Our Neighbors On The Streets: A Social Justice Perspective

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Homelessness in Santa Barbara County Where We Stand, Where We Can Act Wayne Martin Mellinger, Ph.D. CLUE Annual Workshop 2026 In January 2025, Santa Barbara County’s homeless count identified 2,436 people without a home—15% more than the previous year. Behind that number are neighbors trying to survive in a community whose housing costs leave little room for illness, job loss or a family emergency. As someone who has experienced homelessness and worked alongside people living through it, I know the determination that daily survival requires. There are encouraging signs. First-time entries into homeless services declined between 2023 and 2025, and providers continue helping people obtain permanent housing. Yet households entering coordinated entry took an average of 190 days to reach housing in 2025, compared with 134 days in 2023. Nearly a thousand people were counted living in vehicles. Progress and deepening hardship exist together. The human cost demands urgency. At our December 202...