The Channel Islands YMCA is renovating its Haley Street youth and Family Center, the organization’s newest facility in Santa Barbara that will serve homeless people ages 18 to 24.
The facility, at 701 E. Haley St., is a former fire station that the YMCA is renting from the City of Santa Barbara.
Jennifer Heinen-Stiffler, chief operating officer for the Channel Islands YMCA, said the hope is that the facility will be up and running by November.
The center will not offer beds or housing, but it will have counseling available to help young adults reach their goals, whether completing their education or seeking employment and long-term housing.
It also will offer drop-in services such as laundry access, toiletries, food basics, and a place for people to check their email, store their property and have packages shipped.
Heinen-Stiffler said the center will be able to assist 250 people a year.
She added that it’s important to have such centers specifically for young adults because homelessness for that age group doesn’t present like adult homelessness.
There are 1,962 people experiencing homelessness in Santa Barbara County, as of a count done in February, that’s an increase of 3.4% from the previous year.
“With adult homelessness, you have the classic picture of somebody standing on the side of the street, somebody’s sleeping in a park, etc., but youth are so much different,” Heinen-Stiffler said. “Youth couch surf, youth sleep in cars, they sleep in coffee shops. They’re floating between family members and things and friends for as long as they can. Youth also just try their best to be hidden as well.”
In 2018, Santa Barbara County’s rate of homeless youths was the highest in California, with 13.9% of public school students experiencing homelessness. That rate was more than three times the statewide rate of 4.5%, according to KidsData.
— Noozhawk staff writer Grace Kitayama can be reached at gkitayama@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.