Planning for SBCC faculty and staff housing needs

By Joan M. Livingston

The Santa Barbara City College 2002-2005 General Plan addresses the need to identify means to assist faculty and staff in securing housing.

The following link is a survey done in 2002 assessing housing needs among current SBCC faculty and staff.

http://www.sbcc.edu/institutionalresearch/files/HousingSurveyJune2002.pdf

FACULTY/STAFF HOUSING SURVEY: The 2002 SBCC survey indicates the most desirable housing option is a 2-3 bedroom unit, close to campus, priced under $300,000 or with rental under $1500 a month.

This presents a planning challenge with today's building costs and scarcity of available land close to the campus.

There will never be one single solution that solves this problem once and for all. But individual efforts on a number of fronts will help ease the chronic affordable housing problem that all South Coast employers face.

REGIONAL CONCERNS: The jobs/housing concerns are regional concerns. Traffic management and transportation alternatives must also be part of the region-wide solution. This takes building cooperative relationships and policy planning that work for the entire South Coast. Santa Barbara City College cannot solve this problem in isolation.

Equitable solutions must be provided for all affected. When resources are limited, a "windfall" cannot be created for only a few; at the expense of others. Easy promises or demands cannot substitute for the ability to deliver viable long range solutions.

COLLEGE PLANNING GOALS: In 2002, the SBCC Board of Trustees approved the Santa Barbara City College 2002-2005 General Plan which includes Objective 39: "Identify means to assist faculty and staff in securing housing."

Over the past several years, the college has embarked upon the following:

1. AVAILABLE COLLEGE PROPERTY: WEST-CAMPUS PARKING LOT. College-owned property has been evaluated for the possibility of building housing units. There is no excess of vacant land available on SBCC campuses, other than building over existing parking lots.

A pro forma development plan for the West Campus parking lot was presented, but the costs of providing now equivalent "underground" campus parking and adequate strength for a multiple housing unit super-structure rendered this project unfeasible.

Neighborhood traffic concerns, loss of onsite campus parking even temporarily, and Coastal Commission also put limits on this possibility.

WAKE CENTER PARKING LOT: Currently, the Wake Center under-utilized rear parking area is also being evaluated for possible housing units. However, this the only remaining land the college has for the possible expansion of educational programs for the northern part of our district, should the downtown campus face limits on its long-range planning options.

Careful consideration of our primary need to serve the students of our local community has to come first. As the population continues to grow slowly, meeting our college mission to serve students' needs must remain our highest priority. There is little to no option to acquire new land for future college needs, if we permanently dedicate it for housing today.

2. FINANCING HELP: SBCC belongs to a consortium of financial institutions that provide attractive financing packages for SBCC staff and faculty. They help bridge the gap between meeting monthly payment requirements and securing sufficient funds for the down payment.

Coastal Housing Partnership

October 26 - Tuesday - 5:30 Goleta

November 4 - Thursday - 12:00 Santa Barbara

November 9 - Tuesday - 5:30 Ventura

November 16 - Tuesday - 5:30 Goleta

November 30 - Tuesday - 12:00 Santa Maria

December 2 - Thursday - 5:30 Santa Barbara

December 15 - Wednesday - 12:00 Goleta

These seminars are free to employees of Coastal Housing Partnership member companies. Please call the Coastal Housing Partnership office at 969-1025 for reservations and location of seminar.

Today's newspaper advertises $600,000 80% housing loans available for $1,6200 a month. Real estate ads still show a number of local housing possibilities in the $600,000 range. Making that first step into housing is still within reach, according to the faculty/staff survey's willingness to meet a $1500 a month rental payment.

3. PRIVATE-PARTY HOUSING PARTNERSHIPS: Every proposal is welcomed and explored by the college. One close to the campus is now actively under consideration that includes "affordable" housing units dedicated to SBCC faculty and staff. The college is always open to explore for these private housing partnerships, however public funds are not available housing development purposes.

4. PUBLIC-PARTY HOUSING PARTNERSHIPS: Participation is ongoing with municipal agencies for public housing partnerships, planning and zoning issues, and development of long-range planning needs that respect local limits on housing and growth.

5. SBCC FOUNDATION PARTNERSHIPS: Exploring partnerships with the Foundation for SBCC are currently underway for financing options, and facilitating possible faculty/staff co-op type purchase of existing housing units when they become available and do not displace existing tenants.

6. CHARITABLE GIFTS OF PERSONAL RESIDENCE: Residents donating their own home as a charitable gift to the Foundation for SBCC is always a welcomed option! There are a number of ways to do this. We hope residents will think about securing the future of the college for the generations to come, long after they are gone. I did. The SBCC Foundation staff will be happy to explore this possibility.

7. WORKING-ADULT LEARNING CENTER WITH CSU CHANNEL ISLANDS: Developing a partnership with Cal State University Channel Islands (CSUCI) for a local educational center for the working adult that confers bachelor's degrees and teaching credentials will help ensure we meet future demands for quality instruction at SBCC, by utilizing the talent we have already living right here on the South Coast.

Living within our resources means also living within our human resources. With a new higher educational center meeting the needs of the working adult, we may find that best person to carry SBCC's tradition of excellence into the future may well be the person who is already living here. Prepared: 10/5/04 by Joan Livingston