The city of Goleta has secured $2.5 million in state funding to support improvements at the Goleta Community Center (GCC) and Goleta Valley Library.

The funds include $2 million for upgrades to childcare and preschool facilities at GCC, and $500,000 for renovations at the Goleta Valley Library.


The funding is included in AB 113, the Budget Act of 2026, authored by Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, and signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sept. 18.

The funding was secured with the support of Senate President Pro Tempore Monique Limón, Assemblymember Gregg Hart and Newsom, and will help improve these facilities which serve Goleta residents and community members of all ages, the city said.

“The Goleta Community Center and Goleta Valley Library are essential spaces that community members rely on for services like childcare and after-school activities,” said Limón. “I am proud to have secured funding to help modernize our library and community center which serve hundreds of Goleta children every year.

“By making the Goleta Valley Library more accessible, modernizing indoor spaces with technology, and replacing outdated classrooms at the community center we are investing in our children’s future,” she said.
 
“We are grateful to Senate President Pro Tempore Monique Limón and Assemblymember Gregg Hart for recognizing the importance of these facilities and supporting these projects,” said Goleta Mayor Paula Perotte.

“The community center and library mean so much to our community, and this funding will help ensure they continue to be welcoming and accessible places for Goleta residents and community members for years to come,” she said.

The Goleta Community Center, at 5679 Hollister Ave., is a hub for community programs and services. It is home to a variety of organizations and activities that serve residents of all ages and backgrounds.
 
Two longtime GCC tenants, Rainbow School and CommUnify, provide early childhood education and Head Start programming to local families. Their programs currently operate from portable buildings that have reached the end of their useful life and are in need of replacement, the city said.
 
The $2 million in state funding will support demolition and replacement of the two portable buildings, helping provide improved facilities for early childhood education and Head Start programs in the Goleta community.

The Goleta Valley Library, 500 N. Fairview Ave., has served the community for more than 50 years since opening in 1972. The facility is currently undergoing its first significant building improvements in decades as part of the Goleta Valley Library ADA, Safety, and Building Improvement Project.

The $500,000 in state funding will support renovations that bring the building up to current code standards and improve accessibility, safety and sustainability.

“The improvements are part of the city’s broader effort to preserve and modernize the library for current and future generations,” city officials said.

The Goleta Valley Library capital improvements are also complemented by the community-supported Writing the Next Chapter capital campaign, which opened in 2026 to support upgraded interior furnishings and other enhancements.

For more about the GCC, visit City of Goleta — Goleta Community Center. For more about the Goleta Valley Library project, visit Goleta Valley Library.