The Housing Authority of Santa Barbara held a groundbreaking ceremony Monday for a new housing option for low-income veterans in the area.
The Johnson Court apartments will be located in the 800 block of East Carillo Street, near Santa Barbara High School.
There will be 16 studio units for veterans, as well as a one-bedroom unit for a property manager, a common area, and office space.
The Housing Authority bought the property in October of 2013. The family who used to own the land had a father in the military, and they had asked that the site is used to help veterans.
The Housing Authority says the studio units will be subsidized for with Project-Based Vouchers. This is to ensure tenants aren’t paying more than 30 percent of their income, in order for the project to be considered affordable housing.
According to Santa Barbara County’s homeless Vulnerability Index database, there are 210 homeless veterans in the area. The housing is designed for veterans with special needs, disabilities, or who are seniors.
Construction is expected to be finished within a year.
The Housing Authority also recently broke ground on The Gardens on Hope, which is a 90-unit development for low-income seniors. Construction is expected to be completed next year.
