A 29-unit studio project could be coming to downtown Santa Barbara.
The city’s Housing Authority wants to build the project at 110-116 East Cota St., which would house formerly homeless individuals, and provide wrap-around supportive services. The city’s Finance Committee on Tuesday approved a $2 million loan to the Housing Authority, from the city’s Housing Asset Fund, to help buy the property for the $14.8 million project. The Housing Asset Fund can only be used for affordable housing projects. The site is currently vacant.
“We have huge housing needs in our community, especially those targeting these lower-income neighbors who really face tragic consequences to not having access to supportive houseing,” said Ben Romo, a housing activist. “We have very few opportunities in the community to do anything of significance in terms of density and I think that every chance we have as a city we ought to take and really maximize those opportunities.”
The loan would be for over 30 years, with a 3 percent interest rate and a 90-year covenant. The project would be restricted to low-income tenants. The site is next to Plaza Vera Cruz.
“I couldn’t be more excited,” Councilwoman Meagan Harmon said. “This is one of the best things about being on City Council, it’s voting for projects like this.”
Councilwoman Alejandra Gutierrez said the project comes at a perfect time, particularly amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“The location is fantastic,” Gutierrez said. “During this time, we need something like this.”
The owner of the land previously had approved plans to build 15 residential units at the site, plus commercial space. The Housing Authority, however, offered to buy the land, make it more dense to house the formerly homeless, and turn the commercial land into supportive services and a manager’s unit.
“This is much-needed housing that will target homeless individuals,” said Laura Dubbels, Santa Barbara’s Housing and Human Services manager. “It will also have wrap-around supportive services as well.”
The full City Council must still approve the loan.
Coronavirus Relief Dollars
The federal government has given the city of Santa Barbara $530,774 to help respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, through the coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.
The council voted 7-0 to allocate 70 percent of the money to help people pay their rents, and 30 percent to help people with social services. The city plans to pass the money through to a community organization, with a preference for those with no administrative fees, to distribute the funds.
Councilwoman Meagan Harmon said the money would help change people’s lives.
“To have this moment, to have $500,000-plus to support people is really amazing,” Harmon said.
She said she gets so many emails and comments from people asking for help and this money allows the city to respond.
“It’s just like this miracle for us to be able to say ‘we can,’” Harmon said. “It’s like a Santa Barbara stimulus package going directly into the pockets of the residents of the city of Santa Barbara and their landlords.”
Council Approves Design Project For Eastside Bicycle Boulevard
The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve $249,563 in design services for the Vision Zero Eastside Green Lanes and Bicycle Boulevard Gap Closure Project.
Plans call for a bike boulevard on Alisos Street to provide an alternative to riding on Milpas Street.
According to the city, a bike boulevard is a “lightly trafficked street, no more than 1,500 vehicles per day, that favors through bike movements at intersections.”
Rob Dayton, the city’s transportation, parking and planning manager, said Alisos Street currently is not an attractive cycling route because of nine stop-sign controlled intersections with heavy cross traffic. The new bicycle boulevard will connect to new Cota and Haley streets buffered green bicycle lanes and a new on-street bike lane along Ortega Street connecting Santa Barbara Junior High and High schools and downtown.
The city received a $2.16 million State Active Transportation grant for the project.
Councilwoman Alejandra Gutierrez said she took a tour with Dayton and a staff member last weekend to see the Aliso Street project.
“There’s a huge bike movement citywide, especially in my district,” Gutierrez said. “A lot of the youth that were in the streets getting into trouble are now obtaining bikes from the neighborhood. This bike boulevard is coming at a perfect time.”
Dayton said the construction contruct for the project won’t be awarded until 2021.
— Noozhawk staff writer Joshua Molina can be reached at jmolina@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
