When the city of Santa Barbara began work on uneven and uplifted sidewalks on Milpas Street two weeks ago, Eastside shop owners and neighborhood residents were shocked that instead of new, clean sidewalks, the workers were leaving quickly poured asphalt filler into the cracked and narrow walkways.
Natalia Govoni, who owns the Brazilian lingerie shop Sheer Delights on the 400 block of Milpas, was appalled by the “shoddy work” done in front of her shop, which sits right next to Milpas mainstay Pat’s Liquor.
She said it was “another slap in the face” from the city, and questioned whether the same quick fixes would be applied in other, more affluent areas like Montecito, the Mesa, or San Roque.