Yolanda
Salgado-Tovar, Luis Beltran, Brent Hamashita,
and Patty Lopez assess the need at People's Park
by Nancy Saengjaeng, Division Chief
Since the onset of the pandemic, there have been many critical needs in our community, none more important than to serve our vulnerable homeless population. DSS is often asked to respond at a moment’s notice, especially when things are being developed or organized, to meet an urgent need immediately. In a little over a year, we have already responded to three special homeless project initiatives. These were Project Room Key, the Pallet Housing Project, and People’s Park. We offered and provided General Relief Assistance, CalFresh, and Medi-Cal services to this population. Read on to learn more!
Our staff never fails us.
We have an incredible team! They answer the call repeatedly and without hesitation. Special recognition goes to Patty Lopez (EWIII), Luis Beltran (CES Sr.), and Brent Hamashita (AmeriCorps placement at DSS) for volunteering to take on these special assignments time and time again. They do so without complaint, and their peers often do not know that they take on the additional assignments. Though their workload could have been divided amongst the rest of the staff, they have chosen to quietly carry on to prevent impacting others and provide seamless service to clients. Often there are many unknowns when we are first approached, and they have had to be flexible as situations develop. Hundreds of hours have been served, including flexing their schedule for Saturday shifts.
Project Room Key
In May of 2020, Project Roomkey was put in place as part of the state response to the COVID pandemic. The purpose was to provide non-congregate shelter options for people experiencing homelessness, protect human life, and minimize the strain on health care system capacity. In the County of Santa Barbara, adults aged 65 and older, or those with underlining conditions and at high risk for medical complications, were given first priority at the shelter. They were housed temporarily at the Best Western and the Peppertree Hotel. This project also served as a pathway to permanent housing. We reached out to approximately seventy occupants at this site.
Pallet Housing Project
In December 2020, the CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act provided Good Samaritan the financing to lead the Pallet Housing Project to house the homeless in Isla Vista. They assembled 20 tiny pallet homes, accommodating two occupants to each home. The pallet homes remained in place for about six months. We checked in from time to time during the last six months period. They recently cleared this space in June, transitioning most to permanent housing.
People’s Park
Most recently, in May 2021, our team responded out in the field once more at the request of the Santa Barbara Public Defender’s Office to assist the population at the homeless encampment at People’s Park in Isla Vista, where there are approximately 30 tents. Residents were on the verge of being evicted from the site, so various partners came together to coordinate a transition plan and outreach efforts to connect these houseless residents to resources.
This was different from the two projects described above. In the past, there had been points of contact from the lead agencies who assisted in connecting clients to us and provided office space when we conducted field visits. However, in this instance, our staff had to canvass the park, going from tent to tent, to inquire if the residents were interested in our services, and tracking clients down because they are transient. We had to set up makeshift spaces, i.e. tables, in an open area in order to conduct interviews. Due to our clients’ lack of resources and transportation, our staff made several visits to deliver updates and provided Electronic Benefit Cards and Benefit Issuance Cards on site. We reached out to more than forty residents. When people were not interested in our services, we did not capture their names so they were not included in our final stats.
Overall, we met the needs of our community and staff found the experience quite rewarding. As one People’s Park client said: “Thank you…I never would have been able to do it on my own…I would not have had the benefits I am now thankful for!”