Community Forums to Address Housing and Homelessness

Staff Report

 

The public is invited to attend one or more community forums to address housing and homelessness. The County of Santa Barbara is hosting three forums in Santa Maria, Santa Barbara and Lompoc on October 28, 29 and 30, respectively. 

The County’s Phase I Community Action Plan to Address Homelessness was adopted by the Board of Supervisors on June 18, 2019. The report was developed in collaboration with a diverse group of partners and stakeholders in the system of care, and resulting goals focused on increasing access to housing and the necessary services to maintain that housing, preventing homelessness whenever possible, developing adequate supports for the unique and individual sub-populations experiencing and at-risk for homelessness, and improving the future systemic response, including data sharing and collective planning.

 

The goal of Phase II is to create a detailed implementation plan that outlines specific steps expanding on Phase I strategies. The meetings with key stakeholder groups and regional community meetings will help inform Phase II.

 

The purpose of these forums will be to:

• Share demographic trends in the homeless population in each area

• Provide an update on funding and efforts to address housing and homelessness issues

• Listen to concerns regarding the impacts of housing and homelessness on local communities