Santa Barbara County is blessed with a diversity of vital nonprofit organizations dedicated to improving the health, well-being, growth, civic leadership and compassion of our community.
Charitable giving and philanthropy are part of our identity, which is why Noozhawk is proud to support the nonprofit community through sponsoring local community organizations and events.
To showcase our support of the Community Resource Seminars , Noozhawk spoke with Meghan Robles, Senior Office Assistant at Housing Santa Barbara to learn more about their event.
Housing Santa Barbara
Question: What is the name and date of your event?
Answer: We are hosting the Housing Santa Barbara: Community Resource Seminars, on Saturday October 18th from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM, Wednesday October 22nd from 6:00 – 8:00 PM, and Wednesday October 29 from 6:00 – 9:00 PM.
Q: What is the mission, goal, and/or theme of this occasion?
A: As an organization, Housing Santa Barbara advocates for more affordable housing opportunities for all in our community. For the past seven years, we have hosted a free annual event for community members to connect with local non-profit agencies and service providers. However, this year we have adapted our annual efforts to better serve the current needs of the community and our partner agencies.
We are hosting the Housing Santa Barbara: Community Resource Seminars, which will be a series of informational presentations on affordable housing and financial empowerment resources in our community. Attendees will be able to ask questions and learn from local experts and we will have the updated Affordable Housing Resource Guide available for attendees to pick-up.
Q: Have you held this event before?
A: Yes, this will be our 8th annual event! Since 2018, we have organized an annual housing informational fair to bring together resources from throughout our community. This seminar series continues our mission of advocating for affordable housing opportunities for all members of the Santa Barbara community.
Q: Tell us some more details about your celebration?
A: The Housing Santa Barbara: Community Resource Seminars will take place over three days. We will host in-person and online seminars.
Habrá interpretación al español disponible. Additional information about each seminar can be found here.
In-person Seminars:
Saturday, October 18:
• 10:00 AM – Preparing to Buy a Home presented by Montecito Bank & Trust
• 11:25 AM – City & County Affordable Housing Units presented by the City of Santa Barbara & the County of Santa Barbara
• 12:30 PM – Down Payment Assistance presented by My Way Home
Wednesday, October 22:
• 6:00 PM – Tenant Rights & Responsibilities presented by Sierra Property Management
• 7:15 PM – How to Apply for Affordable Housing presented by the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara
Online Seminars**
Wednesday, October 29:
• 6:00 PM – Preapproved ADU Overview presented by the City of Santa Barbara
• 7:15 PM – Mindful Budgeting presented by Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV)
* All in-person seminars will be held at the Presidio Springs Community Room (721 Laguna Street, Santa Barbara).
**Online seminars can be accessed here.
Also, pick up the Affordable Housing Resource Guide for information about current available assistance to guide you in your search for housing.
Q: How do people get involved with your event? (volunteer, attend, etc.) – If your event includes ticket sales, please note the price and include a link to purchase tickets.
A: The Housing Santa Barbara: Community Resource Seminars are free events for all members of the public.
Q: Is this a fundraising affair? If so, how will the funds raised help your organization?
A: The Housing Santa Barbara: Community Resource Seminars are not fundraisers, but an opportunity for the community to receive resources to aid in their search for housing.
For those that would like to donate for more housing related events, please visit www.2nd-story.org.
Q: Who is sponsoring your event, and why is their support important?
A: Each year we partner with 2nd Story Associates to organize Housing Santa Barbara Day. 2nd Story Associates is a nonprofit corporation created to support the development of affordable housing and promote social services for the benefit of low-income members of the Santa Barbara community.
We also rely on support from our generous sponsors. Our sponsors this year include – The Fund of Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Foundation, The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Foundation, Montecito Bank & Trust, American Riviera Bank, Farmers & Merchant Bank & Noozhawk
We are also grateful for all of the seminar presenters – Montecito Bank & Trust, the County of Santa Barbara, the City of Santa Barbara, My Way Home, Sierra Property Management, the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara, and Women’s Economic Ventures.
Q: Do you work with an Event Planner? If not, who are the key people who make it all happen?
A: The Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara and 2nd Story Associates take the lead in planning this annual event. However, it would not be possible without the help of various individuals from multiple agencies and non-profits.
Q: Does your organization have any other upcoming events this year?
A: The Housing Santa Barbara: Community Resource Seminars are our only upcoming events, but throughout the year our website and social media accounts share current resources and upcoming community events. The Affordable Housing Resource Guide is always available for download on our website. It is available in both English and Spanish, and is filled with updated information on housing and supportive services throughout Santa Barbara County.
Q: What are you planning as a post-event follow up?
A: Our website, is available for visitors to learn more about our mission, access additional housing resources including our yearly Affordable Housing Resource Guide, and learn about any upcoming events.
Throughout the year, we continually update our website for visitors to receive the most up-to-date affordable housing news and answers to their housing questions. A collection of previous workshops and partner agencies publication materials are available on our website.
As well as the Affordable Housing Resource Guide listing local agencies and supportive services providers in our community that are committed to increasing affordable housing. We also regularly post on our social media accounts (Instagram & Facebook – @housingsantabarbara) to share community events and resources.
Change starts with action! As the Santa Barbara community, we can work together to improve affordability and increase housing opportunities for all.
To learn more about Community Resource Seminars click here!
If you would like to apply for Noozhawk’s 50/50 Match Sponsorship Program for your upcoming nonprofit event please click HERE to view our sponsorship application. The deadline for consideration is 30-45 days prior to the event. You can also contact our sales team at sales@noozhawk.com.