Amidst an influx of luxury developments, construction is set to begin next month on a much more affordable apartment complex designed to accommodate Isla Vista’s homeless population.
The 33-unit Pescadero Lofts Affordable Housing Project, slated to be built at 761 Camino Pescadero, will prioritize homeless applicants and offer services such as mental health counseling, basic health screenings and job skills workshops, according to Santa Barbara County Housing Authority Housing Development Director John Polanskey. The Board of Supervisors unanimously green-lighted the approximately $9.8-million construction project last month with financial backing of $1.5 million from Union Bank and $3.7 million in construction tax credits.
Polanskey said the organization plans to open up the application process to prospective tenants starting next summer and should have all of the units filled by the end of 2014 or early 2015. The project will seek out as many homeless community members as possible before moving on to other low-income demographics, he said.
Polanskey also hopes to reach out to neighboring sororities, fraternities and university organizations to launch mutually beneficial programs and tap into existing campus resources.
“Most of the folks are folks that lived in homes and had jobs and families, but something happened, and it changed their lives and they ended up on the street,” Polanskey said. “It’s really a learning experience for everyone involved.”
The Housing Authority operates two other housing projects in I.V. — one on Sueno designated for adults with disabilities and the other on Picasso for low-income families — but this will be its first project specifically addressing I.V.’s homeless community.
This article appeared in the October 1 print edition under the title “Isla Vista’s Homeless To Receive Lodgings due to New Santa Barbara County Housing Project.”
Future site of the SB County Housing Authority’s planned Pescadero Lofts Affordable Housing Project.
The majority of the IV homeless population are homeless and living where they are because they like to party, drink, live by the beach, and have no responsibilities. even if they want a place to live, they arent going to accept any responsibilities that might be required for them to live there. My guess is that very few of the long standing IV homeless will take up this offer..
DONT JUDGE does this comment inc women. who are you to judge man. some ppl are victims of the system like the legal system or cars being totalled being discriminated against when looking for work while averaging under 6hrs sleep nightly no woman should have to go through this, then being judged by ppl like you
coming from upper class family whos aunt owes a fraction of trust money who never paid bc shes a greedy alcoholic. who are you to judge take that comment off!
BTY did you see the article of the homeless SF Former Aide to the treasurer former banker— like i said who are you to judge when you have no clue of the ppls backround have you gone out and actually interviewed a single homeless person??? furthermore, there are ppl with phd’s homeless and just bc they are does not mean they have mental disorders, these are all so easy to stigmatize the homeless with and its not accurate or fair to demean and catagorize them all with but its easier to sit back and just judge to make yourself feel… Read more »
Also its the STUDENTS who have money and have things brand new who PARTY DEAL DRUGS DATE RAPE COMMIT CRIME WHILE ON ALCOHOL AND DRUGS
the college screening process should be more selective when so many apply who only apply to party look at isla vista its filthy all the time