AnonymousSource: County of Santa Barbara
Following on several recent new initiatives and collaboration focused on diversion, mental health and homeless services and facilities, called “transformative” by Board of Supervisors Chair Gregg Hart, today the County Board of Supervisors authorized staff to submit applications for state funding from the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) program.
Once awarded, the County will oversee an allocation of more than $2.1 million for the Santa Maria/Santa Barbara County Continuum of Care (CoC) and $1.9 million for the County’s program. A minimum of 235 households experiencing homelessness will be served, with 130 of those projected to receive permanent housing.
The state provided local Continuums of Care and eligible cities and counties with an allocation amount based on the official 2019 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Point-In-Time (PIT) count. The state application is due by February 15, with funding awards anticipated to be announced in April.
The dollars coming into the county for housing and services dedicated to homelessness is impactful. By offering separate allocations for local CoCs and the County, HHAP supports and encourages collaboration, joint planning and alignment toward specific needs countywide. The applications propose to use the new funding for rental assistance and rapid re-housing; incentives for landlords; outreach and coordination through a multi-disciplinary team consisting of staff from the Behavioral Wellness and Public Health departments, and the Public Defender’s Office; support for the creation of a Crisis Respite Navigation Center; and a set-aside of homeless youth funding for unaccompanied youth between the ages of 12 and 24.
“HHAP differs from other funding sources in that it requires proven approaches in addressing and preventing homelessness, and requires CoCs and local jurisdictions to engage in a thoughtful analysis to examine all resources currently deployed toward homelessness, and gaps in housing and service delivery,” said George Chapjian, Director of the County’s Community Services Department.
HHAP funding follows other new state funding to address homelessness including the Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP). HEAP has been contracted to eight local organizations and served more than 500 persons across the county experiencing homelessness in the first nine months of operation. For more information about County Housing and Community Development, go to http://www.countyofsb.org/
To learn more about County programming on homelessness, housing, behavioral health and public health, click on the links below.
Yesterday I was behind a homeless guy from the neighborhood at the grocery store. He was so loaded he basically fell asleep at the card swipe terminal. The cashier had to jolt him a few times asking him how he was going to pay. He just sat there in a daze. She then asked if he’d be paying with his EBT (state paid food card) and without a word, he pulled out a $10 bill. He then separated the two beers and bottle of vodka from the Gatorade he was buying. He put $10 on the beer and pushed the Gatorade first. She then asked if he was buying that on his EBT. He said nothing. Then he swiped the card like a band leader orchestrating a symphony. She scanned the Gatorade. Charged it. Then scanned the beers and vodka. So basically, that money he receives from generosity and off ramp panhandling? It’s going straight to his addiction. He has an EBT card for the infrequent times he buys food. And as much as people don’t want to hear this, this is real. I’ve donated my time, money and items to homelessness for many years. I’ve helped guys on the streets time and time again. The problem is not that we need a more college grads with their participation trophies sitting around talking about it. Nor is it for a few more beds and bigger buildings and more employees for people other than these addicts. The solution is to stop feeding the addiction. This kid glove policy gets nowhere and everyone knows it. Even those espousing that their careers are meaningful. You know, this recent homeless wasn’t about curing an illness. It was about creating more jobs to talk about it. Truly sad.
The Vagrant Industrial Complex hard at work. Lots of money to be made off vagrants.
How much will actually go to help homeless people? Or does it goes to pay salaries to keep poverty pimps rich?
Sorry people, but most of you voted these people in.
The statement glosses over some of the key expenses. the county plans to build a 20,000 sq ft facility for homeless. It is directly on Hollister near Page Youth Center. The plan has full support of the country and there have been absolutely no details. Note especially, that this is for permanent housing, mostly for those with serious mental problems. It is clear that these are homeless that are difficult. There is no space for, or plans for, on-sit activities. It appears that these homeless will walk the local streets for diversion. The shape of the parcel is outlined on Zillow.
The “have-nots”, the “cannots”, and the “will-nots”; these are the three catagories of “homeless”. Which of them, Chair Gregg Hart, will you subsidize? Wouldn’t the money be better spent on the many young people who just need a little bit of help, who work hard, who contribute, who make Santa Barbara a wonderful, creative, and exceptional place to live? Wouldn’t it be great if they could get a little bit of a boost, a leg up; maybe a month’s worth of groceries?
I firmly believe all that you’ll accomplish is the force of attraction- like a magnet bringing all the iron detritus to itself. “Hooray! We’re headin’ to Californ-I-A; to Sanna Barbra, where the gover-ment gives out everything for free!”
Would you be willing to stake your retirement fund to your actions?
,,,and the Money grap will begin, from the County of Santa Barbara to Sacramento and once the check is written to the County, the local “Homeless INC.” Adminsitrators will be fighting for their share…. And more vagrants from around the U.S. will continue to pour into CA…
The headline should be “County Seeks to Attract Homeless”
Yet, we all suffer the consequences of the libs that voted for more libs. We get the government we deserve.
I don’t know if you’re figure is accurate but so what if it is? I’m not saying don’t provide any services but rather asking why the services can’t be located in X, not in downtown Santa Barbara. If the taxpayers are paying for it, why can’t the services be located where the taxpayers want them not where they want them!!!!
Roger, you choice of words is sexually and emotionally offensive. Please consider using more appropriate language to express your opinions. Alliteration is seductive but only one step removed from the pun in intellectual rigor.
Why does homeless housing have to be in prime real estate areas? Why not out in Bakersfield, Mohave or Cuyama for example? If they want/expect FREE housing and food, it doesn’t mean it has to be provided in Santa Barbara does it? After all, if my tax dollars are going to be used, I should have some say in it…
You always have something to say about “it’. Vote. But those of us who support this sort of humane effort also get to “say” something. Looks like your dour attitude wasn’t the winner in this incident. Move on with some grace. And, the idea that poor people should be banished to places that you find unappealing not unlike the treatment of lepers and others suspected of being unclean in centuries past. Maybe a little education as to who the homeless are, where they came from, what their problems and limitations consist of, how they came to be homeless and why they can’t break out of their condition would open your eyes. But it is likely that you prefer anger and mean thoughts to actually knowledgeable positions.
RHS – Your homework assignment is to list everything we are already doing, both publicly and privately for these three groups you keep lumping together as “the poor” They are far more realistically identified as the have nots; can nots; and will nots. You continue your misrepresentation that little is being done, and some how doing more of the same will be better. Not buying your ill-informed accusation. In fact your mistaken accusations ultimately benefit only the already over-bloated Homeless Inc overhead, and disregards the huge welfare state we already support.
People always have the primary duty to provide for their own shelter. They also have the duty to go where the can provide their own legal shelter. The only state options are participation in a formal welfare program and/or state institutional housing, when one cannot provide for their own shelter due to valid mental or physical needs. Requiring others provide shelter and claiming it is their right, plus only on their terms, is ludicrous.
This is researched. Last I heard it was about 60%. But remember that many of the homeless in other communities came from here. We have sent some and received some. So this calculus is a seducer. Besides, the idea that we need only help “our own” denies that many from our community have a big head start and a lot more resource than do most in poverty areas.