About

The ACT on Homelessness Collaborative was formed in 2019 as a partnership between SB ACT, the City of Santa Barbara, and the Santa Barbara Foundation as an effort to reduce the impacts of homelessness Citywide by aligning strategies and programming. The ACT on Homelessness Collaborative follows the Collective Impact model of partnership as a means of bringing lasting change to a large, complex social issue. In 2023, the ACT On Homelessness Collaborative was expanded to a South County-wide coalition encompassing the geographic region between Carpinteria and Goleta.

ACT on Homelessness Strategic Plan

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- Act towards each other honestly and in good faith.
- Assume the best intentions. We may disagree, but we need to remain supportive of each other.
- Communicate openly and in a timely fashion.
- Work in a cooperative and constructive manner with respect, goodwill, trust and integrity towards all and specifically each party in the collaborative.
- Respect all opinions and perspectives.
- Recognize each other’s responsibilities to their stakeholders and the autonomy and independence of each party in the collaborative.
- Represent our own agencies and organizations as well as the services our agencies and organizations represent. Remember who is not in the room.
- Individuals and families experiencing homelessness are to be included at every level of the collaborative.
- Encourage quality and innovation to achieve positive results for the community as a whole.
- Acknowledge that cultural diversity is a strength and promote an inclusive approach, incorporating and promoting diversity in decision-making and action wherever possible.
- Recognize the times to step up and step back, especially when things get heated.
- Seek to do a small number of things extremely well.
- Work to leverage and maximize existing resources, where possible.
1. Prevent: Increase the # of households diverted from homelessness by 15%
2. Assist: Facilitate 35 individuals with high acuity behavioral health needs moving into interim housing and 20 moving into and retaining permanent supportive housing
3. Solve: Reduce the # of returns to homelessness (up to 1 year housed) by 25%
4. Support/Undergird: Improve the attitudes towards homelessness among local business leaders and key stakeholder groups by 20%.

Read the 2025-2027 Strategic Plan

Take Action Now

Upcoming Events

Take Action

Attend a virtual “Homelessness 101” training

Register here

Join a community discussion about homelessness advocacy

Vote for a meeting date/time here

Spread the word about Warming Centers!

Download the flyer here

Contact your representatives re: Emergency Housing Vouchers

Download the flyer here

Response Directories

Want to know who to call if you witness someone in a mental health crisis? Unsure how to address the presence of an encampment in your neighborhood? Check out one of the guides below to help you respond to different impacts of homelessness in the community.

Goleta City Homelessness Response Directory

Santa Barbara City Homelessness Response Directory

South SB County CES Homelessness Resource Guide