About Eric Friedman

Eric Friedman likes to say he’s “the library guy who can balance a budget — and who won’t let anybody put Santa Barbara in a corner.” With 25 years of public and community service, Eric has the proven experience that delivers results. For the past eight years, he’s shown up at City Hall to do the work of governing as a City Councilmember, and he’s shown up at his job at Trader Joe’s to do the work his neighbors count on.

Eric grew up in Santa Barbara and Lompoc. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame and after surviving winters in South Bend, Indiana, he returned to Santa Barbara in 1999 and has lived here ever since. He and his wife Julie have been married for 22 years, and they’re raising their two sons right here — along with their dog, Morgan Friedman.

Eric sees what’s happening in this city because he’s living it alongside everyone else. Grocery bills that keep climbing. Rents that push out families who’ve been here for years. Young people who grew up in Santa Barbara but can’t afford to stay. He hears it at work, at council meetings, and in conversations with neighbors who are doing everything right and still feel like they’re barely keeping up. That’s what keeps him going.

When Eric sees a challenge Santa Barbarans are facing, he gets to work. Eric created Santa Barbara’s Local Housing Trust Fund and secured more than $4 million to build housing that working families can actually afford. He played a major role in turning Library Plaza into an award-winning public gathering space that brought new life to downtown. He’s taken limited, one-time money and turned it into long-term investments — strengthening city services. He brings the kind of steady, responsible leadership that ensures your tax dollars are going where they should.

Eric knows the power of community coming together to support each other. He witnessed this firsthand when he suffered a life-threatening heart attack while paddleboarding last year. From the first responders who saved his life to the public and community leaders who welcomed him back to the Council with open arms, the overwhelming support he and his family received throughout his recovery reminded him why he works every day to give back to the city that has given him so much.

He currently serves as President of the California League of Cities Channel Counties Division and has represented Santa Barbara on regional and statewide committees focused on emergency preparedness, environmental sustainability, housing affordability and making sure our city has a voice in decisions that affect us. Before joining City Council, he spent 14 years working for County Supervisors Naomi Schwartz and Salud Carbajal and earned a Master’s in Public Administration from Cal State Northridge, while also serving on a number of local nonprofit Boards.

For Eric, it comes down to this: Santa Barbara is home — for his family and for thousands of families who love this city as much as he does. As our Mayor, he’ll work to make sure it stays that way.