The city of Santa Barbara, in partnership with the Santa Barbara Alliance for Community Transformation (SB ACT), has announced the opening of the Fostering Access, Resilience, and Opportunity (FARO) Center.
“The FARO Center, aptly named ‘Faro,’ which means lighthouse in Spanish, will serve as a beacon of hope for individuals experiencing homelessness in our community,” the city said.
Operating five days a week during daytime hours, the center brings together a network of service providers to offer resources such as housing navigation, employment assistance, and behavioral health services in a centralized, one-stop-shop location.
The FARO Center aims to help individuals move toward and maintain stable housing by providing these services in a safe and welcoming environment, the city said.
The city has entered a three-year lease agreement for a multi-story office building on the 600 block of Chapala Street in downtown Santa Barbara, designating it as a Daytime Navigation & Workforce Development Center.
The center aims to help reduce the impacts of homelessness by monitoring and addressing neighborhood impacts, providing ongoing outreach, and initiating clean-up efforts.
The FARO Center brings together a network of service providers in a centralized place, including:
• Case Management: Personalized support to navigate various services.
• Documentation Readiness: Assistance with acquiring essential documents such as birth certificates, driver’s licenses, and Social Security cards.
• Workforce Development: Life skills building, job search assistance, and employment support, with resources provided by the Santa Barbara City Public Library.
• Housing Referrals: Guidance and referrals for stable housing options.
• Health and Mental Health Support: Access to healthcare and mental health services.
According to the 2024 Point-in-Time Count, 987 people are experiencing homelessness in Santa Barbara, marking an increase for the first time in three years.
The growing demand underscores the critical need for day-to-day basic needs and supportive services for our unhoused population, the city said.
The FARO Center offers a daytime refuge where individuals can access essential services, aiding their transition from street-level homelessness to stable living situations.
Because homelessness affects everyone, the center is designed to bring dignity to people experiencing homelessness and lessen the impacts on businesses and the neighborhood, the city said.
The FARO Center is staffed by SB ACT, which will coordinate outreach and case management support using the Coordinated Entry System (CES) to identify individual needs and facilitate access to interim and permanent housing solutions.
FARO Center hours are 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Additional client meetings will be available by appointment until 5 p.m. weekdays. The center plans to extend its open walk-in hours to 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
For more, visit SantaBarbaraCA.gov/Faro-Center and sbact.org/farocenter.