A 60-unit building – which is currently a Super 8 Hotel in Goleta – has been earmarked to provide permanent supportive housing for persons who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness.
The County of Santa Barbara and Goleta City Council approved $600,000 in funds toward the project’s local capital match.
Kimberlee Albers, Homelessness Assistance Program Manager at Santa Barbara County says it’s a significant step forward for the project.
"Permanent supportive housing is something we've identified as a critical need for persons experiencing homelessness specifically in the Goleta area as well as across Santa Barbara County," she told KCLU.
"We are excited about the potential to have 60 additional units coming on-line," she added.
The local capital matching funds enables the Housing Authority of the County of Santa Barbara to apply for a $16 million state Homekey grant.
If the application for approximately $16,097,500 in Homekey grant funds is awarded, the County will contribute $3,047,501 in matching funds for capital costs.
Homekey is a California program to purchase and rehabilitate housing, including hotels, motels, vacant apartment buildings and other properties, and convert them into permanent, long-term housing for people experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness.
