Welcome to the August edition of Cabrillo Vistas – A Newsletter of Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation!  Summer has been a very busy and productive season for us.  We broke ground in Buellton on our first development in Santa Barbara County.  Donors and volunteers came together to help our younger residents get ready to go back to school by assembling back to school kits. Construction is in full swing at Dolores Huerta Gardens, we have a new Director of Resident and Community Services, and our 2023 Annual Report has been released!

Village Senior Apartments Ground Breaking

We are proud to announce that ground has been broken and construction has begun on Village Senior Apartments in Buellton. This highly anticipated 50-unit affordable housing community is designed for seniors and veterans. The event, held on August 15, 2024, marks a significant milestone in our ongoing commitment to addressing the housing needs of seniors and senior veterans in Santa Barbara County.

The ceremony featured distinguished guests, including Mayor David King of the City of Buellton, Amisha DeYoung-Dominguez, Esquire, District Representative for Congressman Salud Carbajal, Pamela Gnekow, CEO of Santa Ynez Valley Community Outreach, and more. They spoke about what the Village Senior Apartments mean to the underserved population that will have an opportunity and place to thrive as well as some of the obstacles that we had to overcome to bring this project to fruition. The speakers’ involvement in this event highlighted the significance of this project and the positive impact it will bring to the local community.

“The Village Senior Apartments are the result of a decade of hard work and unwavering commitment,” said Derrick Wada, Director of Real Estate Development. “Over the past 10 years, this project has faced numerous challenges, demanding relentless dedication and perseverance from countless individuals and teams.”

“We are honored to be here to celebrate this accomplishment with the Buellton community and show our commitment to creating a supportive and positive environment where residents can thrive,” said Margarita H. de Escontrias, CEO.

We extend our deepest thanks to all those who made this event possible, including the Buellton Senior Center, local elected officials, and community supporters. We look forward to continuing our mission of developing inclusive residential communities that serve the needs of underserved populations.

This has come to fruition through our financial partners: California Tax Credit Allocation Committee; California Department of Housing & Community Development - Veterans Housing and Homelessness Prevention Program & Housing for a Healthy California Program; National Equity Fund; Banner Bank; County of Santa Barbara; City of Buellton; Central Coast Community Energy; Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco (Wells Fargo Member Bank); Housing Authority of the County of Santa Barbara and Rural Community Assistance Corporation.

Thank you our event sponsors Y&M Architects, McCarthy Construction and SL Leonard & Associates!

View more photos of the event here.

Cabrillo EDC Board Members (left to right): Mayra Ramirez, Jessica Cook, Aiza Galdo, Naomi Ontiveros, Margarita H. de Escontrias (CEO), Victor Rodriguez and Alfredo Martinez. (Not pictured: Maria Perez and Ada Cordero-Sacks)

Thank you to our Donors and Volunteers

Where did the summer go?  School is back in session already!  Board members, donors and volunteers gathered for a fun filled afternoon of assembling over 260 Back to School Kits for our younger school aged residents. The kit included a few necessary items to get the school year started on the right foot: spiral notebook, pencils, pencil sharpener, ruler, a note of encouragement and a couple of fun activity books!  Thank you to all that donated their time and talent including BluSky Restoration Contractors, Oxnard City Councilmember Gabe Teran, Premier America Credit Union, Puretec Industrial Water, Santa Rosa Berry Farms and Supervisor Vianey Lopez's representative, Angel Garcia!  Contact Denise Bickerstaff for more donor opportunities.

2023 Annual Report is Available On-line

Please click on the image below to view our 2023 Annual report and hear from a some of our Board Members about the impact of Cabrillo EDC on our communities.

Dolores Huerta Gardens - Construction Update

Construction is over 50% completed and the framing is done!  We are on target for the construction to be completed by February/March 2025.  One of the most frequently asked questions is, "When will you be accepting applications for Dolores Huerta Gardens?" The short answer is, 90 days before completion. Follow us on social media for more updates.  And when we have a definitive date, our website will be updated with the application process. 

Interior of a unit takes shape.

Work in progress.

Framing is complete!

Meet Bianca Farmer, Director of Resident and Community Services

Bianca Farmer is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with a strong dedication and extensive experience in providing compassionate care and support to individuals facing mental health challenges. Bianca is responsible for coordinating on-site services across the Cabrillo EDC development portfolio, ensuring high quality and effective programming towards the overall mission fulfillment of Cabrillo EDC. Bianca oversees the team of clinical services and community engagement services being provided to our residents.

Graduating from University of Southern California with a master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy and completing a Criminal Justice bachelor’s degree at California State University East Bay, Bianca has worked in various settings. Including her time working with Los Angeles Department of Mental Health with teens/adolescents at-risk of suicidality/homicidally and her experience at Ventura County Behavioral Health as a bilingual clinician, serving adults with severe and persistent mental health disorders. Bianca's dedication to empathy and evidence-based practices encapsulates a role in empowering the residents and advancing individual autonomy. 

Bianca joined the team because of the impact we have on our communities and commitment to strengthening them through our mission.  Her passion for promoting equitable opportunities for all, removing barriers, and improving individuals' quality of life aligns with our mission.  When not working, Bianca loves to travel, spend time with loved ones, find new restaurants, cook new recipes, which then leads to working out!

Cabrillo EDC offers free, informative speakers for events to help bring housing issues to the forefront. Request a speaker here. 

Interested in staying up to date with Cabrillo EDC in-between newsletters?Check out the news section on our website. 

Donate today and support vital resident services that can only happen with gifts from donors like you!