Santa Barbara County Secures $11.7 Million State Grant for New Family Village Serving Homeless Families

Gov. Gavin Newsom has awarded just over $11.7 million from California’s Homekey+ program to Santa Barbara County, in partnership with DignityMoves, to develop a new “Family Village” housing community for families experiencing homelessness, county officials announced.

The state funding includes $9 million for construction and $2 million for wraparound services. DignityMoves has raised an additional $5 million toward construction and plans to raise another $2 million for services. The project is proposed for County-owned land currently used as an overflow parking lot on the Calle Real campus in the eastern Goleta Valley.

Planned with 30 private units designed for families with children, the Family Village will provide a safe, stable environment with on-site supportive services intended to help residents transition into permanent housing. The county said the project comes at a critical time, noting Santa Barbara County has the highest rate of child poverty in California.

“At its core, this project is about kids,” Supervisor Laura Capps said, adding that the housing will help keep families together, support parents, and provide children with the stability they deserve. “Through our partnership with DignityMoves, we are once again delivering high-quality housing that can be built quickly and start changing lives right away.”

DignityMoves, a nonprofit that develops interim and permanent supportive housing communities, will lead design and construction. “We are honored to continue our partnership with Santa Barbara County to bring urgently needed housing to families,” said Elizabeth Funk, DignityMoves founder and CEO. “This Family Village will offer a foundation for stability, healing, and a pathway forward.”

The Family Village builds on DignityMoves’ growing footprint on County land:

• Santa Barbara Street Village: 34 units serving unhoused individuals and couples in downtown Santa Barbara.
• Hope Village (Santa Maria): 92 units with capacity for up to 113 residents, including transitional-age youth, veterans, and people needing medical recuperative care.
• La Posada (unincorporated South County): 84 units serving individuals exiting encampments, with on-site mental and physical health care.

Together, these communities have provided hundreds of people with shelter, services, and pathways to permanent housing, the county said.

A community informational session is scheduled for Wednesday, July 8, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Santa Barbara County Education Office Auditorium, 4400 Cathedral Oaks Road, Santa Barbara. County staff and partners will share details on the proposed site and preliminary construction timelines.

Homekey+ is the state’s program to rapidly expand housing and supportive services for people experiencing homelessness.