Santa Barbara to buy Casa de la Raza building

The city of Santa Barbara is set to buy the Casa de la Raza, in a surprising turnaround for the beleaguered building. The Santa Barbara City Council is set to approve the sale on Tuesday, said City Administrator Kelly McAdoo. The city of Santa Barbara has been in talks to acquire the beloved La Casa de la Raza, in a complex land-use deal involving the state of California. State Senate Pro Tempore Monique Limón secured $6.1 million in the California budget to acquire the property at 601 E. Montecito St. Casa de la Raza is under the ownership of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Central District of California, An undisclosed nonprofit organization was in escrow to buy the property—until the city of Santa Barbara stepped in. The original escrow has been canceled, said Meghann A. Triplett, an attorney with Margulies Faith, told the News-Press on Friday. Subject to approval by the City Council and the Bankruptcy Court, the Trustee has agreed to sell the property to the City of Sant