Santa Barbara County Supervisors Approve Northern Branch Jail Expansion

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. (KEYT) – During Tuesday's Board of the Supervisor meeting, an expansion plan was approved by Santa Barbara County Supervisors to add roughly 384 beds to the Northern Branch Jail.

The plan to expand the smaller Santa Maria facility was approved in a 4-0 vote. The county's main jail is bigger, but is deteriorating in quality. As a result, the county will be limiting the number of beds in the mail jail and its intake services.

The project will cost more than $138 million dollars, with construction to begin taking place next year until July 2029.

The debate on whether to go forward with the jail expansion was a hot topic between community members. Supporters, including Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown, say expansion is necessary to address overcrowding and maintain safety inside the jail. Critics, however, suggested the money be put elsewhere and warned that expanding the jail could deepen the county’s financial challenges at a time when budgets are already strained.

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