Santa Barbara County is shifting its homelessness strategy after new data showed more young adults are falling into homelessness and a growing number of working residents are living in vehicles.
The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday accepted the county's annual homelessness update. Officials said the number of people entering homelessness for the first time fell 31% last year, reflecting what they attributed to expanded prevention and diversion efforts.
But county staff said new trends suggest homelessness is becoming increasingly tied to housing affordability. Homelessness among young adults ages 18 to 24 increased 22% between 2023 and 2025.
“Many [young adults] exiting local foster care, justice systems, or experiencing family instability are hitting our local housing market and falling out of stability,” said Santa Barbara County’s Homelessness Assistance Programs Manager, Jett Black-Maertz.
County officials also presented findings from a new study of people living in vehicles who had not previously accessed homelessness services. The survey found many respondents are employed despite experiencing homelessness.
"Economically, these individuals continue to actively contribute to the local economy," Black-Maertz said. "Nearly 44% rely entirely on employment income, concentrated in low-wage or informal sectors such as hospitality, domestic work, or gig labor."
Officials said many of those surveyed had recently transitioned from a rental home or homeownership into a vehicle, suggesting they are experiencing housing instability rather than long-term chronic homelessness.
Even with those gains, county staff said about 1,187 people are currently waiting for housing, and the average time from entering the system to securing permanent housing has grown to about 190 days.
In response, the county is launching the Homelessness Alliance: Response and Prevention, or HARP, an initiative that will bring together departments—including Community Services, Behavioral Wellness, Public Health, Social Services and Probation—to better identify residents at risk of losing housing and connect them with services before they become homeless.
County officials said the initiative represents a shift away from emergency response after someone loses housing. Instead, the county will focus on preventing homelessness before a resident loses housing.
The Board of Supervisors unanimously accepted the annual homelessness report.
