Over the past year, 66 otherwise chronically homeless individuals have managed to call the DignityMoves pop-up village in downtown Santa Barbara home. Of those, 34 are currently residing in the 34 prefabricated tiny homes or “cabins” that were packed tightly onto the site of the former government parking lot at 1016 Santa Barbara Street. There they enjoy the comforts of interim housing, which in this case involves a bed, air-conditioning, a desk, windows, and, most critically, a door they can close and lock.
This is all part of a new public-private experiment involving the County of Santa Barbara, DignityMoves, and the Good Samaritan shelter in addressing chronic homelessness by giving the most vulnerable a place where, for 6-12 months, they have their own space coupled with on-site access to mental-health counseling, substance-abuse treatment providers, and medical practitioners. Unlike at traditional shelters, DignityMoves residents don’t have to share their space with anyone, though partners and pets are allowed. The thinking is that many people who need help will refuse to enter a group shelter setting.
Half the residents have been unhoused for more than 10 years. Nearly half are 55 years old or more. Fifteen have since found permanent housing, four have reunited with their families or found other interim housing, and another eight have located permanent housing but have not sealed the deal yet.