This is home

Four generations in Santa Barbara. A life shaped by this city.

Educator. Public servant. Small-business owner. Mother. I bring the perspective of someone who has lived Santa Barbara through family, public service, work, and community.

Anabella Lehne in Santa Barbara
Born here. Raised here. Raising the next generation in Santa Barbara
Lifelong Santa Barbara Resident Educator Public Servant Mother Small-Business Owner

Why I’m Running

The decisions we make now will shape who gets to stay

I grew up here, attended our public schools, built my career here, and am raising my family here.

I’m running because the people who teach here, work here, raise families here, run businesses here, and care for this community should have a real voice in how Santa Barbara grows and changes.

Where I Stand

Start with the people who live with the decisions

Housing, public safety, local business, and downtown’s direction all show up in everyday life. My approach is to listen closely, understand the tradeoffs, and make decisions with the people most affected in mind.

Housing & Affordability

Make it possible to stay

More homes. Clearer rules. Less displacement.

Santa Barbara needs more homes that working people can realistically afford, along with a City process that is clearer and less costly to navigate. I support workforce and middle-income housing, appropriate mixed-use and commercial-to-housing conversions, and reasonable protections that reduce displacement while recognizing the role of small rental owners.

My approach: Build more, make the rules clearer, and protect the people already here.

Public Safety & Community Well-Being

Safe neighborhoods need follow-through

Strong response, coordinated services, and usable public spaces.

Police, fire, and emergency services matter. So do effective connections to shelter, treatment, services, and housing. The City should coordinate better with the County, service providers, and law enforcement, and respond consistently when public spaces become unsafe or people are left without a path forward.

My approach: Compassion with accountability, and coordination that does not leave people or neighborhoods behind.

Local Business & Downtown

Make City Hall easier to navigate

A downtown shaped with the people who use it every day.

Local businesses should not have to fight through unnecessary delays to open, improve, or adapt. I want clearer permitting, better accessibility for seniors and people with disabilities, and a downtown strategy shaped with residents, workers, businesses, and the people who move through State Street every day.

My approach: Listen first, remove unnecessary friction, and make City Hall easier to work with.

Experience

Local roots. Real-world experience

My perspective comes from living and working in Santa Barbara — as an educator, public servant, small-business owner, and parent.

To me, local decisions are not abstract. They affect whether a family can afford its rent, whether a business can keep its doors open, and whether residents feel heard by the people making decisions at City Hall.

Local Leadership

Local government should feel local

That means listening before deciding, explaining the tradeoffs, and remembering that every policy lands in someone’s home, business, block, or daily routine.