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SANTA BARBARA NEWS-PRESS

NEWS

THURSDAY, APRIL 6, 2023

DignityNOW Capital Campaign aims to reduce homelessness in Santa Barbara County By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

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said Mr. Lorenz. “DignityMoves’ first three locations are a 70-unit location in San Francisco, a 60unit location in Rohnert Park and a 47-unit location in Alameda. Santa Maria is the first of an additional 300 units we will be building in Santa Barbara county. We have three more targeted sites, we are just waiting on a vote of approval from the board of supervisors,” said Mr. Lorenz. “I think the most important thing is that intensive case management services is the secret to the success of these sites,” added Mr. Lorenz. Good Samaritan Shelter plays a critical role in the Santa Barbara Street Village as they provide on-site case management, connect clients to other local resources including mental health care, addiction services, SSI and other benefits, help with job placements and work to help clients find their way back to stable housing. Other partners include Dignity Health, SB ACT, Santa Barbara Rescue Mission, County of Santa Barbara Public Health, County of Santa Barbara Behavioral Health, and the County of Santa Barbara Public Defender’s Office. As a demonstration of community support, DignityMoves offers naming and sponsorship opportunities at each of the organization’s sites. Rooms available for “naming” include kitchen/dining areas, office spaces, computer labs, outdoor patios and gardens. These sponsorships typically range from $10,000-$1,000,000 and include a permanent plaque with your name/group name and acknowledgement at events and DignityMoves literature. Contact Jack Lorenz at (310) 266-0502 or Jack@DignityMoves.org for any sponsorship or support-related questions or visit https:// dignitymoves.org/donate/. email: kzehnder@newspress.com

Alleged gang associate pleads not guilty in carjacking case By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

An alleged Santa Maria gang associate pleaded not guilty Wednesday to felony charges of carjacking and evading a pursuing police officer in connection with a Jan. 30 incident at Ross Dress 4 Less on Betteravia Road. Saul Dolores-Morelos, 19, “entered Not Guilty pleas (and) denied the allegations” in the complaint filed against him, Deputy District Attorney Bryant Estep told the News-Press. He is due back in court April 11 to set a date for his preliminary hearing, the prosecutor said. A tentative preliminary hearing date is scheduled for April 12. Mr. Dolores-Morelos was identified by Santa Maria Police Detective Cole Whitney as a suspect in the armed carjacking. This was on March 29, following Mr. Dolores-Morelos’ arrest by Santa Maria police in connection with the beating of two people and robbery of their personal property earlier that morning. A third person was robbed, too. Mr. Dolores-Morelos has not been charged in connection with the beating and robbery. The complaint against the defendant alleges that he used a BB gun in the commission of the carjacking “for the benefit of, or at the direction of, or in association with a criminal street gang, to witt: West Park, with the specific intent to promote, further, or assist in criminal conduct by gang members.” He also is charged with evading an officer and willful disregard by operating a vehicle with the intent to evade, flee or otherwise elude a pursuing a police officer following the Jan. 30 carjacking. A second carjacking suspect, a

17-year-old Santa Maria juvenile who police allege is a known gang member, was arrested on March 26. Police identified him as the primary suspect in both the Jan. 30 carjacking and another carjacking on Jan. 23. He was booked into the Santa Barbara County Juvenile Hall on suspicion of carjacking (two counts), vandalism and gang enhancement. Mr. Dolores-Morelos was identified as a suspect in the Jan. 30 carjacking only because Detective Whitney did a followup investigation after the defendant was arrested as a suspect in the earlier beating and armed robbery. At approximately 12:41 a.m. March 29, Santa Maria police patrol officers were sent to the 900 block of East Jones Street regarding a robbery that had just occurred. Officers responded and located three adult victims of robbery, Sgt. Daniel Rios said. “Two victims reported being physically assaulted before personal property was forcibly taken from them by the suspects (small group of juveniles and/ or young adults),” Sgt. Rios said. “During the commission of the crime, one of the suspects brandished a firearm.” The suspects left the area in a vehicle that collided with a parked vehicle while fleeing the scene, Sgt. Rios said. Patrol officers’ investigation led to a suspect vehicle being identified. At approximately 1:14 a.m., officers located and conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle. Mr. Dolores-Morelos, the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle, was ultimately arrested on suspicion of conspiracy and robbery. Vehicle damage to the suspect vehicle was also tied to

the parked vehicle that was hit while fleeing the scene. He was not charged in the complaint in connection with this incident – at least not yet. “This is an ongoing investigation so I am unable to speak on the

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(The Center Square) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced this week that California will receive $391,500,000 for essential drinking water infrastructure upgrades from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. The fund received a $6 billion boost because of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed in 2021. Therefore, the Environmental Protection Agency is making more funding available

for states to improve their water infrastructure. “Every community deserves access to safe, clean drinking water,” EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan said in an EPA press release. “Thanks to President Biden’s historic infrastructure investments in America, we have an unprecedented opportunity to revitalize America’s drinking water systems, support the Biden-Harris Administration’s goal of removing 100% of lead pipes across our country, and Please see WATER on A3

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internal filing decision,” Deputy District Attorney Estep said. “The police are continuing to investigate the robbery incident.”

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On Monday, DignityMoves announced an ambitious plan to significantly reduce homelessness in Santa Barbara county. The DignityNOW Capital Campaign has already raised $10 million of the $19 million it seeks to support four new villages, including a development in Santa Maria. The county has partnered with DignityMoves to provide land and funding for social services for the villages. DignityMoves is a unique program that offers a comprehensive range of services to the homeless, including housing, employment resources, medical and mental health care, and substance abuse support. The program is staffed by teams of highly trained professionals dedicated to helping the homeless in Santa Barbara County regain their dignity and rebuild their lives. Each DignityMoves resident has their own case manager. “So far the success has been the village on Santa Barbara street which opened in July of 2022. It took about 90 days of outreach to find the original 34 residents,” said Jack Lorenz, regional advancement director for DignityMoves Santa Barbara County. “The results have exceeded my expectations, and I have been doing this for a long time. Of the 34 residents that came in: eight have become employed, nine have transitioned to more permanent stable housing, eight are employment ready and three people are going to school. So far we have served 54 at Santa Barbara street and twenty have transitioned out to stable housing.” Homelessness is a devastating issue that affects millions of people nationwide. In Santa Barbara county alone, over the course of a year, approximately 3,500 people will experience homelessness. DignityMoves

Interim Supportive Housing Communities are places where people can come in from encampments along the freeways, riverbeds and streets to stabilize and begin a path toward healing and self-sufficiency. Each resident has their own private room with a door that locks, AC/heat, a desk, Wi-Fi, onsite bathrooms and showers, laundry facilities and three meals a day. Residents can also bring their belongings, partners, and pets. “Potential residents are not required to be clean and sober, but they do have to agree to the community rules which includes no visitors, no violence, no weapons and no drugs. Residents also have to agree to creating an exit plan with a case manager. We try to transition everyone out within six to twelve months. We try to keep sites that we build within where the folks were living. We don’t want to take them out of their community and where they are familiar with,” said Mr. Lorenz. One of the more significant advantages of the DignityMoves model is its mobility. By taking services directly to those in need, the program can reach individuals who might otherwise be unable or unwilling to access traditional congregate shelters and support services. This approach has proven highly effective, with DignityMoves achieving an impressive success rate in connecting individuals with housing, health care and employment. The second property, Hope Village in Santa Maria, is currently in development and will have 94 rooms. “The Santa Maria location will be breaking ground in the next ten days … Of the 94-unit location, 30 units will be for respite care for those exiting hospital and ten of those will have restrooms in them. Ten units will be for transitional-age youth who are transitioning out of foster care. Another ten units will be for veterans. The remaining 44 units will be for singles and couples. We are doing our best to accommodate the needs of the population,”

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