Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara hosts Housing Santa Barbara Day 2024
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Santa Barbara County residents are getting a chance to participate in Housing Santa Barbara Day 2024 this weekend.
Happening from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 19 at Santa Barbara’s De La Guerra Plaza, the free event is hosted by 2nd Story Associates, the non-profit affiliate of the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara (HACSB).
The Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara is seeing the effects of the housing crisis among locals every day.
"We are literally living through a housing crisis nationally, and nowhere is that worse than right here in our own city of Santa Barbara. We need to do more," said executive director Rob Fredericks of the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara.
This year, the agency is experiencing a growing number of calls from locals seeking housing support in Santa Barbara.
"I have over 7,000 households on our waiting list locally that need housing assistance now their rent burden they’re on the verge of losing their home," said Fredericks.
This weekend, the community is invited to the annual Housing Santa Barbara Day offering free housing resources for county residents.
One of those resources participating is CommUnify.
"What we’re seeing now is people are just struggling to pay basic bills rent and housing is a really big issue for most of our families and we’re offering the supportive services to help them be able to relate funds to such things as medical food and housing," said director of community services Kemba Lawrence of CommUnify.
The housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara hopes anyone in need of information related to housing will come to this community event.
"I hope is that the families come out find the valuable information start to build community and access to services … be able to maintain and attain new housing and to just be part of a secure family in the community," said Lawrence.
"It’s more than just housing. it’s about the entire well-being of a family or individuals life and it goes beyond just housing," said Fredericks.
Attendees will get to learn about career planning, affordable home ownership, housing application assistance, and other related topics.
"The first step is providing the connection and that is what my hope is," said Fredericks.
The Housing Santa Barbara Day is on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the De La Guerra Plaza.
The focus of this housing event is to connect community members with local affordable housing non-profits and service providers.
Visitors can participate in workshops covering Career Planning, Affordable Home Ownership, Housing Application Assistance, Down Payment Assistance, Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU), and Financial Literacy.
There will be trolley tours showcasing affordable housing developments.
This year, HSBD will feature more than 30 community agencies and service providers.
These groups include:
Alpha Resource Center (Alpha Family Resource Center & Alpha Family Empowerment Center)
CAUSE (Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy)
Channel Islands YMCA – Youth & Family Services
City of Santa Barbara Fire Department (Office of Emergency Services)
City of Santa Barbara, Community Development Dept.
CommUnify
Department of Social Services
Disability Rights California
Domestic Violence Solutions
Family Service Agency
Gardens on Hope/Garden Court
Good Samaritan Shelter
Habitat for Humanity of Southern Santa Barbara County
Independent Living Resource Center
League of Women Voters of Santa Barbara
New Beginnings
North Santa Barbara County United Way / AmeriCorps Partnership
Partners in Housing Solutions
PATH
People’s Self-Help Housing
Rental Housing Mediation Program
Salvation Army, Santa Barbara
Sanctuary Centers’ Integrated Health Clinic
Santa Barbara Community Housing Corporation (SBCHC)
Santa Barbara County Fire Safe Council
Santa Barbara County Housing & Community Development
Santa Barbara County of Behavioral Wellness
Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics
Santa Barbara Public Library
Santa Barbara Rental Property Association
SB ACT
SBCC School of Extended Learning
Transition House
For more information about the event, visit https://housingsantabarbara.org/.
For more about 2nd Story Associates, visit www.2nd-story.org.
Learn about HACSB at hacsb.org.
