conservancy. The plan, the first of its kind in California, is part of the city's broader Adaptation & Resilience Program.
• California Coastal ConservancycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 December 2025Jointly funded the Draft Wastewater and Water Systems Climate Adaptation Plan with California Coastal Commission. The plan is part of the city's broader Adaptation & Resilience Program.
• Foodbank of Santa Barbara CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParks and Recreation Department partners with the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County for Mobile Food Pantries and Farmers' Markets, transforming residents' health through fresh produce and essential foods. Food distributions held at multiple locations including Westside Neighborhood Center, Franklin Neighborhood Center, and Parque de los Niños.
• Visit Santa BarbaracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVisit Santa Barbara developed the Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID) assessment in collaboration with Santa Barbara South Coast lodging businesses. TBID funds tourism programs that directly support assessed businesses. Contact for TBID information: SantaBarbaraCA.com.
• HdL CompaniescoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerThe City of Santa Barbara, in collaboration with HdL Companies, is conducting comprehensive Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) and Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID) Assessment audit reviews to ensure accurate reporting of taxes and assessments.
• Southern California EdisonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouthern California Edison is applying Roundup along Tunnel Trail as part of required habitat restoration work for erosion caused by its 2019 activities around Mission Canyon Stream. Both entities emphasizing targeted application methods and safety protocols.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• City of San Luis Obispo: California coastal college town of comparable size and demographic profile. Operates similar municipal functions (utilities, transit, public works, TOT, UUT) with overlapping tax structures and tourism-dependent revenue base.
• City of Santa Monica: California coastal city with similar tourism-driven TOT economics, public works responsibilities, climate adaptation priorities, and Coastal Commission regulatory exposure. Comparable scale and service portfolio.
• City of Berkeley: Mid-size California city with similar full-service municipal operations, dedicated sustainability/resilience division, housing and homelessness services, and broad UUT-based revenue model. Comparable employee headcount range.
• City of Pasadena: California city with own water/utility operations, transit partnership model, TOT revenue, and dedicated housing/homelessness division. Similar breadth of services and governance structure via elected council.
• City of Carlsbad: Southern California coastal city with comparable tourism tax structure, public works operations, and beach-adjacent infrastructure. Similar focus on balancing development with environmental constraints.
• City of Santa Cruz: California coastal city with similar coastal regulatory exposure, tourism-driven TOT base, university-town demographics, and active sustainability/resilience programs. Direct operational peer for water and wastewater services.
• City of Ventura: Adjacent California coastal city operating similar full-service municipal functions, water/wastewater utility, TOT-based revenue, and coastal-zone land-use constraints. Closest geographic peer in Santa Barbara County region.

Broad incumbents

• City of Long Beach: Larger California port city with broader portfolio including Port of Long Beach, municipal airport, and large water utility. Overlapping in airport operations, water/wastewater, and TOT economics but materially larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about City of Santa Barbara