SB ACT is fighting back.

The organization that manages the homeless day center in Santa Barbara wants a 120-day extension to continue providing services and prove that it is capable of managing the problems that have arisen at the facility.

“Inside the center, FARO, has been a huge success,” Executive Director Rich Sander said. “Admittedly, it has been a learning curve for myself and my team when it comes to neighbor relations.”

Beth Collins, an attorney for SB ACT, and Sander unexpectedly spoke out Tuesday morning before the City Council during a closed session item regarding “anticipated litigation.”

Collins said during public comment that staff “unfortunately and unilaterally cancelled funding for the FARO Center and its sublease” on May 1. She asked for a 120-day extension on both the funding and the sublease.

The city pays SB ACT about $133,000 to run the FARO Center and provide some services at the Santa Barbara Rescue Mission. The money is about 10% of SB ACT’s overall funding.

“SB ACT has a very experienced team in land use, community relations and security advising it,” Collins said.

The problems erupted into the public eye when on May 1 City Attorney Sarah Knecht sent a 30-day written notice of termination of the agreement to SB ACT.

The center is known as the FARO (Fostering Access, Resilience and Opportunity), which also means “lighthouse” in Spanish, and offers services to those who are homeless. The city partnered with SB ACT on the center in June 2024, but since the opening, neighbors, including Jodi House next door, have contended mismanagement of the program.

Complaints included yelling, public urination, loitering, smoking, trespassing and harassment. Some specific instances cited in a letter from Jodi House included that a man allegedly urinated in front of clients.

The Jodi House is a brain injury support center at 625 Chapala St. The FARO is next door at 621 Chapala St.

In another instance, an intoxicated woman allegedly tried to enter the Jodi House property. Secondhand smoke from the FARO was “polluting the Jodi House property” on several occasions, according to a letter from Jodi House.

However, Sander said SB ACT has taken swift action to correct problems occurring outside the building and wants city officials to have the patience to show them. No one is questioning the success of the program inside the building, he said.

He told the council that in its first year, the FARO Center has helped more than 100 people move into permanent or semi-permanent housing, and SB ACT has connected with more than 15 community groups.

“We have already implemented changes, and more changes are to come,” Sander said.

Collins, who is working for SB ACT pro bono, sent a letter to the city outlining the changes. She said in the first year the center has provided services to 1,290 people.

Another 160 have enrolled in housing programs with partners such as City Net, Good Samaritan and New Beginnings; and 32 of those are actively served by City Net’s FARO Case Management Program, according to the letter.

In addition, more 30 individuals have gained income or critical non-cash benefits such as jobs, Social Security, Medi-Cal and CalFresh, the letter states.  

Collins also provided the city with more than 34 letters of support. At Tuesday’s council meeting, 15 people stood up behind Sander while he was speaking to show their support for SB ACT.

The City Council did not report anything out of its closed session on Tuesday.

City Administrator Kelly McAdoo has requested that SB ACT move from a drop-in model to an appointment model. McAdoo, from her previous time as city manager for Hayward, had successful experience with an appointments-only program.

She told Noozhawk on Tuesday that the situation is still developing.

“The city attorney and I are continuing conversations with the SB ACT team and their legal counsel to see if there are service model options or alternatives that would address the concerns of the neighborhood,” McAdoo said.

The services that the FARO provides were previously housed at Alameda Park. The Chapala Street location serves about 70 people a day.

Sander said his focus was inside the center and not enough outside the neighborhood, but the situation has gotten better.

“We’re making changes, real changes,” Sander said. “We want this to be a win for everyone. For the people we serve, the neighbors and for you, the City Council.”