Housing, workforce development and a stronger push for regional coordination and focus on execution defined Friday’s State of the City luncheon, where leaders from Goleta, Santa Barbara and Carpinteria outlined priorities for the South Coast.
Held at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort, the Chamber’s largest annual convening of business and government brought together civic and business leaders from across the South Coast for a regional discussion centered on economic development, infrastructure, housing and public safety.
The luncheon also introduced the Chamber’s 2026-2030 Strategic Plan and a newly formed economic development foundation aimed at expanding workforce, housing and business initiatives through stronger partnerships.
Early in the program, Chamber President and CEO Kristen Miller said the region can no longer assume that growth and opportunity will happen on their own.
“For a long time, our economy felt almost effortless. That’s no longer the case,” Miller said. “Growth, opportunity and housing access don’t just happen. They require intention, investment and leadership.”
The message was less about identifying issues than about how to address them.
Miller said the Chamber is focused on bringing business, government and education into closer alignment.
“Economic vitality today requires public-private partnership,” she said. “It means bringing business, government and education together to move from ideas to execution.”
Workforce development and housing were a consistent focus throughout the program, particularly the connection between where people work and where they can afford to live.
“We’re focused on building a workforce pipeline that connects students and job seekers to real opportunities and helps close the gap between talent and local careers,” Miller said. “We are advancing housing solutions that expand what is attainable, because without housing, everything else becomes harder.”
Miller also called for updates to regulatory processes.
“Processes that were designed decades ago to protect us are now slowing us down. The time has come to make meaningful change,” she said.
Santa Barbara Mayor Randy Rowse focused his remarks on downtown activity, the waterfront and transportation infrastructure, describing each as central to the city’s economic function.
“Downtown should reflect what a modern city center can be, a place built on innovation, culture and shared experience,” Rowse said.
He described the waterfront as both a defining feature and a working part of the local economy.
“Our waterfront is more than a destination. It is a working part of our economy, from commercial fishing to tourism to ocean-based innovation,” he said.
Rowse also emphasized the airport’s role in regional connectivity.
“The airport is essential to our connectivity and our economic success. We’re moving more people with less impact, and that matters,” he said.
Goleta Mayor Paula Perotte focused on the relationship between economic health and the systems that support daily life, including transportation, housing, safety and services.
“When local businesses succeed, our community succeeds. The two are inseparable,” Perotte said.
“A city that moves well does business well. Accessibility, convenience and safety all matter,” she said.
She said housing affordability remains critical to workforce retention.
“If we want to attract and retain a strong workforce, housing affordability has to be part of the equation,” Perotte said. “People need to feel safe, supported and able to live where they work.”
Carpinteria Mayor Natalia Alarcon emphasized partnership and community stability as guiding priorities.
“If there is one word that defines this year, it is partnership,” Alarcon said. “Everything we’ve accomplished has come from working together.”
She said public safety and community support are directly tied to economic participation.
“When people feel safe and supported, they are able to fully participate in the workforce and in civic life,” she said.
Throughout the program, speakers made clear that coordination across cities and sectors will be central to the region’s future.
“We don’t need outsiders to define our future,” Miller said. “We live here, we work here and we are responsible for what comes next.”
The annual luncheon is one of the Chamber’s largest gatherings and serves as a forum for business and civic leaders to align priorities across the South Coast.
