On Thursday, Garden Court Endowment and the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara presented plans for a new development at a Planning Commission hearing at Santa Barbara’s City Council Chambers.

Several Garden Court residents and Garden Court staff addressed the need and plans for the new development called the “Gardens on Hope.”

With one in every 14 seniors living in poverty in Santa Barbara, the “Gardens on Hope” will address this issue by providing housing, three meals a day, housekeeping, help with activities of daily living and social events to those seniors in need.

“We are very fortunate for the quality of life Garden Court provides for the elderly,” said Fatunah Alford, resident at Garden Court on De la Vina. “Many of us are living to a much greater age than our parents and grandparents, and feel like a burden to our families. Garden Court gives us peace of mind, happiness, friends and community. We are cared for.”

The “Gardens on Hope” will be situated on a 1.75-acre lot at 251 S. Hope Ave. and will consist of 90 to 100 studio units. It will be modeled after the Garden Court development on De la Vina.

“Our team believes the site is ideal given its proximity to stores, public transit and health services,” said Kevin Nimmons, Garden Court Endowment president. “We are committed to developing high quality rental units that anyone would be proud to live in — developments that fit within the surrounding areas and enhance the neighborhood.”

— Flannery Hill is a publicist representing Garden Court.