SB Connect FAQs

SB Connect is the City of Santa Barbara’s official customer service platform. It allows residents to report issues, request services, and connect with City departments quickly and conveniently - either by creating an account or submitting anonymously.

Yes, you can submit a request without creating an account. However, anonymous submissions:

• Cannot receive status updates or follow-up questions.
• Are monitored more closely for misuse.
• May be limited or disabled if abused.

To get the best experience, we recommend creating a free SB Connect account.

We want SB Connect to be a respectful and effective space for everyone. Abuse includes:

We take misuse seriously. Depending on the severity, actions may include:

• A warning message
• Temporary limits on submissions
• Suspension of account access
• Disabling anonymous submissions
• Referral to City legal or IT teams for further action

If anonymous submissions are repeatedly misused, for example, through spam or offensive content, the City may temporarily or permanently disable this option to protect the integrity of the platform.

If your submission violates our guidelines, you may receive a message explaining the issue and what steps to take. Continued violations may result in further restrictions.

• Submit accurate, respectful, and relevant requests.
• Avoid duplicate reports—check if an issue has already been submitted.
• Use appropriate categories for your request.
• Treat City staff and fellow community members with courtesy.

For questions about SB Connect or to report misuse, please contact:

📧 WebHelp@SantaBarbaraCA.gov

No. Although SB Connect is a great tool for most requests, it isn't intended for reporting emergency issues that need to be addressed immediately. If the issue you are reporting is a public safety emergency, please call 9-1-1. If the issue you are reporting is a water or sewer emergency, please call (805) 882-8900.

Yes! However, many tablet devices don't have a true GPS and instead use Wi-Fi triangulation, which pulls location based on the number of mapped Wi-Fi hotspots. This setup can result in less accurate location information in certain areas. Always before submitting a report, a user must confirm the location. During this step, the user can correct inaccurate location information captured by the device hardware.

The mobile app prompts a user to provide First Name, Last Name, and Email Address. A user only has to provide this information once and it is then stored within the app. Users may still submit reports anonymously by selecting this option in the Settings menu. Go to the 'More' Ttab, select the 'Settings' menu, and check the box marked 'Report Anonymously.'. Any information, such as personal information or location, is only used for reporting purposes.

Whenever you open and interact with the SB Connect app on your mobile device, the location information from your mobile device is used to tailor the experience to your current location. This information is NOT published or shared with others. The app saves that specific location information until the next time you do something in the app, at which time the old location information is deleted from your mobile device and replaced with your most recent location information. Your location data is only shared when you decide to proactively report an issue.

SB Connect uses the Google geocoder to find addresses. Often times, adding the road suffix (St, Rd, Ave, etc.) will work. For example, entering "625 Laguna" (without quotation marks) will not find an address, but entering "625 Laguna St" (without quotation marks) will find the address.