County invites public to comment on proposed expansion of Northern Branch Jail

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. – The County of Santa Barbara is hosting a virtual meeting on Dec. 4, 2024, at 2:30 p.m. about design proposals for new housing units at the Northern Branch Jail.

Community members interested in learning more can register for the virtual meeting at this link.

According to the County of Santa Barbara, the proposal's goals include the renovation and downsizing of the Mail Jail to serve as the single booking and short-term holding facility and expanding the Northern Branch Jail's functions and housing capacity.

The virtual meeting about the proposal is a chance for the public to make inquiries about the design and submit their own feedback.

A final decision about the design will not be made during the meeting and a proposal will eventually be presented to the Board of Supervisors in 2025 clarified the County of Santa Barbara.

Currently, the Northern Branch Jail is a 133,000-square-foot facility on Black Road in Santa Maria that opened with 376 beds in 2022 and houses men and women in medium and high-security areas.

The image below, courtesy of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office, shows the first booking at the then-newly opened Northern Branch Jail.

The Northern Branch Jail was designed to predominantly be a direct supervision facility and intended to provide better access to medical and mental healthcare as well as educational and vocational opportunities explained the County of Santa Barbara.