Edhat Staff
The New Beginnings’ Safe Parking Program was the focus of a recent episode of HBO’s VICE focused on the hidden homelessness crisis.
The episode aired on Wednesday and aimed to bring to light the increasing number of Americans forced to live in their vehicles.
“There is a shortage of affordable housing in every state in the country, but it’s especially bad in California — where there’s only one affordable housing unit for every five extremely low income households,” reports VICE. “The gap is not only pushing more and more people out onto the streets—it’s also creating a new, fast-growing, and hidden class of homelessness: People who in the past would have been able to afford a room or apartment but now live in their cars by necessity.”
The episode follows local woman Danielle Williams, a single working mother who has been living in her van with her daughter for five years and uses the Safe Parking Program provided by Ne Beginnings.
The Santa Barbara section of the episode is available below:
Not sure why some of these folks choose to stay here instead of moving to any of the 1000’s other nice places in the USA. There are many nice places where one can rent a decent apartment for $500 a month and where jobs are plentiful. Most people are making choices and / or sacrifices for some other reason in order to be here.
To those who have stated (and will continue to state) “Then move somewhere else, why stay here?” There are many reasons. Perhaps they have an ailing parent/child/partner in this area and are trying to help caretake, or maybe that person cannot physically handle a move and their doctors and meds are all here. Maybe their current job is specific to this area and they can’t or are having a hard time finding work elsewhere. Maybe they don’t have a support system to help them with finances like a lot of us do. Maybe they would love to leave the area but don’t have the money or savings to move and can’t find another job elsewhere. There are so many reasons why people stay, these are just a few off the top of my head. Perhaps you all should watch this full episode and have some compassion as it could be you one day.
Apropos of nothing in particular – After googling Ms. Williams we see that she started a Go Fund Me site for herself in July. Also, it doesn’t seem that she has any particular tie to our area since her LinkedIn profile shows numerous jobs around the western U.S. over a number of years. Thus, as is or will be noted (without malice,) perhaps a fresh start in a new location can work for her now that the segment shows she is continuing her education in L.A.
I’ll take living out of my car in SB any day than cheap housing in some backwater town.
The vast majority of homeless have plenty of money for booze, weed, cigarettes, piercings, tattoos, and a penchant for being loud know-it-alls. The reason they stay here is because we treat them well, as compared to say Prescott, AZ. Maybe establish a pop-up store to house these peeps….charge tourists a dollar and a half just to see ’em…two bits extra for a photo.
The lady in this video doesn’t appear to have “booze, weed, cigarettes, piercings, tattoos,” etc…. Hard to focus today?
There are thousands of open jobs in places like Canton, OH. This is just one place that I can personally confirm. These places have jobs that pay at least $18/hr for entry level workers and the cost of living is very low relative to Santa Barbara. If you have any skills (truck driver, cook, typist, any mechanical, any financial, any office) you can make well above $50,000 per year. That is not a typo. To remain employed one has to show up on time, be sober, and do what your supervisor tells you to do. There’s no catch. Unfortunately it is very challenging these days to hire in Canton due to an employee’s failure to maintain one of the requirements.
Gee whiz, it’s so easy to judge other people, with no sign of compassion.
@ ODDS BODKIN
She has a common name. There are 4,306 Danielle Williams on Linkedin. Are you sure you have right one?
Compassion is a *feeling,* Coast Watch. It doesn’t cost you a thing, require any action, or take away anything from anyone else. We can each decide what to do with it, if anything. Sometimes, it means just not being an @**hole.
MAS GAVIOTA – Yes.
I have compassion for humans and horses. But you can only lead them to water.
What a tough situation for all. I get both sides…let’s obviously have compassion for these people as it can happen to any of us and we should all try to help or come up with solutions and the other side of my brain says why is it Santa Barbara’s responsibility/problem to house people in affordable houses or parking lots especially ones that were not residents prior to becoming homeless?
lots of comments turn a blind eye to the actual problem. Housing is not affordable to many here, regardless of “you should live where you can afford” statement, some people have been here long before you got here. Some have helped build this town into what you are so happy to exploit with high rents and an elitist attitude. If the trend continues, NO ONE will be able to afford housing here. All your employees, all your teachers, doctors, trashmen, waiters etc. They wont be here, as they cant afford it. so who will do your dirty work for you?
how bout you leave, and we will gladly take back the city we built and enjoy it without the high rents and ridiculous attitudes.
Roll call: anyone on this thread actually born here in sb other than me?
Compassion doesn’t come easy to sociopaths.
She works and goes to school in Santa Barbara. How is she, a homeless woman, supposed to find a job in Lompoc? The right wing comments are not just lacking in compassion, they are lacking in intelligence and intellectual honesty.
According to the segment, she no longer lives here but has now moved to a parking space in North Hollywood while she goes to school full time. Her LinkedIn profile describes her desire for a part time job in Los Angeles while she goes to school.
“What a tough situation for all.” — Um, no. It’s a hard situation for this woman and her daughter; it’s not a tough situation for the sociopaths sniping at them. “why is it Santa Barbara’s responsibility/problem” — it’s called “civilization”. And it’s Santa Barbara’s problem because there are homeless people here, just as it’s every city’s problem where there are homeless people. That’s how problems work — they wouldn’t be problems if they weren’t a problem. “especially ones that were not residents prior to becoming homeless?” — But they were.
Born and raised. Many of my school pals and other friends born here have moved to other states or other parts of CA. It is what it is. Some people don’t like the way Santa Barbara has changed, some people go where the jobs are. Some people just can’t afford to live here. One of my from out of state friends, about 10+ years ago, decided he would try living in his Van. He had a job, he had enough money to rent. He just thought he’d be cool and save money. I caught him coming onto my property to use my water and electricity. Eventually, he went back to his home state and is happy there. Not every one can afford to live here. There are other places for them to live. I don’t think we should be subsidizing those who won’t work. I don’t think we should allow developers to ruin Santa Barbara and say it’s so that we can provide “affordable housing.” Santa Barbara is not affordable for a reason. It has been discovered. Everyone wants to live here (except the locals who have left in disgust at all the change). I feel for the mentally challenged, but this “unsheltered” and/or living in one’s vehicle thing has been going on for a while. It’s not going to get any better either. It’s happening all over the USA. Our City needs to crack down on the sleeping in doorways, the panhandling, the public urination. If Santa Barbara got tough on the panhandlers, they would move on. Get tough on those living in vehicles.
It’s easy to feel so righteous and emotional about cause but do nothing about it. If you are dedicated to the struggle of these people living in their cars, I highly encourage you to go to the parking lot of the church at 5 AM and bring food and clothes to the people. Bring them money, a cell phone and some lines on jobs and mentor them to get back on their feet. There are real life things that you can do to get involved that don’t include merely typing out what your emotions make you feel. Back up your words with actions and get out there and do something if this is what you feel. If all you got to say is how great the services are in this community for homeless, and that you support it, you’re really doing nothing. Now there’s a reality to it, imagine if Montecito was trying to integrate the homeless into their community. With that in anyway be accepted? There needs to be limits and rules and regulations when things start to affect society as a whole. Homelessness is affecting our society in this community in a negative way, not if you live up in the hills and you’re separated from it… you obviously have no issues. For the people that live in the neighborhoods and own businesses that are affected by it and deal with on a daily basis, it’s a completely different story and it is an issue.
Somehow, I don’t think this woman wanted this situation for her and/or her daughter. I agree that she still is installing in her daughter to try everything to avoid being in this situation. Not knowing her background, it’s hard to say that part of the reason is that she has ‘burned bridges’ in her past. Maybe any ‘bridges’ she might have had aren’t in a position to help her, or are no longer alive.
SB has more subsidized Section 8 and non-profit (property tax exempt housing) than any place. Build and students, out-of-Towners, retirees and foreigners will come. Subisidized housing paid for, and supported for 40 years by taxpayers, often goes to foreigners, illegal entrees and overstays, and change migration families coming to join families. .That’s the way WE want it in Santa Barbara. We are willing to take care of others rather than our own, who we know. It would be beneficial to optionally Survey SB residents cross sorted by age, number of years in SB County, number of years in CA, whether a US Citizen, Visa holder, parent of a minor citizen, or other. Ask fo you rent or own. If rent is it a tax exempt non-profit rental property of taxable property. The asl If respondant holds a Section 8 certificate. All Section 8 holders PLUS those living in tax exempt properties are subsidized by the rest of us who struggle to pay our water bills, extremely high sales, property and state income taxes , leaving us for food costs $3 or less per day per person. Is it moral for the growing numbers of those on the edge to subsidize others? No easy answers when there are too few facts.
I bet over 40% of south SB County residents live in housing subsidized in some form. All student housing, and most every retirement communites are off the property tax rolls. The majority of SoCoadt police, social service, and fire/ ambulance calls go to students, to retirement communities and rental units paying no tax. There’s no answer other than to encourage people to live where they can afford to live. When the affluent can’t get needed help, they will again take in boarders. Some say ADU and AUD Concepts are modern day boarding houses.
cool story matt, I never asked for government aid to survive. If you read my post you will actually see the point I was making. You can yell, you can scream but the problem will continue and persist. The landlords owning most of SB now are NOT locals, they raise rents regardless of if the community can sustain it. I bought a 1982 toyota corolla, I like it, I think its cool. BUT, I would not force my stupidly expensive old run down car purchase on someone else because I paid too much for something made in the 80s ( mortgage argument almost all home owners say, ” I have to pay my mortgage!”). get it? low pay jobs, who is referring to low paying jobs? I make WAY more than minimum wage and cant afford to live here. Jobs are meant to provide you with a way to provide a life for yourself. if you work 80hrs a week a taco bell, where is the extra time to “find better work” or have a life? we dont live to work.
if you cant support yourself with a job, yet the job you are doing is allowing a business or corporation to be successful and thrive. then that job is not meeting the standards it should, everyone should be able to pay for a roof over their heads, especially in the city they support. I promise you if you didnt own a home yourself, you would be singing the same tune. Its so far from feasible for a city to have rents so high that the citizens cant actually live in it.
Compassion Hooey you have none.
When I worked at Jolly Tiger a homeless woman would come in for coffee and smoke her cigarettes. She explained that a meal would be gone in an hour, whereas the pack of cigarettes would last her days. Not sure why I’m reminded of this. That was decades ago literally. Not a new problem.
This isnt binary. Its not one or the other. You can have compassion and be firm and strict. They are not mutually exclusive ideals.
The idea that you have a birthright to this place is the exact opposite of what America was founded and built upon and its bull. So many “Locals” are snobs, they are not nice, friendly or welcoming. They have attitude and shelter themselves. In America you have the option, the choices to move anywhere in this country and start a new. There are SO MANY nice towns and places in this country that dont cost a fraction of SB. But you would have to sacrifice. And most of its seems would not exchange their flip flops and self congratulations for a parka and a little peace. Those who truly need help are not the bums you see downtown or along Cabrillo. The word travels fast on the Hippie Highway. People know of our friendly weather, culture and endless services, and so they come. In cars, in RV’s.
I wish people were honest instead of so judgemental. Your so-called compassion is misdirected empathy that you turn into hate. Maybe you should take the energy you exude towards the “other side” and turn it towards the very people who you think need compassion. Teach them to fish and get off your soap box…
How crass. This “tude” is exactly what SB is known for… and the homeless.
“Selective compassion” is most definitely a bi-partisan issue. You’re all a bunch of freakin hypocrites m.
There were always some homeless here, just more now. I have compassion, am 4th generation (family came in 1894) and don’t live off “parents’ good deeds”. I’m just lucky I’m so old we were able to buy an affordable home 42 years ago (cheapest on the market), couldn’t afford living here now. At least the woman being discussed here is working toward making life better for herself and her daughter who will learn much from her mother about dedication to getting out of their situation.
I hope what she learns from her mother is this: I will never-ever-ever put myself or my family or my dogs in this situation, I am going to do anything and everything to avoid this, and I will not follow in my mother’s footsteps no matter what. I really hope the daughter does well, and can help her mother out. Family is so important, but maybe this woman has no one she can ask to help her out in this dire situation. It’s possible though that all bridges have been burned.
20% of all housing units in Santa Barbara are subsidized… SB is not a healthy community.
We are living in another era of great disparity between rich and poor. It is harder than ever to be
homeless. I grew up here. In better times than now, my first job at Devereaux didn’t cover college loans nor rent. My best friend lived in a tiny studio working days and I worked nights, so I could use her shower during the day and have regular meals “at home” while sleeping and “living” in the car . In three months, got a great job, got on my feet and girlfriend and I moved into an apartment. Although many years ago, the struggle of that time has helped me to realize that there are as many stories as there are homeless. Some stay and “make it” here and those that don’t, eventually move on. Non profit healthcare and mental health systems have disappeared. Today the poor and struggling are mostly on their own, so it is much harder. Perhaps we can work on the social service network, improve our health care and mental health programs to first world standards, and bring in jobs programs to lift all boats. Like the great depression.
“Subsidized housing paid for by taxpayers for chain migration family members”….don’t talk about Melania like that…..
This canard is repeated by all the apologists in town who refuse to recognize the meanness of Santa Barbara policy. The “subsidized housing” is heavily for the elderly which is a population that few criticize and many younger people use for their parents and relatives. There is almost no housing for the middle aged person who is at the bottom end of our social scale with no family contacts, a history of bad choices and no resources. We create these folks too but we tell ourselves that they come from other places. Section 8 housing has a 5 year or so waiting list. The new “affordable” housing being built as part of the ridiculous growth of condos in town demands a down payment of hundreds of thousands of dollars. This is not in the reach of even the moderately well off poor. The apartments in this same category are FEW and costly. We restricted the city shelter to a few acceptable homeless and ignored the others. We need to create, in conjunction with the rest of the south county, walk-in shelters dispersed across the community.
This is unconscionable in America. What has become of us? This is why rent control is so desperately needed. This is what happens when the greedy are allowed to grossly profiteer off our basic necessities like housing, and enrich themselves with this “passive income” (meaning they don’t have to work for it) they so love to brag about, while hardworking families struggle to keep a roof over their heads. This is what causes decent societies to collapse. Do we want to end up like India, or Mexico, with shanty towns surrounding wealthy enclaves and starving beggars at our gates? If we continue on this destructive path we’re on, that’s how we’ll end up in ten years, maybe less. Vote for Rent Control, bring our society back to how it was before Reagan and Gray Davis started this destructive path we’re on. We can start by reinstating rent control and raising taxes on those “passive income” profits to the point that it’s no longer worth it for them to gouge hard working families to fund their yachts and world travels. THEIR taxes can then be used to help the homeless get a home – especially those with children.
Our taxes are basically subsidizing the wealthy who invest in housing to profiteer off the struggling.