Santa Barbara County, in a joint application with the city of Santa Barbara, has been awarded $7,975,380 to tackle the issue of unsheltered homelessness in the region, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced.
The grant aims to link individuals currently living in vehicle encampments throughout the county to a housing solution.
The Encampment Resolution Funding encompasses various components, including funding for expanded vehicle-specific outreach teams.
The county and city intend to contract with New Beginnings’ Safe Parking Program to serve some 300 individuals.
The program will provide rental assistance; housing navigation; housing retention; connections to benefits, employment, primary and behavioral health care; and housing stabilization case management to help clients transition into and maintain permanent secure housing. The efforts will begin this summer.
“The number of people counted living in vehicles this past year increased by nearly 100,” said Board of Supervisors Chair Steve Lavagnino. “This substantial funding underscores the urgency of addressing this pressing issue head-on and will provide relief and long-term solutions.”
In addition to the city of Santa Barbara, Caltrans, and the cities of Goleta, Santa Maria and Lompoc also provided support for the state funding application.
“While our community has pioneered efforts to end vehicular homelessness through safe parking programs and other supportive services, the need for assistance has greatly increased,” said Assemblymember Gregg Hart. “With this significant State investment, we will be able to bring housing and hope to people in need, while also improving the quality of life in our neighborhoods.”
The Board of Supervisors, Continuum of Care and cities adopted a Community Action Plan to Address Homelessness in 2021, which outlines key strategies and action steps.
Since the plan was adopted, the number of beds dedicated to homelessness including interim, rapid rehousing, and permanent housing increased from 2,232 in 2021 to 3,002 in 2024. This represents a 35% increase.
In 2023, more than 1,400 people transitioned out of homelessness and into permanent housing.
Additional interim housing beds have been constructed in just the last couple months. The most recent interim housing community is La Posada, which will be opening its doors to residents in two weeks.
The 80-unit interim supportive housing community is located at the former County Juvenile Hall site on Hollister Avenue in Santa Barbara. It will be housing individuals living in encampments near the 101 freeway and railroad tracks in the immediate area.
Additionally, Hope Village, which opened in March in Santa Maria, offers 94 units, some with double occupancy of supportive housing. Hope Village provides services to North County transitional-age youth, recuperative/respite care, veterans, and unsheltered individuals.
Both interim housing communities provide 24/7 security, intensive case management for each resident, three meals a day, and mental and physical health care services.
“Hope Village has gotten me off the streets, keeping me safe, and helping me reconnect with my doctors,” said Hope Village resident Jessica. “I’ve made more appointments here than I have ever by myself. The staff are caring and outgoing.”
Preliminary results from the 2024 Point in Time Count of persons experiencing homelessness will be presented to the Board of Supervisors on April 23. A link to the presentation materials can be found here.
The count was conducted on Jan. 24 by the Santa Maria/Santa Barbara County Continuum of Care (CoC) with the assistance of the Santa Barbara Alliance for Community Transformation (SBACT), and serves as a snapshot of homelessness in the county on a single night.
Countywide, 2,119 people experiencing homelessness were counted, which represents a 12% increase from the 2023 PIT count of 1,887 people experiencing homelessness. The number of people counted increased from 2023 to 2024 across all count sectors.
Santa Barbara County and SBACT recruited some 450 volunteers to assist at 5:30 a.m. to canvas 89 census tracts across the county.
The methodology used since 2019 has remained consistent and is in alignment with national best practices and relies on geographic coverage over a four-hour period to reduce duplication.
A mobile application provided real-time data to logistics centers from volunteers out canvasing and counting. Sheltered population data comes directly from the Homeless Management Information System and data submitted by shelter providers.
The county uses mapping software to assist outreach teams in identifying encampments throughout the region and we partnered with New Beginnings Safe Parking Program to ensure a thorough vehicle count. The nature of the method and data allowed teams to more accurately count and interview those living unsheltered in previously hard-to-reach locations and vehicles in 2024.
The Point in Time Count and Housing Inventory Chart Report will be presented to the Continuum of Care on May 2. Results will be submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on or before April 30. PIT numbers are used by both the state of California and HUD for funding allocations.