Transition House

Family Homeless Shelter and Housing ProgramsTRANSITION HOUSE FAMILY HOMELESS SHELTER IS SANTA BARBARA'S ONLY COMPREHENSIVE SHELTER AND ANTI-POVERTY PROGRAM THAT EXCLUSIVELY SERVES FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN. TRANSITION HOUSE'S PURPOSE IS TO MOVE FAMILIES TO FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE SO THAT THEY MAY ACQUIRE PERMANENT HOUSING AND LIVE FREE OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE. TRANSITION HOUSE PROVIDES EMERGENCY SHELTER FOR 90-120 DAYS TO FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN. IN ADDITION TO SHELTER, CLIENTS RECEIVE THREE MEALS A DAY, TOILETRIES, CLOTHING, CAREER COUNSELING, HELP WITH PARENTING SKILLS, REFERRALS TO APPROPRIATE SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES, FREE LICENSED CHILDCARE, BASIC MEDICAL CARE BY A NURSE, AND INSTRUCTION IN BUDGETING AND MONEY MANAGEMENT. FAMILIES ARE ALSO REQUIRED TO SAVE MONEY TOWARDS HOUSING. OVER 80% OF TRANSITION HOUSE FAMILIES MOVE ON TO PERMANENT HOUSING. TRANSITION HOUSE ALSO OFFERS TRANSITIONAL AND PERMANENT HOUSING PROGRAMS.IN 2022, THE AGENCY SERVED A TOTAL OF 410 UNDUPLICATED PEOPLE THROUGH ITS SHELTER, TRANSITIONAL HOUSING AND RAPID REHOUSING PROGRAMS: 61 PERCENT CHILDREN AND 39 PERCENT ADULT; 78 PERCENT SINGLE-PARENT HOUSEHOLDS AND 22 PERCENT TWO-PARENT HOUSEHOLDS; AND 80 PERCENT LATINO, 15 PERCENT ANGLO, 3 PERCENT AFRICAN AMERICAN AND 2 PERCENT NATIVE AMERICAN.IN 2022, TRANSITION HOUSES ONSITE LICENSE INFANT CARE CENTER SERVED 23 BABIES FROM VERY LOW INCOME FAMILIES, ENABLING PARENTS TO SEEK AND MAINTAIN FULL TIME EMPLOYMENT AS WELL AS ACQUIRE AND SUSTAIN HOUSING. THE CENTER ALSO SERVED 11 BABIES WHOSE FAMILIES WERE NOT LOW INCOME AND ABLE TO PAY MARKET RATE COSTS, THEREBY HELPING TO UNDERWRITE THE COST OF SCHOLARSHIPS FOR POOR FAMILIES. ALL CHILDREN WERE TESTED TO ASSESS ACHIEVEMENT OF INDUSTRY-ACCEPTED DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES. STAFF WORKED WITH PARENTS PROVIDING INTERVENTIONS OR REFERRALS FOR BABIES WHO WERE EXPERIENCING DELAYED DEVELOPMENT OR OTHER HEALTH AND WELLNESS ISSUES.

Homelessness Prevention Program: The Family Support Center Transition House offers anti-poverty services, emergency rental assistance and case management to local families that are at risk of losing their housing. The Family Support Center offers free classes in English as a Second Language, beginning computer skills, career development, parenting, life skills, and money management. Childcare is free for classes. Clients also make use of our Employment Resource Room, where they can construct resumes, call potential employers, and search for employment using the Internet. In 2022, 137 community individuals who were at risk of becoming homeless were served along with 13 families were assisted with Emergency Rental Assistance Funding.

Programs for Homeless ChildrenBecause of disadvantages homeless children face, they are three-to-four times more likely to become homeless as adults than their housed peers. Transition House has crafted a variety of children's programs aimed to intervene in the cycle of family homelessness. The programs, including our Infant Care Center, Homework Help and Evening Enrichment, and Technology and Literacy for Children (TLC), are free and offered on-site at the family homeless shelter. They operate year-round and serve approximately 252 unduplicated children per year.