Buellton Senior Center
Affordable Senior Housing by R.E. Darby
A Long Time Dream
It has long been a dream of the Santa Ynez Valley Senior Citizens Foundation to be able to realize
affordable senior rental housing here in Buellton. Regular affordable housing alone is a tough issue for
communities across the nation, but affordable senior rental housing is the one that falls through the
cracks.
We are trying to pay off the property that has the thrift shop annex on it over on First and Central st. because
until we do we can't get funding to build twelve senior rental housing units on the site. We cannot pay this off
with grants, this one has to come from the community. We are launching a series of fundraisers and working
on a ecommerce site, but ultimately it will come down to the community itself.
Community Awareness
Many of us in the community don't realize the challenges that the elderly face. Time brings changes, some mental and some physical. The physical changes can sometimes be the most challenging, just getting up from a sitting position can be difficult so there needs to be rails in the bathrooms. Rails, ramps and specially designed cabinets, it's like a whole other world. As you may suspect, most housing doesn't have these amenities.
Low Income And Elderly
So, physical and mental challenges are enough but when you add the absents of financial resources to the equation things start getting really tough. These are seniors who don't have family that is able to provide a support system so this segment of our community falls through the cracks when it comes to housing and other resources.
The People Of The Santa Ynez Valley
Even if there are politicians that can and will actually do something, we the people can't expect them or
the government to do everything. When it comes to really getting things done, it's always the people
who do the job.
Thank you.