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MEDIA CONTACT: Juliana Minsky (805) 687-3322
 Santa Barbara, CA, July 6, 2006—Local individuals, businesses, and civic groups are helping to make El Carrillo Studios truly “a place to call home” for 61 residents who will soon move-in to the new permanently affordable rental housing for Santa Barbara’s homeless and near homeless. The donation drive invites community members to contribute $200 to ‘adopt a room’. These donations will allow the Housing Authority to outfit the entire complex, including the community rooms and small studio apartments, with the supplies and furnishings needed to truly make El Carrillo a “home” for Santa Barbara’s neediest residents. The donation drive runs through July 31.
The residents, most of whom will be coming from homeless or transitional shelters, will have no possessions and little money to their name. While housing, some built-in furniture, and supportive services are provided for, there is a critical need to fully outfit the community rooms in the complex as well as secure for the residents basic personal necessities such as new sheets and blankets, pillows and towels, and house wares. Donations for furnishing the community rooms as well as personal items for the first 61 residents are the most immediate need. The Housing Authority also wants to build an endowment for meeting these same needs for future residents. Volunteer groups will meet in late August to put the new apartments and community rooms in order before the September move-in.
“While we tackle one of the toughest challenges of our society today, homelessness, we must remember that we are dealing with fellow human beings whose lives are broken for a variety of reasons. They are not some statistic,” said Rob Pearson, CEO of the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara. “Creating a welcoming home from which each person can rebuild their life is the first and most important step in ending homelessness.”
“We are grateful to the people, groups, and businesses throughout Santa Barbara who are already responding to the donation drive, and changing lives by helping our new neighbors at El Carrillo regain their own self-sufficiency and self-respect,” said Pearson.
El Carrillo is the Housing Authority’s latest approach to the reality and root causes of homelessness in Santa Barbara. It will increase the total number of permanent, affordable housing units/beds for the homeless in Santa Barbara County by 16%, from 375 to 436.
 The Housing Authority is providing the apartments and its nonprofit partner in this endeavor, Work Training Programs, Inc., will provide on-site supportive services to help residents get back to work and live and thrive in the community. El Carrillo will also bring together a network of community agencies to provide additional vocational, health, financial counseling, drug and alcohol rehab, and social and recreational support services.
This week, with the 315 West Carrillo Street building front painted, the architectural design of the building is coming into view. Watch for terra cotta roof tiles and other classic Santa Barbara features. El Carrillo Studios is situated at 315 W. Carrillo Street, adjacent to the Housing Authority’s award-winning property, Casa de Las Fuentes, which has garnered local, state, and national attention and recognitions for its success as an affordable housing solution for some of Santa Barbara’s downtown workforce. El Carrillo’s construction has been on schedule since breaking ground last September 6th.
100% of proceeds will go to fully furnishing El Carrillo’s community rooms and apartments. In addition to securing the furniture for the community rooms, the donation drive will pay for new blankets, towels, linens, dishes, glasses, and other personal necessities. Please send donations payable to the Housing Authority, Attention Rob Pearson, Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara, 808 Laguna Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101. Donations are tax deductible and receipts for tax purposes will be provided.
Note to editors: Architectural graphic and detailed description of El Carrillo Studios available by request to Juliana Minsky (805) 687-3322.
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