Homelessness Outreach & Case-management

Since 2019, the City has contracted with City Net to provide street outreach, case-management and housing navigation services to persons experiencing homelessness throughout Santa Barbara. City Net works closely with Cottage Hospital, Santa Barbara Police Department, SB ACT, and various service providers to coordinate outreach services, and is often the first line of response to our unhoused population. City Net’s work is funded by money from the State of California’s Permanent Local Housing Allocation Program, which the City receives annually.

Street outreach entails locating, identifying, and building relationships with unsheltered people to provide immediate support, intervention, de-escalation, and connections with homeless assistance programs and/or mainstream medical and mental/behavioral health and social services and housing programs. Case management provides more intensive services to a set caseload of individuals, working with each client to arrange, coordinate, and monitor the delivery of individualized services such as behavioral/mental and physical health care, employment assistance, obtaining state and federal benefits, etc. Housing navigation includes the development of an individualized housing-stabilization plan, such as making clients document ready for housing and providing housing search and placement services.

In early 2023, the City contracted with City Net to expand its street outreach program, adding services during weekends and evenings along the downtown corridor and waterfront area. A census of homeless individuals conducted in 2020 found that the areas with the highest number of homeless persons are along the downtown corridor on State Street, and the waterfront area along Cabrillo Boulevard. Due to the shortage of available services during non-business hours, it was necessary to provide a street outreach presence during evenings and weekends, when the various service providers are not in operation.

The downtown service area includes State Street, from Micheltorena Street to Cabrillo Boulevard, and one block East to Anacapa Street and one block west to Chapala Street. The Waterfront area is along Cabrillo Boulevard from Castillo Street/Pershing Park to Chase Palm Park. Weekend outreach is provided Thursday through Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

To learn more, visit www.citynet.org.