Edhat StaffSource: City of Santa Barbara
Advocates, housing developers, elected officials, and concerned residents will hold an event on Monday, July 24 from 4 to 6 p.m. at Presidio Springs Senior Housing Center at 721 Laguna Street to prevent federal funding reductions for affordable housing. The community is invited to participate in the event sponsored by the Santa Barbara Cities/County Joint Affordable Housing Task Group. Speakers will begin at 5:15 p.m.
The federal budget proposes to cut Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funding by 15%. In particular, the Section 8 funding decrease would translate to a loss of 162 housing vouchers for families in the City of Santa Barbara, on top of the 100 vouchers that were cut this year.
On July 24, attendees can participate in postcard writing to elected officials and children will be invited to make artwork focusing on the importance of home. The event will help the community learn about affordable housing needs locally and advocate for housing development.
In Santa Barbara and across the nation, far too many families, including low income seniors, people with disabilities, veterans, and families with children, struggle to keep a roof over their heads or are experiencing homelessness. More families are renting their homes than ever before, and our nation’s investments in affordable housing have not kept pace. As a result, rents are increasing everywhere. But, because of underfunding, three out of every four families in need of housing assistance are turned away. In Santa Barbara County, the need for affordable housing is acute with over 10,000 families living below the federal poverty level, none of which can afford the average two bedroom rent, pushing many into homelessness.
More information is available on federal HOME funding and affordable housing programs and the Our Homes, Our Voices Week of Action.
It makes no sense to spend money on affordable housing on some of the most expensive land in the world. They can build several times as many homes in Nevada, for instance, than they can in Santa Barbara.
This demonstration is not about housing, it is about getting tax money for the housing advocates and the construction industry locally.
Please post your address here for when my disabled butt gets tossed on the streets after working and paying taxes in Santa Barbara for the years I did so I have a place to sleep and go to the bathroom. No one told me to leave town when I was able to be a servant and pay taxes out of my checks…..Thank You