Low-income Seniors move into new homes in Santa Ynez

A new housing community has opened its doors to 60 senior citizens in need.

The seniors moved into the the Rona Barrett Foundation Golden Inn & Village in Santa Ynez in early December.

Barrett worked on the project to build the independent living units for low-income seniors for many years.

The Housing Authority of the County of Santa Barbara also played a big role.

The funding came from tax credits and money raised by the Rona Barrett Foundation.

The project cost 35 million dollars.

Barrett said the housing crisis in Santa Barbara County and across the country has created a dire need for this segment of the population.

“Nine-hundred people in about less than two weeks applied for residency. If we had four of these residencies, we still wouldn’t have enough,” Barrett said.

This is just the first phase of what Barrett calls the “campus”.

She plans to build an Alzheimer’s and assisted living facility on the same lot. Barrett said she will name it “Harry’s House” after her father.

To donate or learn more about the Rona Barrett foundation, click here.