City Endorses Merging Homeless Agencies

The Santa Barbara City Council unanimously endorsed the concept of consolidating the three main organizations that focus on homeless issues in the county Tuesday, September 13, giving momentum to a process that will dramatically change the way homeless policies are decided and implemented here.

Observing the proceeding, it was almost as if the seven councilmembers were seeing eye-to-eye on a homeless issue. Almost. In reality, what they were agreeing on is a mere basic framework of an organization and the idea that greater coordination of homeless services and policies will serve the city’s goal of moving homeless people off the streets.

The finer points of merging Bringing Our Community Home (BOCH), Common Ground S.B., and the three regional Homeless Advisory Committees into one big organization are going to be worked out later in the year. To read more, go to homelessinsb.org/