AnonymousSource: Housing Authority of the County of Santa Barbara
Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHVs) intended to help prevent and end homelessness are now available for Santa Barbara County residents in desperate need. Funded by the American Rescue Plan Act signed into law in March by President Biden, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) allocated $5 billion in funding for emergency housing vouchers to be distributed nationwide for housing the homeless. HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge said, “Homelessness in the United States was increasing even before COVID-19, and we know the pandemic has only made the crisis worse. HUD’s swift allocation of this $5 billion in American Rescue Plan funding reflects our commitment to addressing homelessness as a priority. With this strong funding, communities across the country will have the resources needed to give homes to the people who have had to endure the COVID-19 pandemic without one.”
The HUD award totals over $3,000,000, and will be used for vouchers that will be distributed countywide between the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara (HACSB) and the Housing Authority of the County of Santa Barbara (County Housing Authority). The EHVs will assist individuals and families who are homeless; at risk of homelessness; fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking or human trafficking or are recently homeless or have a high risk of housing instability.
“Santa Barbara is no stranger to the serious impacts of the pandemic, the high cost of living and the lack of clean, safe affordable housing for our most vulnerable populations who find themselves in dire circumstances with no permanent roof over their heads,” said Rob Fredericks, HACSB Executive Director/CEO. “We are keenly aware that the key to circumventing homelessness and poverty – as well as maintaining mental, physical and emotional health – begins with having a stable, secure place to call home. With this year’s accelerated rise in people being displaced in our community, the American Rescue Act funding will go a long way towards improving the lives of those who need it most.”
“The Housing Authority of the County of Santa Barbara is proud to be a partner with the City Housing Authority and the County’s Continuum of Care in our ongoing struggle to end homelessness,” said Bob Havlicek , HACSB Executive Director. “The newly designed Emergency Housing Voucher Program through the American Rescue Plan Act provides additional funds for rental assistance as well as supportive services to ensure the success of homeless families/individuals. Our agency remains committed to servicing and making a positive contribution for our county community as a whole.”
These Emergency Housing Vouchers will work similarly to other federal rental assistance programs. Housing vouchers are subsidies, paid directly to the landlord on behalf of participating households. Households then pay the difference between the actual rent charged by the landlord and the amount subsidized by the program. Because the affected families are in such great need, the program will also provide administrative fees to support housing authorities to address barriers to house people experiencing homelessness in partnership with providers. The program will fund landlord engagement, security deposits, and housing navigation to help prospective tenants find housing that suits their needs.
EHV program landlord incentives include:
- $1,500 signing bonus for each voucher leased up
- Up to $2,000 in protection insurance for each lease up
- One month’s security deposit provided for each lease up
- County of Santa Barbara to provide 3 years of supportive services for each client leased up
Mr. Fredericks and Mr. Havlicek encourage landlords in Santa Barbara County to strongly consider partnering with HACSB and the County Housing Authority to provide more affordable housing options for families looking for Section 8 housing. Mr. Fredericks stated that, “For over 25 years, the Housing Authority has worked to eliminate homelessness in Santa Barbara, one home at a time.” He emphasizes that, “We cannot do it alone. The new HUD funding will help to further our relationships with other public agencies, private landlords and new voucher holders. HACSB provides infrastructure for landlords to successfully secure great renters. They receive financial incentives and their rental income is guaranteed. Formerly homeless individuals and families who are newly housed can focus on improving their quality of life. It is an ideal partnership – a win-win for all.”
The vouchers become available July 1. To learn more about Emergency Housing Vouchers or if you are a landlord interested in partnering with the EHV program, please email leasing@hacsb.org for the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara or questions@hasbarco.orgfor the Housing Authority of the County of Santa Barbara.
And might I add, 6. drug and alcohol rehabilitation treatment.
Sac – I do have a complaint!! Here’s another three million dollars towards some vouchers instead of towards an actual long term solution for a large number of people. We aren’t solving this problem with infinite free housing vouchers…we need a mental health facility and something similar to the Rescue Mission.
It’ll get sucked up in 6 months. Not a complaint, just reality.
BASIC – maybe you’re completely wrong. Could be?
More good money down the drain, all more sound and fury signifying nothing. Ms Fudge, that is not “Biden” money you are handing out. It is our taxpayer money you decided to waste. Buy up the cheap houses in Trona, if you are serious about a permanent housing solution. Bus tickets to Detroit to buy the one dollar homes, with the promise to fix them up. That is the serious answer to “homelessness”. The rest of these temporary stop gaps are expensive publicity stunts. Nope, this does not translate as “feel good” money.
As long as there is no drug testing requirement this money is just being thrown down the tube.
Sac – A question:
Is there a number on the hotel plan that would have been too much for you? 10k per month per person was obviously too much for me (thus the constant complaints)…but is there a number where you would start to question it? I mean, there obviously has to be…so what is it? Would 20k per person per month be too much…30k…? What’s the number where it no longer pencils out and that money should be flowing towards an actual long term solution…?
Yep. And enabling is enabling, even if it comes from a sincere place of care and in intention to help. There is seldom a place for reality and pragmatism in the discussion.
Homeless folks are rational actors quite a lot of the time. So are drug addicts (quite a lot of the time). Until life is better off drugs than on drugs, the drugs will continue.
I’m not trying to convince anyone, I don’t think I can. But “housing first” has had some success.
I’ll only share the Wikipedia info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Housing_First
It’s not just about travelers. It’s about our neighbors too.
I simply want people to look into the idea.
I cannot figure out your opinion from this statement. I’m just curious, since you posted.
I had a Section 8 tenant for almost 20 years. I’m glad I could assist them, a woman and her daughter, who is now a CNA and intends to be a nurse. I know them. I’ve done a lot for them. The best investment I could make, and I will keep investing. (I hope I can hire them to care for me when I need it! ;-))
Oh. Duh. Yacht Rocked is, I think, against any rent subsidies. Most rental property owners have a decent to very good standard of living. Some like to pass that along. Others like to milk it — what I consider abuse it.
However condescending this may sound to the politically correct: I too am “correct.” These people are family. They needed help. I gave it because I could. That’s it.
Can you specify how your concern here relates to the general issue of vouchers?
And the specifics of this program?
Re-read the “EHV program landlord incentives” listed in the article. I hope it makes some landlords re-think… I am.
A good start. It should not take 3 million for the following:
1. Identify vacant lots and locations where homeless can be moved to.
2. Provide security at new homeless tent-cities.
3. Provide portable showers and toilets at sites.
4. Provide counseling services to give the economic homeless a step up into a job and home.
5. Provide mental health counseling services to connect the MH homeless with treatment.
County level of government is the best level, I believe, to address this issue adequately. State and Federal too ham-fisted and heavy-handed. Just send the finances and we will apply as appropriate.
Watcher – It’s 3 million in housing vouchers…
The condensed version of the article is that the County is receiving another $3,000,000.00 in taxpayer money to provide “Emergency Homeless Housing”. It goes on further to say that the Housing Authority has worked to eliminate homelessness for 25 years (how many years is needed?). It seems like the more effort and money that is expended the larger the problem gets. This is a growing industry with no end in sight. Converted hotels, motels, section 8 housing, county owned apartments, food banks, showers, non-profits, counseling, needle exchange, fires, encampment clean-ups and the list goes on and the situation deteriorates. Progress is not being made. Obviously I don’t know the solution to the problem, if I did I would state it. But it’s clear that what we are doing as a community is not working. Hand-outs for ever is not an incentive to become self supporting. We are the victims of “Build it and they will come.” The cities and county need to try a “Tough Love” policy of responsibility and accountability in dealing with the homeless. Help them to help themselves. Let’s end the free ride on the taxpayer’s dime.
Yin – My concern is that by handing out these vouchers, we’re pushing the working families who are struggling to live here (and by here that often means Lompoc or Oxnard and commuting in) down the housing voucher wait list. We don’t have limitless housing…I don’t see how housing vouchers for the homeless in SB makes any sense. Maybe the vouchers are for Santa Maria or Lompoc housing though…
A $3 million bandaid
All you people looking for “affordable housing” in Santa Barbara are now in direct competition with the “homeless” for those units which now being heavily subsidized by the US government to the tune of $3 million dollars. However, please take note how much of this $3 million dollar subsidy goes for “administrative overhead and wraparound services’. (Homeless Inc takes its healthy cut)
Did you express these valid concerns to Salud Carbjal’s office and what was his response?
When the current head of the Santa Barbara Housing Authority is quoted saying “I think we can all agree that the only solution to homelessness is a home”, you have just heard the voice of a megalomaniac empire builder. Vote of no confidence in this director is required, and city council must ask for his resignation immediately before he continues to inflict more damage on our community. BTW: the SBHA Director’s taxpayer-funded compensation package for 2019 was $296,890.