SANTA BARBARA, Calif.—Yawar Charlie is a realtor who is also an expert when it comes to historic buildings.
He says addressing Santa Barbara’s housing crisis starts with acknowledging the permitting process.
“For a long time in California, one of the biggest complaints people have had is that it takes so long to get building permits. And when you’re a coastal community like Santa Barbara, which has got a rich history of historic properties as well, it takes in even longer a time. I mean, there are homeowners that have waited four or five years to be able to develop certain lots by the water,” said Yawar Charlie…