On June 4, a letter from the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara (HACSB) was sent to residents who receive federal Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHVs) to notify them that their housing assistance will be running out as of September 30, leaving hundreds of low-income residents at risk of losing their homes across the county.
The Biden-era program fills the ever-increasing gap between wages and rent prices for community members experiencing extreme housing instability and those fleeing sexual violence, domestic abuse, and human trafficking.
Nationwide, there are about 45,600 households currently utilizing EHVs. The 192 vouchers accounted for in Santa Barbara County distribute a total of $4.4 million per year, providing housing dollars to 315 county residents, of which 62 are seniors, 94 are disabled, and 91 are children.
Originally set to expire in 2030, the EHV program was always temporary; but last year, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) alerted housing authorities nationwide that their $5 billion budget had run dry, ending the program abruptly, four years short.
“The stark reality is, if these households cannot afford the contract rent, they will probably end up back into homelessness,” said HACSB Executive Director and CEO Rob Fredericks.
Fredericks said that originally, the plan was to transition EHV recipients into the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, which has been in financial turmoil since the end of 2024, when the federal government recaptured housing authority reserves. This shortfall was perpetuated though 2027, when HUD’s financial allocation did not match HACSB’s needs in last month’s funding notice.
“We’re scrambling,” said Fredericks. “This federal administration has pulled many rugs out from under us.”
EHV recipients will have priority status on the Housing Choice Voucher waitlist, but will have no real pathway to obtaining a HCV at least through next year.
Alex Entrekin, an attorney for the Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara County, said that residents who are on EHVs should not panic, and “should seek advice at our office, from their neighbors, from the tenants’ union, and they should petition their governments to help. There’s a lot that could still be done.” Legal Aid offers free consultations for those affected, and if needed, free full legal representation. The organization has open office hours at 301 E. Canon Perdido Street on Mondays from 1-3 p.m. and is available for calls during business hours at (805) 963-6754.
