The City of Santa Barbara is seeking a permanent operator for Casa Cacique, a facility aimed at providing services to people experiencing homelessness.
Justin Williamson, who has been using services at Casa Cacique for the past month, said the experience has highlighted more than just the challenge of meeting basic needs.
“Nine times out of 10, people won’t even say hi to you,” Williamson said. “And having people actually help you, and treat you like a person instead of an animal, is a great thing.”
According to the latest data, 2,455 people experiencing homelessness were counted across Santa Barbara County in January 2025, a 15% increase from 2024.
City officials say transitioning operations to a nonprofit provider is a key goal.
“Instead of having city employees be the ones providing these services, the goal is to have a nonprofit step in and support this population,” said Anthony Valdez, Deputy City Administrator.
In addition to shelter, the program offers opportunities for employment and stability. Officials say eight people have already transitioned into permanent housing since the shelter opened.
“That is something we are very proud of,” Valdez said.
For Williamson, those opportunities offer hope for the future.
“I’m an animal lover, so I’m going to go work in the kennel,” he said.
The deadline for service providers to apply to operate Casa Cacique is in June.
