The Role of Community Leadership and its Impact on the Low Income Wage Earner
- Orion Brutoco
- Nov 21, 2017
- 13 min read
Introduction
In reflecting and researching the community of Santa Barbara, there are a few stark and defining characteristics of immediate note. One of the qualities of this coastal town that makes it unique is the chasm between the city’s two most common populations: the extremely affluent and the struggling low wage earners. This divide is evident when looking at the city’s layout, the wealthy live high in the hills and overlook those
living in poverty, who reside at the bottom. There exists an extreme imbalance between what is needed to support those earning lower incomes and what is provided to them in current government subsidized programs. Between the polarities of the “have’s” and “have not’s” of Santa Barbara. There exists a strong force, backed by the local government and the generosity of local philanthropists, which strives both to balance the wealth disparity and lessen the polarization within this beautiful coastal town.
Community Demographics
The resort town of Santa Barbara is geographically located between the Pacific Ocean and the Los Padres National Forest. US News recently ranked Santa Barbara fifth on the list for Best Weekend Getaways in the USA (US News & World Report, 2016). Even though Santa Barbara is a city, it maintains a European, small town-feel, with Spanish revival architecture and boutique shops lining its main streets. Santa Barbara’s relatively stable year-round climate, its natural beauty, and its rich history are additional characteristics, which have contributed to its earning the nickname the “American Riviera” (Visit Santa Barbara, 2016).
According to the 2010 US Census, 88,410 people live in Santa Barbara (US Census Bureau, 2016). The population density is 4,806 per square mile (City Data, 2016) and the population is spread out and divided into six different districts of the city. See Appendix A (image) (City of Santa Barbara, 2016). The two distinct areas of State Street and Milpas Street are specifically noted because they define the divide between those of low economic standing and those of extreme wealth. The two dominant ethnicities present in Santa Barbara are Hispanic/Latino’s (36%) and Not Hispanic or Latino (60.1%). Setting aside the Hispanic/Latino category, Caucasians make up this other population majority at 75.1% in the dominant race category (US Census Bureau, 2016). Essentially Santa Barbara is composed of mainly white individuals with a strong Hispanic / Latino population as the second largest group.
Due to the geographical constraints and the city’s zoning and building restrictions, housing in Santa Barbara is limited and scarce. The city is literally running out of land on which to build on. Bordered by mountains and the ocean, it spans 43.1 square miles with 21.1 square miles of the city on land and the other 22 square miles actually extending into the water (City of Santa Barbara, 2016). There are a total of 37,820 housing units, 61% of which are renter-occupied, while the other 39% are owner-occupied. With 2,371 vacant housing units, and only 38.8% of these units for rent. On the open market, finding any type of housing is difficult in Santa Barbara, and finding affordable housing is an extreme challenge.
For low-income wage earners, affordable housing is limited to areas that lack essential resources. These areas include Districts 1 and 3 (City of Santa Barbara, 2016), both of which are near Highway 101. District 1 is also near the city’s waste management center and sits within the city’s industrial zone. As evident on many realtor sites such as Trulia.com and Realtor.com, housing prices in Districts 1 and 3 are significantly lower because of the undesirable location and the lack of resources. In these districts, there are no supermarkets or quality grocery stores; instead, fast food chains, liquor stores, and corner markets are the only food sources available. Additionally, public and private schools are generally not located in these areas. Police stations, hospitals, and post offices are also conspicuously absent.
In these districts, few residents own their own homes. Owning a house in Santa Barbara is more a dream than a reality for many in the city. The median household income level for Santa Barbara is $53,970, and those on the lower end, earning minimum wage ($10/hour) only bringing home $20,800 a year before taxes (City of Santa Barbara, 2016). In order to meet the current standard of living costs, an individual needs to earn at least $27.64/hour to afford a studio apartment (City of Santa Barbara, 2016); leaving many homeless. Of the total population 25 and older (60,914), 84.5% have graduated from high school and 42.3% have a Bachelor’s degree. The number of people lacking the benefits of higher education contributes to the high number of individuals limited to low-wage employment. (US Census Bureau, 2016). A social worker needs to be armed with all of these statistics, to be properly informed, so they can make assessments or create new programs to meet the needs of the most desperate populations.
Community Characteristics and Culture
The State of California is facing one of its worst droughts in history, and Santa Barbara’s citizens are feeling the effects in rising water costs and in usage limits implemented by the city. In this time of Stage Three drought, conservation of 35% of normal water usage is required (Santa Barbara County Water Agency, 2016). In April 2015, Governor Jerry Brown issued an executive order restricting water usage throughout the state (Office of Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr., 2015). In response to the usage drop, utility companies have raised their rates to offset their financial losses. According to an article written in the The Wall Street Journal, monthly water bills in Santa Barbara increased as much as $120 after the rate hikes (Associated Press, 2015). Social workers can conclude that is current condition of drought adds to overall housing costs and further increases the already above-average cost of living in the city.
In this current economy of scarcity, rising utility costs, and a lack of resources, the lower income wage earner needs support from an outside source. The lifeblood of the city comes from the efforts of its local non-profits, which out-weigh and outnumber California’s government services. Santa Barbara draws in nearly $1 billion per year in revenue from the non-profit sector. Yet, many of these organizations have a budget of only $1 million (Sinclair, 2013). According to an American Community Survey taken to estimate poverty levels in the city of Santa Barbara, between years 2010 and 2014, it was estimated that 15.1% of individuals were living below the poverty level (US Census Bureau, 2014). In a city with nearly 90,000 people, there are many needs that simply are not being met by the existing government programs. This non-profit muscle has flexed itself by reaching out to the affluent philanthropists and thereby created a solution that supports families who have not received adequate care from government programs.
Sourcing food, distributing food, and educating about food and nutrition are all efforts put forward by an alliance between a local non-profit called the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County and the City of Santa Barbara. According to Santa Barbara’s County Public Health Department, those with lower incomes in the city (mainly Hispanics and Latinos) often struggle with obesity, which brings with it a variety of health problems, and medical concerns, and related increases in social and healthcare costs (County of Santa Barbara, 2015). Those who are not receiving the proper nutrients are constrained to fill their diets with food they can afford. Many families forgo healthy options for high processed and cheap canned goods in order to save money. For low-income families, high quality food often becomes the least important choice when struggling to pay for rent, healthcare and basic utilities. This is also known as food insecurity.
In The Influence of Feeding America Food Banks for Food Desert Communities Throughout the United States, Caitlin Cohn notes that families who are food insecure or living in food deserts often forgo paying for healthy food options, and instead look elsewhere for additional resources. Cohn goes on to say that as a solution these families substitute powdered, frozen, and canned items for fresh ones. While these alternatives are less expensive, they generally are higher in fats, sodium and processed ingredients, which can make individuals overweight and can cause other harmful illnesses long term (Cohn, 2014).
In direct response to this food insecurity issue, the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County is working on both city and county levels to promote healthy eating through their program called “Food Literacy.” It works closely with the City of Santa Barbara to educate citizens about the valuable resources of food and nutrition that are available to them. Food Literacy provides the knowledge for how to responsibly shop, cook, and eat the necessary nutrients for a balanced diet. The goal is to shift the way people look at how they eat and to help them budget for the food they purchase on a daily basis (FoodBank of Santa Barbara County, 2016). The Foodbank has distribution locations throughout the city and the county to address the needs of the population who cannot afford fresh fruits or vegetables. This Food Literacy initiative is what defines this organization and makes it different from the traditional food bank model. It is an example of how the non-profit community has worked with the city in an effort to provide services for the less fortunate.
Behind the Foodbank is the Santa Barbara Foundation, one of the most powerful of Santa Barbara’s community non-profits. Their mission is to use every tool available to reach every citizen to facilitate the maximum amount of benefits for each individual. They do this by strengthening other non-profits in the community through grants provided by donations made to their organization (Santa Barbara Foundation, 2016). In July of this year, the Foundation awarded eighteen local non-profits with grants totaling $800,000 to cover basic needs and core support. To properly assess the needs of the community, the Foundation met with local community leaders to understand the basic issues they faced, so that the Foundation could properly assess the amount needed to provide an adequate safety net for the most needy populations. The average grant per non-profit was approximately $50,000. The basic needs covered in these grants included, food, housing, counseling services for mental health, healthcare clinics, and youth and family services (Andersen, 2016).
The Santa Barbara Foundation firmly believes that every individual not only deserves food and nourishment for the body, but also for the mind. They affirm that every student deserves an education and should not be limited due to financial resources. Every year it awards grants to students who apply through their scholarship program. In 2010, 600 scholarships, and 300 student loans totaling close to $2 million were made (Walker, 2011). In Santa Barbara, there are over 30 schools with a mixture of public, private, continuation schools, and colleges. The highest concentrations of public schools address kindergarten through sixth grade. Private schools incorporate junior high and in some cases high school (Staff, 2013). Out of the fifty best community colleges in the nation, Santa Barbara City College is ranked 2nd (The Best Schools, 2016). Education in Santa Barbara is a top priority, even if one cannot afford it, and the Santa Barbara Foundation aims to grant access to everyone regardless of financial standing.
The City itself supports this same access to learning, and the Parks and Recreation Department of Santa Barbara has allocated funds for tutoring services at three neighborhood centers in the city. In one location, they have included a police office in order to reduce gang activity and crime. District 1 has the Franklin Neighborhood Center, which houses a satellite police station to maintain order in the nearby area. The issue of safety is a priority for the police department and the feeling of safety is a perception crucial to their presence (Cooper, 2013). The Franklin Center is set up to provide easily accessible services, which include after-school tutoring, health clinics, food distribution, and free legal aid.
Community Decision Making
While the non-profits of Santa Barbara affect change on a daily basis, the city’s seven elected officials, six city council representatives, and a mayor govern the city. These elected officials and mayor oversee and approve many programs and policies for the city, along with approving its annual budget for the year. Each representative is elected for a four-year term. As it stands currently, there are six districts in Santa Barbara, three of which are represented by a city council member (1, 2, 3) (City of Santa Barbara, 2016). The members of the City Council work with organizations throughout the city, support local non-profits in an effort to meet the needs of those still struggling. In 2011, the Fund for Santa Barbara (a local non-profit) led a discussion forum and invited the City Council to speak with other NGO’s in the area to discuss issues the city was facing. One of the topics raised was the overwhelming fear individuals had around gang activity and violence (Cooper, 2011). Two years later the SBPD satellite office was unveiled at the Franklin Neighborhood Center, where gang violence was most concentrated.
The City Council also approves grants that fall under the federal Housing Urban Development funds projects that address the desperate needs of the most vulnerable populations. In March of 2014, they awarded a group of organizations and agencies (a majority of them non-profits), with $1.4 million in funds to address the local homelessness epidemic. Covered in the same fund allocation, the council voted to fund a roof replacement for the Westside Neighborhood Clinic, (Magnoli, 2014) which is one of three clinics in the Santa Barbara area that serves low-income wage earners who cannot afford health insurance coverage (Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics, 2016).
In addition to the City Council there are thirty-two boards, commissions, and committees that each regulate different divisions of the city. Citizens who live within the city’s boundaries are appointed by the City Council and fill positions on a volunteer basis with terms lasting two to four years. These committees include the Housing Authority Commission, Living Wage Advisory Committee, Neighborhood Advisory Council, Santa Barbara Youth Council, Building and Fire Codes, Water Commission, among others. All advisory groups are overseen by the City Council and have the uniform goal of improving the city (City of Santa Barbara, 2015).
While non-profits aim to provide services to the community, so too do a handful of local businesses. One such business example is a local health insurance broker located on the Milpas Street corridor. This bilingual family business called CoreGen, provides assistance in choosing affordable healthcare coverage. CoreGen also works with Covered California to help individuals throughout the entire enrollment process. In an interview with one of CoreGen’s agents, Janet Ferrusquilla, she stated that the number one reason why a family chooses one plan over another is price. Factors that drive health insurance cost include age of the individual and zip code. Only those who are US citizens are covered under the Affordable Care Act (personal communication, September 7, 2016). CoreGen offers these consultative services at no charge and does not receive any commissions from Covered California. Because CoreGen is a licensed health insurance broker, they are able to assist in the process. Those who do not have healthcare coverage because they cannot afford it can visit one of three neighborhood clinics, paid for by a local non-profit organization called Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics.
Another local non-profit leader affecting positive change is the New Beginnings Counseling Center. This center addresses the local homelessness epidemic through their Safe Parking Program. In an effort to get people off the streets and to provide them with a safe place to sleep at night, New Beginnings interfaces with local businesses and churches to use their parking lots during the overnight hours for the homeless to park their cars. Currently, there are 115 safe parking spaces, which the organization utilizes. As part of their transitional plan, New Beginnings assists clients in job searches and in finding permanent housing (New Beginnings Counseling Center, 2016). Cassie Roach, the Program Director and Senior Case Manager, noted that most people live in sedans, and highlighted one single mother with three children currently sleeping upright in their car, but somehow making do. In addition to the safety that these parking lots provide, all of the lots have bathroom facilities, and one has a shower, and another has a place for clients to wash their clothes (personal communication, September 7, 2016).
Reflection & Conclusion
While Santa Barbara makes headway on a number of challenges, issues still needing improvement and attention are those surrounding affordable housing. One possible solution to this issue lies in modification of the city’s building codes. Currently, the city regulates how high buildings can be built, which limits the number of available units for rent. Working towards the creation of a new policy that would allow the construction of new apartment complexes in Districts 1 and 3 would increase affordable housing options for those looking to transition out of homelessness.
With its temperate climate and natural beauty, Santa Barbara is a desirable place to live. Although the income disparity is starkly evident, the city and non-profits are conscientiously striving to meet the needs of every individual, regardless of income level. While the affluent tend to live “on high, and the less wealthy below,” there is not a poor “ghetto” or area where residents fear to tread. With those of less means mixed in with those of wealth, one turn a blind eye to the income disparity. This unique sense of clarity forces the community and the people to take on the responsibility of caring for one another. The wealthy are aware of the challenges and are actively choosing to use their wealth as a resource through the mechanism of the non-profits, rather than as a means of separation. As a result, those who are left behind and cannot qualify for federal assistance are, at the very least, provided a safety net by the community stepping up and working together.
Appendix A
Note: Reprinted from Santa Barbara 2015 Adopted Council Districts (2015). City of Santa Barbara. Retrieved from http://www.arcgis.com/apps/MapTools/index.html?appid=89cc1d4639a14205893948fd808bed2e
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