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Santa Barbara County decides to seek money, but tells the city of Santa Maria this doesn’t mean the permanent housing will be established KENNETH SONG/NEWS-PRESS FILE PHOTOSupervisor Steve Lavignino said the proposed facility for homeless seniors and transitional youth at a Santa Maria motel should be reviewed by the Santa Maria City Council. He also said seeking money for the facility now doesn’t mean the county has decided in favor of it.
There are still off ramps.
That’s what Supervisor Steve Lavignino said, explaining that the pursuit of a $17.9 million-plus state grant doesn’t mean the county has made a final decision in favor of a new Santa Maria facility to provide permanent housing for homeless seniors and youths transitioning out of foster care.
But he and his fellow supervisors agreed they didn’t want to miss out on getting the Homekey grant, should the board ultimately decide to convert a Motel 6 on Santa Maria’s Main Street into a facility with 75 units.
“I’m not ready to sign off” on the facility for the homeless, Supervisor Bob Nelson said Tuesday. But he added he would support an application for a state grant so the money is there, should the city of Santa Maria and Santa Barbara County decide to go forward and convert a Motel 6.So the board voted 5-0 Tuesday to pursue the grant despite objections from Santa Maria Mayor Alice Patino, who called during the meeting and pointed out the criminal activity at the North Depot Street apartments, designed for low-income residents such as veterans. They’re operated by the county Housing Authority, which is the same agency that would oversee the proposed, renovated Motel 6 homeless shelter.
The board’s vote means the county is allocating nearly $3.5 million in funds from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and the HOME American Rescue Plan Consortium funds for the facility at 1007 Main St. That money is the local matching funds required to qualify Santa Barbara County for the $17.9 million-plus Homekey grant, which would go toward the purchase and renovation of the motel.
Supervisor Lavignino, whose district includes Santa Maria, said he doesn’t want to establish the facility without the city’s support. He encouraged the Santa Maria City Council to put it on its agenda.
“I don’t feel this project would work without the city’s acceptance,” Supervisor Lavignino said. “They (city council members) need to vote on it — thumbs up or thumbs down.
“I move that we go forward with the recommended action with the caveat that we have potential off ramps in the future,” Supervisor Lavignino said. “It doesn’t mean the project is approved.”
CITY OF SANTA MARIA “I have a responsibility along with the (city) council to keep our residents safe,” Santa Maria Mayor Alice Patino told the Board of Supervisors, referring to criminal activity at the North Depot Street apartments. She said the county Housing Authority should focus on resolving those issues.Supervisor Bob Nelson, whose district includes part of Santa Maria, seconded Supervisor Lavignino’s motion.
Earlier in the meeting, Mayor Patino said problems at the 80-unit Depot Street apartments, officially called The Residences at Depot Street, should be resolved before another location is considered for a homeless shelter.
“The Depot Street apartments have been plagued with criminal activity from the beginning,” Mayor Patino said, noting things have only gotten worse. “There have been shootings in front of the apartments, shooting in the next block, vehicles being broken into, gang activity and one attempted murder. Calls have gone to over a thousand. A veteran said, ‘I don’t feel safe living there.’
“That should give us all cause for concern,” the mayor said, adding, “I have a responsibility along with the council to keep our residents safe.”
Mayor Patino said she was told the Depot Street apartments would have a positive impact. “I feel I have been lied to, and in turn, I had lied to our residents of the neighborhood.”
She added that the city of Santa Maria remains committed to finding housing for low-income residents, but asked why the city wasn’t included in the county’s decision to apply for the grant for the facility and purchase the hotel.
Santa Maria City Council member Etta Waterfield echoed Mayor Patino’s concerns.
“Why wouldn’t you want to consult Santa Marians on how to best address the housing needs?” Ms. Waterfield said during a call at Tuesday’s meeting. “The secrecy surrounding the project leaves me and others unsettled about the motives.”
Like Mayor Patino, she pointed to problems at the Depot Street apartments.
“The housing authority did not have sufficient resources to manage the clientele at Depot Street,” Ms. Waterfield said.
Supervisor Gregg Hart said Mayor Patino and Councilwoman Waterfield had legitimate concerns, but noted the county was showing its transparency right at that moment at the board meeting.
“Their concerns are legitimate,” Supervisor Gregg Hart said later.
“We’re doing this in real time, on the board’s agenda, hearing directly from Mayor Patino and Councilwoman Waterfield. But if we don’t put in an application to get the ($17.9 million), there’s no chance to do this,” he said.
“The good news is that if there are issues at Depot Street, this is putting a giant spotlight on them,” Supervisor Hart said.
Supervisor Lavignino said the county Housing Authority met with city of Santa Maria staff in November and that he had the impression from the city’s staff that the city supported the facility.
“This (the city’s objections) is surprising to me,” he said.
Supervisor Lavignino added there is support for the facility from Dignity Health, the parent company of Marian Regional Medical Center and other health services in Santa Maria. “They said, ‘We have this huge concern with seniors who are homeless. Is there a way we can make something happen?’”
Supervisor Lavignino conceded that a renovated Motel 6 isn’t an ideal solution, but said it’s the “tough medicine” that’s needed today to get people off the streets and out of homeless encampments until a better solution comes along.
“It’s like chemotherapy. You would never give it to a well patient,” he said.
Supervisor Nelson said he was willing to support the application for the Homekey grant, provided that the Santa Maria City Council’s wishes are considered.
“I’m not ready to sign off” on the project, Supervisor Nelson said. “I am ready to go forward with the application.”
Supervisor Das Williams said he believes it’s possible to address the issues at the Depot Street apartments and that the county wants to be a good partner with the city of Santa Maria.
Supervisor Hart addressed the problems for the homeless.
“We want opportunities for people to get the services they need, to get off the street, to get training for jobs, to get drug and alcohol counseling, to get their lives back on track,” he said. “Nobody finds it acceptable to have people living outdoors without basic, common services. We’re doing what we can to help them.”
In other business Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors declared February Black History Month and heard from several speakers on the subject, recognized Goleta’s celebration of its 20th anniversary of its incorporation and discussed various other matters.
email: dmason@newspress.com
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