Santa Barbara approves new funding for homeless services

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The Santa Barbara City Council just approved more than $200,000 for the homeless shelter run by People Assisting the Homeless, also known as PATH.
Directors of PATH are calling it, a “godsend.”

"It really is we were looking for additional funding to provide better services to the clients that we serve.
The fund will reserve up to seven beds a night for those referred by city contractors, staff, and service providers like the police department," said team member Jeff Woolever of PATH.

"With the seven beds comes housing services and a safe place of residence is healthy place for residents to lay their heads as well as healthy well balanced meals," said Castillo.

Directors at PATH hope this new funding will help connect those in need to case management and more. 

“Very excited yes because police are pretty critical partners in the community and often times they encounter people who are in need of health and services … so now we can be an extension and a support to the police department," said Woolever.

The fund will also support Neighborhood Navigation Centers through the S.B. Alliance for Community Transformation.

“I think every shelter in the Santa Barbara area needs a support but now more than ever," said Woolever.

PATH believes the new funding will help the shelter get more people off the streets.

"Something a lot of people don’t understand about homelessness the people we see every day want to help but they’re just not enough shelter capacity and supportive services available to them … and so the hope is that this city funding is really going to help address that need," said Castillo.