Amy Reinholds
According to this year’s Housing Affordability Report from the Santa Barbara Foundation, the Santa Barbara-Santa Maria region has the fifth highest housing cost in the state, “which leaves the majority of our community members precariously housed.”
Depending on your specific situation, your biggest roadblocks to finding affordable housing in the area might center around anything from landlord-tenant issues, to challenges with credit scores, saving for a down payment to purchase a home, or determining if and how you can qualify for a mortgage.
Housing Santa Barbara Day, this Saturday, October 14, from 10 a.m. to 2p.m. at De La Guerra Plaza, offers free workshops on most of these affordable housing topics. In addition, more than 30 local affordable housing agencies and service providers will have free information tables.
The schedule for workshops includes sessions on tenant rights, rental mediation, affordable home ownership, down payment assistance, preparing to buy a home, and budgeting:
- 10 a.m.: Tenant Rights & Responsibilities, Tent 2
- 10:30 a.m.: Affordable Home Ownership, Tent 1
- 11 a.m.: Rental Housing Mediation, Tent 2
- 11:30 a.m.: Down Payment Assistance, Tent 1
- 12 p.m.: Preparing to Buy a Home, Tent 2
- 12 p.m.: Mindful Budgeting, Tent 1
Hosted by 2nd Story Associates, Housing Santa Barbara Day also includes opportunities to speak with elected officials and to enjoy music, activities for kids and families, and local food vendors.
2nd Story Associates is a nonprofit affiliated with the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara. Created in 2007, its mission is funding and developing affordable housing and promoting related social services for low-income families, seniors, and disabled members of the Santa Barbara community.
Housing Santa Barbara Day 2023 from Housing Santa Barbara on Vimeo.
Housing Santa Barbara Day is sponsored by the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara as well as others including the Santa Barbara Foundation, and the Santa Barbara Community Housing Corporation.
Other agencies and service providers that will be at this year’s Housing Santa Barbara day include:
- Housing Authority of the County of Santa Barbara
- Santa Barbara County Housing & Community Development
- People’s Self-Help Housing
- Partners in Housing Solutions
- PATH
- Transition House
- Habitat for Humanity
- City of Santa Barbara Rental Housing Mediation Program
- Central Coast Alliance for a Sustainable Economy
- Santa Barbara Rental Property Association
- Tri-County Independent Living Resource Center
- Disability Rights California
- CHANCE Housing
- Tri-Counties Regional Center
Calling it the largest affordable housing fair in Santa Barbara County, 2nd Story Associates describes Housing Santa Barbara Day as a way to connect people to resources that are available. The community aspects of the day with family activities, music, and food, aligns with the long-term goal the host and sponsors have for building a stronger community through affordable housing.
According to a video on the Housing Santa Barbara website, “When you have a family that lives where they work, it really builds community.”
For more information, see housingsantabarbara.org.
