On June 4, a letter from the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara (HACSB) was sent to residents who receive federal Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHVs) to notify them that their housing assistance will be running out as of September 30, leaving hundreds of low-income residents at risk of losing their homes across the county.
The Biden-era program fills the ever-increasing gap between wages and rent prices for community members experiencing extreme housing instability and those fleeing sexual violence, domestic abuse, and human trafficking.
Nationwide, there are about 45,600 households currently utilizing EHVs. The 192 vouchers accounted for in Santa Barbara County distribute a total of $4.4 million per year, providing housing dollars to 315 county residents, of which 62 are seniors, 94 are disabled, and 91 are children…