Housing Authority hosts Bella Vista Grand Opening Celebration in Santa Barbara

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) The Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara hosted a ribbon cutting and Grand Opening Celebration for its just completed rental housing project called Bella Vista.

The housing authority bought the 1.3 acre land that used to house medical offices seven years ago.

They built Bella Vista from the ground up.

It will soon be home to 47 families and a property manager.

Housing Authority CEO Rob Fredericks said it is one of several projects he gets to celebrate before retiring next year.

It includes a community room named after former Mayor Shiela Lodge, who died over the summer at the age of 97.

Her artwork is framed on the walls of the two-story space.

There is also a laundry room and an underground parking garage with charging stations.

HACSB Commission Chair Lisa Carlos said they made the design compliment the surrounding area that includes a red farmhouse building off N. La Cumbre Road.

Former Deputy Executive Director and Housing Commission Skip Szymanski was thrilled to see the finished one, two and three bedroom units.

"A lot of people were upset they were losing their doctors and dentists, but progress, and you couldn't get anything better than this," said Szymanski.

He credits the architect from The Cearnal Collective for making a couple of them two-story units.

They have GE appliances and balconies to let in the sunlight.

The residents move in next week.

They will also be supported by a number of family services to help them succeed.

For more information visit https://www.HACSB.org

Your News Channel will have more on the Bella Vista tonight on the news.