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Isla Vista, CA — The Isla Vista Community Services District (IVCSD) is proud to share the results of this year’s Move In and Out efforts and highlight the ongoing programs that help residents transition smoothly each fall. Together, Move In and Move Out form a cycle of community care — reducing waste, reusing resources, and ensuring that residents have the tools they need to thrive in Isla Vista.
As part of Move In, IVCSD is excited to announce the release of a Move In Magazine, a one-stop guide to sustainable living and community life in Isla Vista. Inside, residents will find tips to cut utility costs, save money on groceries, and green commute options like biking, busing, and the Wave microtransit. The magazine also features easy-to-use checklists, local services, upcoming events, and ways to get involved. The Move In Magazine is paired with a robust outreach campaign that includes tabling events, door-to-door canvassing, and intentional social media efforts to make sure residents have the information they need right at their fingertips. This includes a strong focus on bluff safety for the thousands of new residents in Isla Vista.
The release of the Move In Magazine follows the community’s annual Move Out, where IVCSD and community partners worked together to reduce waste, increase donations, and support residents during the busy transition season. This year’s results highlight the impact of collaboration and community care:
- 733 locally collected cardboard boxes, that would have otherwise been thrown away, were redistributed to 103 residents moving out.
- 3,400 cubic feet of donations gathered at Rottapel Park, thank you to the Isla Vista Recreation and Park District for the space.
- 1,223 lbs of unwanted items and 1,455 lbs of non-perishable food collected and donated through IVCSD’s Donation Service Program.
- 14,364 gallons of street litter was collected and countless bulky items organized for efficient pick up, working with Hauling 4 U.
- 40 bulky items were picked up from 24 households and donated in partnership with Junkluggers.
- 44 individual sales and over 125 sellers participated in the Community-Wide Yard Sale.
- 5,100 cubic feet of leftover items from the GIVE Sale were collected and stored over the summer for resale at Move In.
In total, these combined efforts diverted a significant amount of waste from the landfill. According to MarBorg Industries, 406 tons (812,000 pounds) of bulky items, not counting regular trash, were removed and taken to the landfill from Isla Vista during Move Out. This underscores the scale of the challenge and the importance of creative community solutions to reduce waste and reuse quality items. Marborg and the County of Santa Barbara coordinate daily trash and bulky item pick ups for three weeks during Move Out.
“Every box reused, every item donated, and every bulky pickup makes a difference,” said Jenna Norton, IVCSD’s Public Works & Sustainability Director. “The Move In and Move Out programs show what’s possible when residents, local agencies, and community partners come together to care for Isla Vista.”
Available both digitally and in print, the Move In Magazine also complements the recently released Isla Vista Move In Video, offering multiple ways for students and community members alike to feel at home. It can also be found along with even more helpful resources, on IVCSD’s 2025 Move In webpage.
