Homeless Camps and Fires a Challenge for Goleta During COVID

Two fires started in the past two weeks near homeless camps in Goleta along the southbound side of Highway 101 where the trees and bushes are heavy. “Prior to COVID-19, the City has been active and successful with clearing debris from homeless encampments and has collaborated with allied agencies to conduct cleanup efforts along the Highway 101 Railway corridor,” Mayor Paula Perotte said in a press release addressing the fires. The City of Goleta further stated that because of coronavirus, homeless camps were being left alone in the absence of a better place for the people to live and to avoid any potential disease spread. The cause of the fires, however, is still under investigation, County Fire’s Captain Daniel Bertucelli said.

The influx of money coming from the feds and the State of California to deal with COVID has included funds for Project Roomkey, which succeeded in finding motel rooms for more than 14,000 homeless Californians, including 111 rooms in Santa Barbara County. That’s far fewer than what’s needed for the more than 151,000 homeless people living in California, especially in light of the Centers for Disease Control’s recommendation that each be housed during the pandemic to help them easily access clean water and stay healthy. 

What has astonished county officials, however, is that 11 people have also found real homes and another 25 are well on their way. “We are amazed at how many people have been able to move into permanent housing because we’re able to contact them,” said Lucille Boss, who is a senior specialist in Santa Barbara County’s housing program. It came about in part because the Gardens on Hope — a Housing Authority project for seniors with limited income — opened in April and also because “we had some good luck with some private landlords,” Boss said.