The doormats simply say “welcome home” or similar greetings.
Inside, the 94 rooms have various features provided by community groups and individuals who stepped up to turn the small boxy spaces into homes.
On Saturday, approximately 150 people, at one point shouting “welcome home,” gathered to celebrate completion of the Hope Village interim supportive housing community at 2131 Southside Parkway on vacant land at the county’s Betteravia Government Center in Santa Maria.
“I can tell you that this is the most unique project that we have ever done,” said Matt Riley, advisory board member for the nonprofit Dignity Moves, which spearheaded efforts to create Hope Village.
“The multi-disciplinary nature of having respite care, units for young adults, veterans and the scale of this project is unique and will serve as a model for communities throughout California and potentially throughout the United States,” Riley said.
Some units will house certain groups — veterans, recently released hospital patients without homes, and former foster children needing help transitioning from the system.
The ceremony included actor Duane Henry — of NCIS, Captain Marvel and Hallmark movies — serving as emcee, recalling once being homeless and vowing to provide a helping hand to others when he could.
It took political will, philanthropic funding and a broad partnership, speakers said, to create the 94 homes. Hope Village is designed to provide clients access to assorted services while serving as a stepping stone to permanent housing for people now living on the streets or riverbed in the Santa Maria Valley.
Talks about the political will needed to create the village prompted high-fives among three members of the Board of Supervisors — Steve Lavagnino, Bob Nelson and Joan Hartmann.
“This is going to be a project that could conceivably solve the issues here in the Santa Maria Valley for those that are unsheltered,” Nelson said, adding it won’t completely eliminate homelessness.
Santa Barbara County provided $1 million toward the $7.5 million in capital costs for the village and pledged $8.5 million for services needed to transform lives across Hope Village’s five years of operations.
“Why this level of commitment? Because these beds are critical to our shared success as they are a dignified, tangible and outcome-focused tool,” Lavagnino said, adding Hope Village is one of several strategies addressing homelessness countywide.
Hope Village follows another on Garden Street in downtown Santa Barbara. La Posada, a third village with 80 homes at 4500 Hollister Ave., could open as soon as April.
In addition to Dignity Moves and the county, the project involved Marian Regional Medical Center, Fighting Back Santa Maria Valley, the Balay Ko Foundation, Good Samaritan Shelter and a number of other organizations and agencies.
“I don’t know that we can ever begin to explain to you the gift that the Balay Ko Foundation has given to us not only financially but morally, spiritually and emotionally,” Dignity Moves’ Jack Lorenz said of the organization that has donated millions of dollars for projects to end homelessness.
Hope Village aims to do what many other homeless shelters can’t or don’t, including provide residents a secure place to keep their belongings and a safe place accepting of pets. Some units include double beds so couples can remain together.
Along with rooms, the site includes a community kitchen plus communal but private bathrooms.
“Each of the residents that will be here will receive intensive case management and will have an exit plan to permanent housing,” Good Sam’s Sylvia Barnard said, adding residents can stay at Hope Village for up to one year.
Calling a smaller village in Santa Barbara “extremely successful,” Barnard said some 70% of the residents there have transitioned into stable and permanent housing.
Clients served are “somebody’s somebody,” Barnard said, with Fighting Back’s Edward Weaver agreeing.
“It’s not for those people. It’s for our people. It is for our children and our folks who grew up here and for whatever reason found themselves in a really tough spot,” Weaver said.
To prepare for the future residents, individuals and organizations decorated rooms to give them personality. Santa Barbara County Action Network’s Ken Hough and Jeanne Sparks added pink flamingos near the doorstep, bedding and more along with dog food and toys.
“Just to watch the community come out in force to adopt these units says something about Santa Maria. All these units were adopted almost immediately,” said Lavagnino, currently chair of the Board of Supervisors.
“Thank you for embracing this project and trusting in us to provide a safe and a beautiful addition to our community that will help our most vulnerable and make our community a better place to live,” Lavagnino said.
