Daily Archives: December 6, 2023

City Grant Applications Open December 15

Are you a part of a local non-profit serving Goleta residents or know someone who is? If so, the City of Goleta has $250,000 in grant funds available through a competitive application process. Starting Friday, December 15, 2023, through January 26, 2024, at 5:00 p.m., online applications will be accepted for both the Goleta City Grant and Community Development Block Grant programs.

Recipients of this grant may receive up to $10,000 for programs that benefit Goleta residents and the general community. Organizations involved in educational and cultural activities, such as music, art, dance, and recreation, as well as Goleta-oriented special events and regional projects that enhance and support the quality of life in Goleta are encouraged to apply.

Each year, the City of Goleta sets aside a portion of its Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding to support non-profits serving low-income residents, seniors, and those experiencing homelessness. CDBG funds are dispersed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which strictly regulates the use of these funds. The City of Goleta reserves these funds for agencies who qualify for CDBG funding, serve the goals of the City’s 5-Year Consolidated Plan, and apply for a minimum of $10,000. For the 2023-2024 Fiscal Year, the City is distributing approximately $40,000 to public services from its CDBG allocation.

Grant applications for both programs will be accepted online via the ZoomGrants program. Once all applications are received, they will be reviewed by the Human Services, Homelessness Issues, and Economic Development Standing Committees, as well as the Parks and Recreation Commission. These groups will evaluate the applications and make funding recommendations to the City Council. The Council then awards the grants at a meeting in the spring, likely in May of 2024.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to help your non-profit or community group. The City website (https://www.cityofgoleta.org/grants) will be updated with information closer to December 15. For questions on the grant programs please contact Melissa Cure in the City of Goleta Neighborhood Services Department at 805-961-7554 or mcure@cityofgoleta.org.

December Observances

Embracing the spirit of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the City of Goleta city wants to take a moment to highlight a few of the December 2023 and January 2024 awareness days and cultural holidays:  

  • International Day of People with Disabilities (December 3, 2023) – Celebrated yearly December 3, promotes the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities at every level of society and development. 
  • Hanukkah (December 7, 2023) – Begins at sundown on December 7, 2023, and lasts for eight nights ending on December 15, 2023. The Jewish “festival of lights” is celebrated with a nightly menorah lighting, special prayers, the game of dreidel, and tasty foods including latkes and sufganiyot (jelly donuts). 
  • International Human Rights Day (December 10, 2023) – Marks the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that sets universal values and a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations establishing equal dignity and worth of every person.  
  • Christmas Day (December 25, 2023) – Is both a religious holiday and a cultural event, with common gift exchanges, dinner, Christmas carols and other celebrations.
  • Kwanzaa (December 26, 2023 – January 1, 2024) – A secular festival observed by many African Americans from December 26 to January 1 as a celebration of their cultural heritage and traditional values culminating in a communal feast called Karamu, usually on the sixth day.
  • Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (January 15, 2024) – Observed annually on the third Monday in January, honors the legacy of Dr. King and focuses on the issue of civil rights, highlights the use of nonviolence to promote change, and calls people into public service.

We hope you can join the City of Goleta in acknowledging and learning more about the different cultural and awareness observances every month as we work to foster a more inclusive Goleta for all.

Lions Club Donates to Local Non-Profits

Here is another shining example of #GoodLandGoodPeople. The Greater Goleta Santa Barbara Lions Club on November 24 donated more than $8,000 dollars to 10 local non-profits who are making a difference in our community. The amount of funding was announced and presented to the recipients as the annual Donation Checks Presentation Dinner held at the Glen Annie Golf Course. 

Recipients include: 

  1. Dos Pueblos High School Athletics Department 
  2. Dos Pueblos High School Activities Department 
  3. San Marcos High School Athletics Department 
  4. San Marcos High School Madrigal Singers 
  5. Santa Barbara County Foodbank 
  6. Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara 
  7. Goleta Boys and Girls Club 
  8. Page Youth Center 
  9. SB Athletic Round Table 

Thank you to the Greater Goleta Santa Barbara Lions Club for finding incredible ways to give back to our community. This group is always looking for generous people to join its team.   

For more info, please visit www.goletalionsclub.org.

Home Preservation Program for Low-Income Homeowners

Habitat Santa Barbara is currently accepting applications for A Brush with Kindness. A Brush with Kindness (ABWK) is a free exterior home preservation service offered to eligible low-income homeowners in Goleta and on the Santa Barbara South Coast, who are struggling to maintain their home. These improvements are led with the support of Habitat volunteers at no cost to the homeowner, and cover small scale projects such as painting, landscaping, and minor repairs and maintenance, grab bar installation, and more.

Click here to apply now.

For more information, go to www.sbhabitat.org/programs/abwk. You can also reach out to Habitat Santa Barbara via email (amanda@sbhabitat.org) or phone (805-692-2226) with any questions or to have an application mailed to you.

Sleeping Bag Drive for those Experiencing Homelessness

Santa Barbara County Public Defender’s Offices Accepting Donations until December 13th

More than 1,850 people are experiencing homelessness in Santa Barbara County. To help these individuals and families stay warm this winter, the Santa Barbara County Public Defender’s Office is accepting donations of sleeping bags, hats, gloves, jackets, clothing, socks, shoes, hygiene products, thermal underwear, scarves, and backpacks. 

New or lightly used donations are being accepted during regular business hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Public Defender’s offices. The Santa Barbara office is located at 1100 Anacapa Street. The Santa Maria office is located at 312-P East Cook Street, Building A. Physical donations may be made through 5 p.m. on Wednesday, December 13. Financial donations will also be accepted, for the purchase of new sleeping bags and undergarments, and are tax-deductible through the Public Defender’s partnership with the Family Service Agency of Santa Barbara. Financial donations may be made online through the following website, 2023 Sleeping Bag Drive | Family Service Agency (givebox.com). Donations of items will not be accepted at the Family Service Agency.

In order to receive donated goods, those experiencing homelessness will need to attend a distribution event on Friday, December 15 from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. or until supplies last outside the Santa Barbara Courthouse or Santa Maria Public Defender’s office. Homeless outreach teams and community partners are currently working to inform clients of the donations that will be made available to them at the event. For more information, contact the County Public Defender’s office; in Santa Barbara, call (805) 568-3470; in Santa Maria, call (805) 346-7500.

For more information about the County of Santa Barbara government organization, go to www.countyofsb.org.

Housing Element 2023-2031 Revisions Adopted

The City of Goleta’s Housing Element 2023-2031 is headed to the State for final certification. At the December 5, 2023 meeting, the City Council adopted the Housing Element revisions, including the rezoning of eleven sites to accommodate Goleta’s share of the regional housing need as mandated by the State. The decision comes in advance of the State-mandated deadline and following a comprehensive process that has taken several years and numerous public meetings.

Mayor Paula Perotte said, prior to placing her vote, “In the coming months and years, I am committed to ensuring that future housing developments align with our General Plan and I encourage our community to stay engaged.” 

City of Goleta’s Planning and Environmental Review Director Peter Imhof said, “The adoption of the Housing Element revisions by Council last night in compliance with all State requirements is the culmination of years of work and a huge accomplishment. We look forward to implementing this Housing Element following certification.”

Prior to Council adoption on December 5, the Goleta Planning Commission reviewed and recommended adoption of the Housing Element revisions at a public hearing on November 13 and 15, 2023.

The State Department of Housing and Community Development previously sent the City a letter dated October 16, 2023 informing the City that the proposed Housing Element revisions meet all statutory requirements and substantially comply with State housing law.

A recording of the City Council meeting is available on the City website at https://tinyurl.com/454ye4xp.  

For more information on the City’s Housing Element Update project, go to https://CityofGoleta.org/HousingElement. If you have any questions about the project, please email City staff at HousingElement@cityofgoleta.org. For inquiries in Spanish, please contact Marcos Martinez, Spanish Engagement Specialist, at (805) 562-5500 or mmartinez@cityofgoleta.org.

Boys & Girls Club Members Receive Gold Cards

Members Recognized by Goleta City Council for Outstanding Attendance Record at Goleta Club

More than seventy United Goleta Boys & Girls Club of Santa Barbara County members and their families packed the Goleta City Council Chambers on November 7, 2023, for a special ceremony. The Mayor and Goleta Councilmembers took turns reading the names of 73 club members ages K – 12th grade who were recognized for their outstanding attendance record at the Goleta Club location at 5701 Hollister Avenue in Old Town. Applause erupted as each name was announced and photos were taken. In addition to receiving a Certificate of Recognition from the City, the students received a prestigious Gold Card acknowledging 105 days or more in the program this year.

While it is a tradition for the Gold Cards to be distributed yearly at the Goleta Council meeting, this year had the highest number of Gold Cards handed out by the City!

“The City looks forward to the Gold Card Distribution Ceremony every year,” said Mayor Paula Perotte. “It was wonderful to see the largest number of Boys & Girls Club recipients yet at City Hall, and we are very proud to have celebrated this amazing accomplishment with the students and their loved ones.”

“I want to thank the City of Goleta for giving this recognition to our kids,” said Michael Baker, CEO of the United Boys & Girls Club of Santa Barbara County. “Over 50 years of studies and data have proven that the magic number, 105 days of attendance, makes Boys and Girls Club members twice as likely to graduate high school on time and twice as likely to lead a healthy lifestyle.”

Besides the sense of accomplishment the students get from reaching this milestone, the Gold Card holders also receive special privileges at the club including choice of the day for sport, special line privileges, and even being “staff for the day” among others.

The Gold Card Distribution Ceremony is a special moment for the City each year. If you would like to see why, we encourage you to watch a recording of the presentation on the City website here.

Congratulations to all the deserving Gold Card recipients, Goleta is proud of you!

Group photo of the recipients with their certificates, along with the Goleta City Council and staff from the United Goleta Boys & Girls Club of Santa Barbara County.

Former Goleta Library Director Receives Goleta’s Finest Award

Congratulations to our former Goleta and Santa Ynez Valley Library Director Allison Gray, who was recognized with a 2023 Goleta’s Finest Award on her birthday. Allison was honored as the Public Servant of the Year. She said it was “literally the best birthday present I’ve ever received, and the most unexpected.” A formal celebration was held at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara last Friday night, December 1st, to honor remarkable individuals whose contributions have enhanced the Goleta community.

During her acceptance speech, Allison credited her late mother who served as the library director in East Hampton New York for 27 years, for igniting her passion to pursue a career in library services. She said her mom was, “a shining example of what it means to be a public servant.” 

Allison also recalled the moment she understood the importance of public libraries while working at a library in Long Island, New York near the World Trade Center following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. She said, “Our community had been impacted and people came to the library seeking community, and a sense of togetherness. It was at this point that I realized the importance of libraries and it has informed my work ever since. I try to give my all every day to my community.”

At the awards ceremony Allison was recognized for her remarkable 37-year career in library services, 15 of those which were served at the Goleta Valley Library. The awards write up stated, “Throughout her tenure, Allison’s commitment was evident in her initiation of innovative programs for families and children. Her vast experience and persistent dedication were instrumental in guiding the Goleta Valley Library System through the challenging COVID-19 closures, ensuring that the community continued to have access to essential library services. The Goleta community extends its heartfelt gratitude to Ms. Gray for her years of selfless service.”

The Goleta’s Finest Award is a 73-year tradition. Congratulations to all of this year’s award recipients (listed below) and thank you to the Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce for putting on this wonderful event.

The 2023 Goleta’s Finest Award Recipients are:

  • Woman of the Year – Jackie Parker 
  • Man of the Year – Marty Plourd
  • Educator of the Year – Scott Guttentag
  • Students of the Year – Valeria Tiburcio Romo
  • Volunteer of the Year – Fritz Olenberger
  • Innovator of the Year – Demis D. John, PhD
  • Public Servant of the Year – Allison Gray
  • President’s Award – Christine LeBon


Allison Gray accepting her award


Allison Gray with her Certificate of Recognition and Goleta’s Finest Award


Allison with Goleta City Council and Staff

Warm Up with a Good Book

The 2024 Winter Reading Program begins January 2nd at the Goleta & Santa Ynez Valley Libraries

Community members of all ages are invited to participate in the library’s 12th annual Winter Reading Program beginning on Tuesday, January 2nd! The program is open to children, teens, and adults and will run for eight weeks though February 23rd. The 2024 theme is “Warm Up with a Good Book!” and encourages our local patrons to read their way through the winter months with the library’s collection of print and digital titles.

Here’s how it works:

As in years past, participants will complete one entry slip for every book they read during the program and enter them into prize drawing boxes at their local branch for a chance to win exciting prizes in our weekly drawings. Plus, all the tickets submitted during the program will be entered into a grand prize drawing for everyone who participated! Entry boxes for each age group will be available at the Goleta Valley Library, Bookvan, Solvang Library, and Buellton Library.

Participants can read in whatever format they like best, including print books, graphic novels, eBooks, and audiobooks. We are adding new books to our collection each week, so there has never been a better time to visit your library and discover your next great read!

Happy Winter Reading, library patrons!

Explore GoletaValleyLibrary.org for up-to-date information about our services, programs, and events.

Our Water Our World: Controlling Fleas In Your Home

Learn how to control fleas with these tips from the City of Goleta Environmental Services Division. 

Did You Know?  

Fleas make pets and people uncomfortable and can transmit tapeworms to pets and sometimes to children. 

It takes about 18 days for a flea egg to grow into an adult flea, but in temperatures above 37 ̊F, fleas can be dormant for up to 18 months. A flea lays 20 to 50 eggs each day, so flea problems in your home can get out of control quickly, especially in warm weather. Adult fleas can live on your pet for 30 to 40 days—and they generally account for only 5 percent of fleas (counting fleas in all stages of their life cycle) in your home! 

Finding Fleas In The Home  

Adult fleas spend almost all of their time on an animal’s body. If you haven’t seen fleas but your dog or cat is scratching, your pet may have fleas. 

You may be able to see tiny white flea eggs and white, worm-like flea larvae on the floor, in cracks and crevices, in carpets, and where pets rest or sleep. You may also see “flea dirt” (flea droppings) where your pet sleeps. These black specks contain blood and turn red when wet. 

What Can I Do? 

Fleas In Your Home

  • Because fleas in many life stages live in your home and not on your pet, thorough vacuuming and washing your pet’s bedding is a key part of your flea control program. 
  • Vacuum carpets, floors, couches, and chairs often to pick up adult fleas, larvae, and eggs. Empty vacuum or dispose of bags in the trash, outdoors. 
  • Wash pet bedding in hot soapy water every week. 
  • Thoroughly clean cracks and crevices in floors or baseboards, or seal permanently with caulk. 
  • Use a non-toxic flea trap to attract fleas and trap them on sticky paper. Traps work better if people and pets are not around—fleas prefer warm bodies to traps. 
  • Use diatomaceous earth (DE) to treat carpets, chairs, couches, and pet bedding. Use a hand duster to apply a thin layer of DE (labeled for use on pests, or use “food-grade” DE if you have small children) and blow it into cracks and crevices. Wear a dust mask and goggles to keep DE out of your lungs and eyes! 
  • When you treat furniture or carpets to kill fleas, use a borate-based solution, which can control fleas for up to a year. 

Outside Your Home

  • Don’t treat fleas outdoors unless you know you have a major problem there. 
  • Do not try to combat fleas by spraying around the perimeter of your house or spraying your entire yard. Spot-treat with insecticidal soap only those areas where you find large populations of fleas. 
  • Apply beneficial nematodes (Heterorhabditis bacteriophora or Stienernema carpocapse) to soil where you have found fleas. You can buy them at garden centers or order them online. Soil temperature must be between 60 ̊F and 90 ̊F, and the soil should be moist. Water before and after application, but don’t soak the area. 

 Fleas On Your Pet 

  • Wash your pet with pet shampoo and warm water. Using a flea comb while your pet is lathered should get rid of most adult fleas on him or her. 
  • Use a flea comb (available at pet stores) often to catch fleas crawling on your cat or dog. Drown fleas caught in the comb in a cup of warm soapy water and flush or pour down the drain. Make sure to comb well around your pet’s neck and the base of the tail. 
  • Use chewable flea medication for your pet. Be sure you use the right dose for your type of pet (dog or cat) and his or her weight. 
  • Using flea medications in pill form protects water quality. Wastewater treatment plants cannot fully remove complex chemicals like pesticides. Wastewater agencies are concerned that pesticides in spot-on flea treatments can wash off a pet even weeks after being applied. In fact, these pesticides are turning up in wastewater treatment plant discharge and recycled water. 

Find more information on controlling fleas with eco-friendly products in our OWOW brochures in English and Spanish.  

The City of Goleta along with the Cities of Buellton, Carpinteria, Solvang, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, and the County of Santa Barbara have partnered with the OWOW organization to promote the use of less-toxic products to reduce pesticide pollution in our communities. By reducing pesticide use and the use of less-toxic products around the home, you can help reduce pesticides and other pollutants such as herbicides and fertilizers from being picked up while watering or when it rains and transported to the nearest storm drain inlet and into our waterways. The OWOW website is a great resource for finding less-toxic products to use around your home or garden.