Category Archives: Nonprofits

County honors women helping women

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“Women Change America” was the theme when the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors and its Commission for Women honored several local organizations for their ongoing service to women and families on March 1, in honor of Women’s History Month.

First district commissioner Cynthia Thurber presented the honors to Santa Barbara Rape Crisis Center for being a “safe haven for women who have been assaulted sexually.”

SBRCC executive director Elsa Granados said she was proud to receive the award, because whenever the organization gets recognition it raises the visibility of sexual violence and more women begin to access their services.

Second district commissioner Magdalena Torres honored Villa Majella‘s maternity home and outreach program.

“It’s an honor for me today to represent all of the founders, directors, staff, volunteers and donors who have worked for the past 23 years to serve women and newborns in our community,” said program director Mary Andrews-Dalbey. “Above all, I applaud the women who have faced challenges and overcome obstacles in a choice to mother their babies. For many, it became the motivation to turn their lives around. They are what we’re all about.”

Prior to receiving the award, Andrews-Dalbey noted how closely many of the organizations that provide services to women and families work together. For example, after living at Villa Majella for up to two months after giving birth, mothers and their babies are often referred to St. Vincent’s for housing and childcare services. SBRCC and the fourth district honoree, Domestic Violence Solutions, often work closely together as well.

Third district supervisor Brooks Firestone selected the UCSB women’s basketball team as service organization of the year, for its Gaucho Outreach Program, which has been involved with a number of public service projects, including Adopt-a-Highway clean-up on Highway 217 and “Lil’ Gaucho” Clinics held at local schools, said commissioner Mary Ellen Brooks.

“I really think that our community outreach is the classic win-win situation. It is a great ‘Habit of Excellence’ for our women — giving to others and making them feel connected to our community,” said coach Mark French. “Also, it’s good role-modeling for local kids to see the Gauchos take time out of their busy day and do something besides play basketball.”

The fifth district also honored the American Association of University Women.

In past years the Commission for Women has chosen a woman of the year and a teen of the year rather than honoring service organizations. Brooks said it changed its focus in 2005 in order to help bring more exposure to these groups and also to encourage more women to get involved in the community.

For more information on the Commission for Women call 568.3410 or email scantil@co.santabarbara.ca.us.

Originally published in South Coast Beacon on March 3, 2005.

CALM Author’s Lunch Serves Up Food for Thought

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Greg Behrendt (He’s Just Not That Into You), Joyce Dudley (Santa Barbara County Senior Prosecutor and author of (Justice Served), Karen Joy Fowler (The Jane Austen Book Club), Harley Jane Kozak ((Dating is Murder), Helie Lee ((The Absence of Sun) and Robert K. Tanenbaum ((Hoax) will join the ranks of the more than 70 authors who have informed, amused and moved Santa Barbara audiences for the past 18 years at the annual CALM (Child Abuse Listening Mediation) Celebrity Authors’ Luncheon.

About 800 people are expected to attend this year’s event, which will be held on March 5 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Fess Parker’s DoubleTree Resort.

Co-chairwoman Sharon Bifano said she was originally inspired almost 20 years ago, by Erma Bombeck’s Celebrity Authors’ Luncheon, to benefit the Kidney Association in Scottsdale, Arizona. When she moved to Santa Barbara and found out that CALM was looking for a new fundraiser, Bifano and co-chairwoman Stephanie Ortale stepped up to create CALM’s first Annual Authors’ Luncheon in 1987.

Unlike many philanthropic events, which pass the chairman’s responsibility on every year, Bifano and Ortale have managed to stick with the author’s lunch, as a team, since the very beginning.

While Bifano said, with a twinkle in her eye, that, “it hasn’t gotten easier,” the income and prestige have grown each year, along with the receipts. “We had 198 people at the first one,” she said. “I think we made about $200.”

Today, at $100 per ticket, the event routinely sells out.

“The success is really a compliment to Sharon and Stephanie,” said Marty Silverman, the CALM Auxiliary’s Second Vice President.

“It’s been a real learning experience,” said Bifano, who credits the late Paul Lazarus with the idea to use a lively interview format with the authors, rather than simply have them make speeches, as many events do.

KEYT anchor Debby Davison and Borders Books’ Kate Schwab will keep the proceedings dynamic, asking the authors questions about the writing process, their inspirations and even their personal lives.

Over the years some of the authors interviewed have included: Sue Grafton, Jane Russell, Barnaby Conrad, Michael Crichton, Julia Child, Ray Bradbury, Fanny Flagg, Maria Shriver and Jonathan Winters.

While big names help fill seats and raise money for the child abuse, sexual abuse and incest services and programs at CALM, Bifano cautions that the “best known celebrity is not always the best interview.” She cites “the two boys who own Three Dog Bakery” (Dan Dye and Mark Beckloff, authors of All-Natural Paw-Lickin Treats for Your Dog and the Three Dog Bakery Cookbook) as among the most entertaining interviews in past years. Another favorite was Iris Chang (The Rape of Nanking). “After the interview all of her books were sold.”

While helping a good cause motivates the authors, as does the chance to spend a weekend in Santa Barbara, Bifano said, “Most people come because we sell a lot of books.”

In addition to purchasing books by the interviewed authors (with a portion of the proceeds going to CALM), the following authors will also be available for book signing: Susan Branch, Jack Canfield (who will also serve as master of ceremonies), Deanna Moreau Cohen, Alan Glasser, Erin Graffy, Valerie Hobbs, Karen Langley, Ann Marie Parisi, Donal Sweeney, M.D. and Flavia Weedn.

Tickets are $100 and are available by calling 682.3925. For more information about CALM, visit www.calm4kids.org.

Originally published in South Coast Beacon on February 24, 2005.

FitFest aims to raise energy level

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Photo courtesy maxpixel.freegreatpicture.com.

Photo courtesy maxpixel.freegreatpicture.com.

There’s something about physical activity that breaks you out of hamster wheel-like-thinking and makes your mind feel refreshed. It also alleviates stress, improves self-esteem and reduces the odds against developing all kinds of serious illnesses.

For women and girls in particular, “physical inactivity and poor diet together have become the second leading cause of preventable death after smoking in the U.S.,” said Lisa Braithwaite, executive director of Body Electric, which will hold its annual Women’s FitFest 2005 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 26 at Earl Warren Showgrounds.

Braithwaite said she wasn’t an athlete growing up, but in her junior year at Cate School she was required to play sports.

“I learned how to play basketball and I learned how to throw the discus and the shot put. It was totally great,” she said.

Years later, while working at Shelter Services for Women and Girls Inc., Braithwaite got caught up watching the women’s NCAA basketball tournament on TV.

“I just was blown away by just the level of athleticism that women had come to. I had no idea. … I sort of had this epiphany, I was already working in domestic violence and spent all of my time talking to teenage girls about healthy relationships and body image issues and what our society tells girls they should be … I had never really made the connection with sports,” she said.

She had the epiphany in 1997 and went on to found Body Electric –with co-founder Brenda Britsch and their friends, Kira Anthofer, Ginny Benson, Jana Johnston and Kim Reese — based on the common goal of educating Santa Barbara girls and women about the benefits of physical fitness. “(Physical activity) makes you feel good,” said Braithwaite, whose group also advocates for gender equity in addition for providing opportunities for physical challenge.

“We’re here to encourage women and girls to adopt physical activity in ways that work for them, and to help break down the barriers that keep many of us from achieving our goals,” she said.

Time — including commitments to work and children — money, and body image are the barriers that keep most women from working up a healthy sweat.

But Body Electric is helping to change that attitude by building awareness of just how much fun sports can be at its free annual sports/health/fitness fair, which will feature sports clinics and demonstrations, exhibits from local businesses and nonprofit organizations, a scavenger hunt and a raffle.

Activities and demonstrations will include a climbing wall, body fat analysis, dancing, martial arts, belly dancing and gymnastics, with interactive exhibits from Mark French basketball summer camps, Real Living Nutrition Services, Santa Barbara Outrigger Canoe Club, Titan Sports Performance, One Legacy, and other health, sport and fitness organizations.

For more information about the Women’s FitFest and other fitness activities, www.bodyelectric-sb.org.

Originally published in South Coast Beacon on February 17, 2005.

Vitamin Angels provide disaster relief

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“We never get to choose when a natural disaster will strike. But we always get to choose how we will respond,” said Howard Schiffer, president of Vitamin Angel Alliance, a Santa Barbara-based non-profit dedicated to providing basic nutrition and fighting diseases caused by malnutrition around the world.

Immediately upon hearing the news of last month’s Tsunamis in Southeast Asia, Vitamin Angel issued a call for vitamin donations to help stave off starvation and lessen the likelihood of epidemics and disease.

“In a disaster situation, the infrastructure is usually in shambles. It’s going to be a while before they’re getting any food, clean water and that kind of thing. … The population’s really at risk for opportunistic infections,” Schiffer said.

“People don’t realize is that after a disaster is over, the secondary effect with disease and epidemics spreading could compound the tragedy to a much, much greater level, and that if you can get in there with medicine, and basic nutrients, you could save a part of the population to where they’ll survive until you can get in the other things and get organized.”

It’s to that end that Vitamin Angel is doing what it’s been doing since the 1994 Northridge earthquake, working to help bring emergency nutritional supplies to people who need them most.

Schiffer said people who want to help with the relief effort have responded in droves.

“There are a lot of things that divide us — the religious stuff, political stuff, ideology — and there are some things that bring us together … compassion and caring and trying to help.”

In 2003, Vitamin Angel donated 16.2 million supplements worldwide to people in need, and Schiffer estimates the 2004 total to be about 20 million vitamin supplements.

Citing a study by the World Health Organization, “the number one health risk factor, above cancer, above heart disease, above AIDS, the number one health risk in the world is lack of food,” he said. “The people that we’re working with literally are starving to death.”

And many of the diseases they’re suffering from are inexpensively prevented.

For example, it costs a nickel a year to provide supplements to prevent vitamin A deficiency childhood blindness. In response to this epidemic, Vitamin Angel has partnered with Johnson & Johnson to pilot a program that will reach six million children, lactating mothers and infants in India.

“The single most important intervention we can make in the world today is supply multiple vitamins,” said Schiffer, who began his journey in the vitamin supplement business before a call for help from Direct Relief International set him on his current course.

DRI remains a strong alliance. Vitamin Angel also works with other relief organizations all over the world.

“We believe that every person is entitled to basic nutrition, we believe that malnutrition linked diseases are preventable and we believe that education in addition to supplementation is the key to long-term health,” Schiffer said.

For more information visit www.vitaminangel.org or call 565.9919.

Other local Tsunami relief efforts

* Direct Relief International is accepting monetary donations. Go online to www.directrelief.org or call 964.4767.Checks should have “Tsunami Relief” specified and can be mailed to 27 S. La Patera Lane, Santa Barbara, CA 93117.

* Contact the American Red Cross at 800.435.7669, mail checks to 2705 State St., Santa Barbara, CA 93105 or visit www.redcross.org. Mid-State Bank branches are also taking Red Cross donations.

* Sri Lanka Medical Relief is selling T-shirts bearing the flags of all 12 countries hit by the tsunamis and a map of Sri Lanka. Call 568.0770 to order a $15 t-shirt, with proceeds going to Tsunami relief.

* Angels Wings Foundation International plans to build 100 homes and an orphanage in Thailand. Send donations to 1482 East Valley Road, Suite 428, Montecito, CA 93108 or email angelswings@simon.sb.coxmail.com.

* New Directions Foundation is taking donations, care of the Santa Barbara Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 299, Santa Barbara, CA 93102.

* The nonprofit VeAhavta has asked for donations. To help, call 542.9357 or visit www.you-shall-love.org.

Originally published in South Coast Beacon

Girls get out the vote at Girls Inc.

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If girls ruled the world, John Kerry would be our next president, at least according to the mock elections that took place Tuesday as part of the Girls Inc. “She Votes” campaign, an initiative to educate and empower girls and their communities in the 2004 elections.

Along with learning about the political process and the presidential candidates, the girls also helped register voters for the Nov. 2 election in which all 63 women in the House of Representatives are up for reelection, as are five out of 14 women in the Senate.

“You may be used to seeing young people at your door or in the mall asking you to buy candy or wrapping paper to invest in their future. Our girls will be asking something much greater, that you invest in their future by going to the polls on Election Day and casting a vote,” said Monica Spear, Executive Director of Girls Inc. “Participation in our democracy is the greatest gift we can give to the next generation. The choices that we make will shape the future that they will inherit.”

“Research shows that one of the strongest indicators that a young adult will vote is exposure to the polls as a child,” said Spear. “… We want to use our influence to change future trends and get girls and young women to the polls.”

Over 200 girls had a chance to experience the voting process first hand at Girls Inc’s Santa Barbara and Goleta sites.

Peabody Charter School fifth graders Grace Reynolds and Nicole Fernandez both said they planned to register to vote “for real” as soon as they turn 18.

When queried about whether they had talked about the election in school, Nicole said, “Yes, in a magazine. They have John Kerry riding an elephant and George Bush riding a donkey.”

In the election at the Santa Barbara facility, Monroe 1st grader Celena Rose had only 37 of the other girls join her in casting a vote for Bush. Harding School 4th grader Mercedes Padilla went with the 76-vote majority, because, “Kerry wants the world to be respectful.”

“He’s going to be a good president,” added Grace.

We’ll find out on Nov. 2 how in sync the girls are with the rest of the country. Nine of them voted for Ralph Nader.

For a chance to talk politics with some of the girls, why not join in the first annual Girls Inc. 5K Family Fun Run/Walk at the Lemon Festival on Saturday at Girsh Park. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. with all proceeds going toward the final $1.25 million needed of the $7 million Capital Campaign to build a Girls Inc. facility in Goleta. For more information visit www.girlsincsb.org, call 963.4757 x14 or email edarby@girlsincsb.org.

Originally published in South Coast Beacon on October 14, 2004.

Firefighters Alliance benefit features Travolta film

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Santa Barbara Firefighters Alliance to host the premiere benefit of Ladder 49 at the Arlington Theatre Sept. 30

Ladder 49 poster

Ladder 49 poster

What started out a few months ago with a simple drink at Holdren’s, is quickly igniting into a new nonprofit, the Santa Barbara Firefighter’s Alliance.

“We should really try to do something to support the firefighters,” was Betty Stephens‘ initial thought after meeting with City Fire Captain Franc Chacon and County Fire Captain Dave Sadecki last spring. The idea quickly uh, caught fire, and soon Stephens had herself a working board of volunteers eager to assist local fire agencies by raising money to buy them the up-to-date equipment and safety gear the government no longer provides. The alliance also wants to assist firefighters and their families who suffer catastrophic circumstances.

The firefighters are always doing so much for everyone else, it’s just time we did something for them, said Stephens. “They’re the most humanitarian people as a group that you can find. … I think the firefighters are sort of like Sara Lee. Nobody doesn’t like Sara Lee and nobody doesn’t like the fire fighters.”

Many of the board members have themselves experienced the dangers that firefighters face every day. For example, Seymour Fletcher had his home on Refugio Road threatened by the recent Gaviota fire and Margie Niehaus and her husband survived the attack of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001.

It’s actually amazing what a broad spectrum of the community has have become involved in the organization because they’ve been touched by the work that firefighters do, said board member Andy Rosenberger.

Supporters include the students at Santa Barbara High’s Multimedia Academy. Senior Aimee Pepper designed the organization’s logo and is working with fellow seniors Chase Kidd and Michael Vierra to develop a website.

Initially the group planned to have its first event — the Fireball 2005 — in January, but board member Bruce Corwin, who owns the local Metropolitan Theatres, was able to get Touchstone Pictures to donate the firefighting-themed film for a benefit performance next week.

“We weren’t even counting on this Ladder 49 premiere,” said board member Arlene Geeb. “It’s just a wonderful thing that happened.”

The benefit screening of the film, which stars John Travolta and Joaquin Phoenix, will be held Sept. 30 at 7:30 p.m. at the Arlington Theatre, with a Chief’s Reception at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 for general admission and $100 for preferred seating and the reception. Tickets are available at the Arlington Box Office, Ticketmaster outlets, by phone at 963.4408, or online at www.ticketmaster.com.

For more information about the Santa Barbara Firefighters Alliance call 967.6294 or 685.1432.

Originally published in South Coast Beacon

New housing inches its way into town

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Housing projects from Habitat for Humanity, the Mental Health Association and Hillside House are all inching their way to reality. Here’s an update on these three projects:

Habitat for Humanity of Southern Santa Barbara County cleared a final hurdle to start with plans to build three homes for low-income families last week when the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department (HUD), backed by the Santa Barbara City Council, gave its final approval of a $240,000 loan to aid in the purchase of land on Via Lucero near upper State and Calle Real. It will be the first major building project for Habitat for Humanity here. Escrow was cleared last week.

Supported by local churches, corporations, foundation and individual donors, Habitat for Humanity has raised 70 percent of the nearly $800,000 needed to pay for materials, design and permit fees.

“I am looking forward to seeing many community volunteers out there swinging hammers,” said Mayor Marty Blum.

The organization will now recruit volunteers to help build the houses and determine who will live there. A requirement for homeowners is they must contribute 500 hours of “sweat equity” for construction.

The Mental Health Association in Santa Barbara County’s “Building Hope” capital campaign to build up to 50 units of housing has raised 58 percent of its $4.1 million fundraising goal, organizers announced this week. Half of the homes will be reserved for MHA clients and half for affordable housing for downtown workers.

As I understand it, in the recipe of capital campaigns, reaching that 58 percent goal is really significant, said executive director Annemarie Cameron.

The total project cost is $17.3 million but with the City of Santa Barbara’s commitment of $4.6 million in Redevelopment Agency funds, bond financing and the donation of all development costs by Bermant Development Company, only $4.1 million will come from fundraising.

In addition to housing, the new facility at 617 Garden St. will also accommodate the MHA offices, a resource center for families and the Fellowship Club, where people with mental health disabilities can meet for social time and life skills learning.

Hillside House and partners Bermant Development Company and the County Housing Authority have been working closely with neighbors and the Planning Commission to develop a master plan for the site at 1235 Veronica Springs Road. The conceptual proposal for the 26.74 acre site, reviewed by the Planning Commission this week, included 38 residential buildings with up to 127 homes, public pedestrian, equestrian and bike trails and 17.74 acres of open space with 9 acres developed.

I think the neighbors are not as worried as before, said Kirsten Ayers, spokeswoman for the development group.

The project is planned in two phases to ensure that the 59 residents of Hillside House will be able to remain on the property continuously. Groundbreaking is not anticipated until early 2006.

This story contains additional reporting by Sally Cappon.

Originally published in South Coast Beacon on September 23, 2004.

Stitching Together Memories of Lost Loved Ones

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The grieving process is not complete without a way to acknowledge the loss.

Saturday’s date — Sept. 11 — is one that will forever send a chill down Americans’ spines, but other anniversaries are equally significant for those who have lost a loved one.

“Anniversaries are about memories, not ‘dates’… we sometimes forget the exact date over time, but the circumstances and feelings linger forever,” said Gail Rink, executive director of Hospice of Santa Barbara.

“Engagements, marriages, births, new house, divorces, graduations … all are ‘anniversaries’ that contribute to the history of family life,” she said. “The most difficult anniversary is the anniversary of a death; all other anniversaries are ‘joyful,’ death is sorrowful. Death is final, an ending, it signals to the grieving survivors that life has permanently changed.”

Dr. Jim Jones recently experienced the first anniversary of the death of his wife, Dianne Riffle, who died in August 2003 after a brief but intense battle with pancreatic cancer. As a physician himself, Jones said that once he saw the results of her CT Scan, “I knew she was a dead duck.” He immediately took a leave of absence from his job at Pacific Oaks Medical Center to spend as much time as he could with his wife.

Jones, himself a survivor of Hodgkin’s disease, has long had a penchant for making things by hand. His Goleta home showcases beautiful handmade tools, lamps, woodwork and other fruits of his creative labors, which he called his “attempt at immortality.”

After his wife’s death, when he couldn’t bear to part with her clothing, Jones decided to make a commemorative quilt out of the fabrics that held special memories of their times together, and essentially retold the story of her life.

“These are the Hawaiian shirts we wore on our honeymoon,” said Jones, pointing out the cotton, flannel and silk squares he had lovingly pieced together.

“Retelling the events leading up to the death also helps the survivor heal. Remembering who was there, final words … even remembering feelings of guilt and regret, can help to bring perspective to a life altering moment,” Rink explained.

Making that quilt, which he sewed with surgical sutures, took up a lot of empty, lonely hours.

“I was transferring some of my attachment from her to our stuff,” he said.

The quilting ritual was addictive. Jones made himself another quilt for snuggling on the sofa, while the first sits on the bed he and his wife once shared. He also made quilts for Riffle’s two grown children.

“Sharing the grief helps to heal the sorrow,” Rink said.

Jones has also been sharing his grief with fellow members of Hospice of Santa Barbara’s young widow/widowers support group.

“The first six months or so I didn’t give a damn about anything,” he said. But it helped to be with others who had lost a spouse and were “at the next stage.”

The group also gave him useful advice on how to deal with the anniversary of Riffle’s death. Have a plan, they advised.

“Do you want to take the day off from work? Who do you want with you? Do you want to visit the burial site? Is there a special food you will prepare?” Rink said.

“Well-meaning family and friends will advise the grieving survivor about what they should do. Our family and friends do this because they care about the survivor’s well being.

“It’s important that you decide what is best for you. Grief is very personal, one strategy does not fit all,” said Rink, who added that this same pre-planning for death anniversaries applies to birthdays, holidays, wedding anniversaries and other occasions when loved ones will most be missed.

Whatever your feelings of grief, Rink advised: “Confront and prepare for them head-on. Trying to avoid the anniversary can compound the renewed sadness. Memories and feelings are always with us. We carry them wherever we go.”

For more information about Hospice of Santa Barbara call 563.8820.

Originally published in South Coast Beacon on September 9, 2004.

Moms in Motion go the distance for their cause

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They carpool through the streets of Santa Barbara, they manage our local businesses and they hurry through the aisles at Vons. On Sunday they swam, biked and ran their way through the Gold’s Gym Women’s Sprint Triathlon at East Beach. They are the Moms in Motion, and they truly are unstoppable.

Founded in 2000 by local triathlete and mom Jamie Allison, the group was designed to bring women together in a constructive, meaningful way.

“It’s an awesome, inspiring, eclectic group,” said Allison, who has helped expand Moms in Motion to 10 other teams nationwide, with about 15 more in the works. The foundations of the group are fun, fitness and philanthropy.

In addition to training teams that include triathletes, runners, walkers and hikers, each year the group adopts a different charity. This year’s beneficiary is Domestic Violence Solutions. In addition to donating more than $1,000, Moms in Motion adopted one of the shelters, painting it and buying bed and bath linens and playground equipment, said Allison.

The idea is to pick a different group each session, so participants can learn more about local philanthropic opportunities. Past recipients have included Operation School Bell, the Daniel Bryant Youth & Family Treatment Center, the Barbara Ireland Walk for the Cure, the Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, and the Susan Love M.D. Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

The primary beneficiaries, however, are the participants themselves.

“I love the idea that women need some time for themselves, away from all of their other responsibilities,” said Emma Rollin Moore, who served as head coach for this year’s triathlon team since Allison is pregnant.

Everyone finished the sprint course on Sunday, Moore said.

“It’s a tough duty but somebody’s got to do it,” said Jon Beeson, the group’s only male coach.

While women of all ages and abilities are welcome, including those who aren’t moms, Beeson is the first man to join the team.

“He came as a guest speaker last year,” said Allison. “All the women loved him so much” that she asked him to come on-board as the head swim coach.

“Getting in the ocean is a little frightening for them,” said Beeson.

Even women who are strong swimmers are sometimes intimidated. Beeson said he mostly works with the “back of the pack” people to get their skills and confidence ready to tackle the triathlon.

When Cathy Leyva joined the team last year, she didn’t even know how to swim. Persuasive speakers convinced her to sign up for the triathlon team that night and, “as I was driving home, I realized … I don’t know how to swim!” Days later she was in pool alongside the preschoolers at Wendy Fereday Swim School. By her first team meeting, she had a basic stroke down.

Leyva, who never considered herself an athlete, finished her first triathlon last year.

“It was so exciting, like someone had given me a gift. At that moment I realized why I had joined this group,” said Leyva, who competed again Sunday.

“To these women we were all stars, even if we came in last.”

Fear of coming in last, along with the aforementioned fear of swimming in the ocean, is among the key challenges many of the women on the triathlon team face. Allison helps make at least one of those fears disappear for teammates.

“I always come in last place,” she said.

But clearly, there are no losers in this group.

Originally published in South Coast Beacon

St. Vincent’s project gets $6.7 million more

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The Sisters of Mercy had their prayers answered on Tuesday, when the City of Santa Barbara approved an additional $6.7 million in redevelopment funds for St. Vincent’s housing project, which will provide 170 affordable units (95 designated for low-income seniors and 75 for low-income families) on the site at 4200 Calle Real.

Housing and Redevelopment Manager Dave Gustafson described the project as a precedent setting joint effort of the Redevelopment Agency, the county and the city. This is by far the largest affordable housing project these groups have ever undertaken, with a total cost estimate of $50 million, $11 million of which will come from Federal HUD funds.

Approximately $10 million will be dedicated to infrastructure and area upgrades near the project site, which the city annexed from the county specifically for development of the St. Vincent’s project. The developers will make improvements to the nearby Cieneguitas Creek, including bank stabilization, habitat restoration and enhanced public access with a new bridge. There will also be new roads, extensive grading, streetlights, sidewalks, utilities, drainage, landscaping and a bike and pedestrian path put in along Highway 154, which borders the project on the east.

A primary factor in the increased cost of the St. Vincent’s project is a worldwide increase in the cost of steel. This has also been a driver in cost overrun estimates for the Granada Parking Garage project.

While the City Council voted unanimously to approve the increased funding (with Roger Horton absent), it was not without expressing some concerns about the cost and the implications for funding of future redevelopment projects.

“I’m thrilled this is happening. I’m not so thrilled steel is going up,” said Mayor Marty Blum.

“This is a great project. But these are staggering numbers,” said Councilwoman Iya Falcone.

Construction on the project will begin this summer. Housing Developer Benjamin Phillips said he is hoping residents can begin moving in within two years.

“From the very beginning, there’s been a profound and palpable commitment from the city to make this happen,” said Sister Amy Bayley. “It’s been a source of encouragement and inspiration to us. The citizens of Santa Barbara should be very proud.”

Originally published in South Coast Beacon on May 20, 2004.