A new report from the Public Policy Institute of California shows the Central Coast is California’s capital of child poverty. Santa Barbara County had the state’s highest poverty rate for young children (30.8 percent). Monterey and San Benito counties had the second highest. This fact sheet points out "Child poverty rates remain higher than before the recession. Without the social safety net, it would be much hihger. CalFresh and the EITC help the most children to avoid poverty." Opinion columns in the Sacramento Bee and San Francisco Chronicle had something to say about it. This interactive map lets you explore the statistics.
KSBY reports an increase in the county's homeless population.
http://www.ksby.com/story/34935096/santa-barbara-county-sees-increase-in-homeless-population
Doctors Without Walls in Santa Barbara reports that women are now the fastest growing segment of the homeless population. http://www.keyt.com/news/women-now-largest-growing-segment-of-homeless-population-in-santa-barbara/390003748
But the increase is not evenly distributed. Pacific Standard reports that the homeless population of the city of Santa Barbara has fallen every year since 2011.
https://psmag.com/how-one-small-town-is-turning-a-corner-on-a-big-homeless-crisis-1b5d3c901eef#.vnpx0wcft
In the March 16, SB Independent, Nick Welsh put it in perspective.
http://www.independent.com/news/2017/mar/16/county-homeless-count-tallies-1489-people/
"According to the latest homeless count, Santa Barbara County has 1,489 homeless people, a number that’s remained relatively stable the past six years. The largest number of homeless live in the City of Santa Barbara — 790 — but that number has dropped 13 percent from 2015, 16 percent from 2013, and 24 percent from 2011. Nearly 70 percent of the city’s homeless were male, two-thirds reported having health insurance, 55 percent were white, and 130 lived in vehicles. The big bump in numbers came in Santa Maria, Lompoc, and Isla Vista. That increase could reflect better reporting and counting approaches, however, rather than a growth in actual homeless populations."
Also of possible interest as a data resource for local leaders: the Pro-Kid "California County Scorecard of Children's Well-Being." SB County's data is here. Information/demo video here.
