The county invites interested community members to attend a virtual meeting, 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4 to learn about the design and development of new housing units associated with the county’s jail project.

The session will provide an overview of the project timeline, its current status, and an opportunity for the public to give design-related comments on the new housing units.

Key project goals to be discussed will be the renovation and downsizing of the Main Jail to serve solely as a booking and short-term holding facility, while expanding the Northern Branch Jail (NBJ) to integrate other Main Jail functions and increase housing capacity. This will improve operations and create a better environment for both staff and inmates, according to the county.

Attendees can register for the virtual meeting here.

According to the project, the Inmate Reception Center (IRC) at the Main Jail (South Jail), 4436 Calle Real, Santa Barbara, will be repurposed as a booking and pre-arraignment facility.

The Northern Branch Jail, a 133,000-square-foot facility at 2301 Black Road in Santa Maria, opened in 2022 with 376 beds. The county is designing new housing units to increase capacity to compensate for the reduction of beds at the Main Jail. This facility houses male and female inmates in medium- and high-security areas.

The Northern Branch Jail is designed as a predominantly direct supervision facility, where custody deputies work within the housing units 24/7, enhancing supervision and safety, the county said.

This model has proven to increase safety for inmates, staff, and visitors while allowing more meaningful interactions between inmates and staff, supporting rehabilitation efforts, the county said.

The Northern Branch Jail was designed and built to allow inmates with increased access to medical care, mental health care, educational opportunities and vocational opportunities to better prepare inmates for their successful return to their community.