Author Archives: Jaime Shaw

Goleta City Grants Awarded

The City of Goleta is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2021-2022 City Grant Program funding. Since 2014, the City Council has authorized up to $100,000 annually for grant funding. This year, the City granted $89,500 to 29 nonprofits allocated an additional $11,500 to spend on events taking place throughout the year that were not planned at the time of the grant application period. The City included funding for the Juneteenth Santa Barbara event, Food From The Heart, Goleta Education Foundation, Isla Vista Youth Projects, and many other worthy organizations.

The Goleta City Grant Program provides grants of up to $5,000 each for non-profit organizations involved in providing public services, educational and cultural activities such as music, art, dance, and recreation, and Goleta-oriented special events and regional projects that enhance and support the quality of life in Goleta. The Committee kept last year’s focus on essential services during the COVID-19 pandemic that met the requirements of the City Grant program. In addition, the Committee considered other programs that were certain (using best-known knowledge) to take place in the upcoming fiscal year. The Committee expressed how difficult finalizing award recommendations was given the extreme need at this time. Staff appreciates their careful deliberation and thoughtfulness throughout the process.

The City Council’s Grant Funding Review Standing Committee reviews Goleta City Grant applications and is composed of Mayor Paula Perotte and Mayor Pro Tempore James Kyriaco as well as two Goleta citizens. This year the citizen advisors are Eileen Monahan and Luz Reyes-Martin. The City would like to thank the Committee for their dedication to the City’s grant programs.

For more information on the City’s grant programs, please visit www.tinyurl.com/goletagrant.

Pictured: Youth Mental Health Education Program (Mental Health Association in Santa Barbara County)

CA COVID-19 Rent Relief

Do you need help with rent or utilities? You may be eligible for the CA COVID-19 Rent Relief program.

Financial assistance is available from the State of California for income eligible renters and their landlords who have been impacted by COVID-19 and have past due rent or utilities, or who need help with upcoming rent or utilities.

Both renters and landlords are encouraged to apply.

Assistance is available for unpaid rent dating back to April 1, 2020, as well as for future rent.

Assistance is also available for unpaid utility payments dating back to April 1, 2020, or for future utility payments, which will both be compensated at 100% of cost, limited to a total of 12 months, and paid directly to the utility provider.

Assistance from the CA COVID-19 Rent Relief program does not count as earned income and will not affect eligibility for any other state benefit assistance programs. All applicant information is kept private and will not be shared. Income eligible applicants may qualify regardless of immigration status and will not be required to show proof of citizenship.

How do I apply?

To check eligibility and apply, visit HousingIsKey.com or call 833-430-2122.

For in-language assistance, to get help with eligibility requirements or filling out an application, schedule an appointment with a local organization near you by calling 833-687-0967.

Digital COVID-19 Vaccination Records

The California Department of Public Health and California Department of Technology announced a new Digital COVID-19 Vaccine Record for Californians, available at myvaccinerecord.cdph.ca.gov. The tool is a convenient option for Californians who received a COVID-19 vaccination to access their record from the state’s immunization registry systems.

“While CDPH recommends that vaccinated Californians keep their paper CDC card in a safe and secure place, we recognize that some people might prefer an electronic version,” said California State Epidemiologist Dr. Erica Pan. “And if one of the state’s nearly 20 million vaccinated Californians misplaces their paper card, the Digital COVID-19 Vaccine Record provides a convenient backup.”

California’s Digital COVID-19 Vaccine Record follows national standards for security and privacy, is built by the state, and provides Californians a way to view and save their vaccine record.

The Digital COVID-19 Vaccine Record is easy to use: a person enters their name, date of birth, and an email or mobile phone number associated with their vaccine record. After creating a 4-digit PIN, the user receives a link to their vaccine record that will open upon re-entry of the PIN.

The record shows the same information as the paper CDC vaccine card: name, date of birth, date of vaccinations, and vaccine manufacturer. It also includes a QR code that makes these same details readable by a QR scanner. Once the digital record is received, individuals are encouraged to screenshot the information and save it to their phone files or camera roll.

For more information about the Digital COVID-19 Vaccine Record, visit covid19.ca.gov. Californians can correct or update their immunization record at cdph.ca.gov/covidvaccinerecord.

When Do You Need Your Mask?

California may be fully open, but face coverings are still required in some settings per CDC guidelines. Please read the full masking guidance from the California Department of Public Health.

Everyone Must Wear a Mask on Public Transportation and in Other Limited Settings
Everyone must wear a mask that covers the mouth and nose on public transportation (airports, planes, trains, buses, stations, etc.). Masks are also required for everyone working/attending/living in healthcare settings (including long term care facilities), k-12 schools, childcare, and other youth settings, state and local correctional facilities and detention centers, homeless shelters, emergency shelters, and cooling centers.

Fully Vaccinated1 People May Go Unmasked in Most Settings2
Fully vaccinated Californians may go unmasked in most settings, except on public transportation and the places listed above. (Workers must follow Cal/OSHA rules.)

People Who Are NOT Fully Vaccinated…
Must wear masks in all indoor public settings (such as, but not limited to, the grocery store and the movie theatre) and should wear masks in outdoor crowded settings when that region is experiencing high covid transmission.

Businesses and Venues May Ask for Vaccination Status and May Also Require Masks
Businesses, venue operators or hosts may require all patrons to wear masks, or may implement vaccine verification (which can include self-attestation of vaccination status). (Doing so would not violate HIPAA rules.)

People Cannot Be Denied Service for Wearing a Mask No business or venue may deny service to a person who chooses to wear a mask.

Some People Are Exempt from Mask Wearing
Children younger than two years old and people with certain medical conditions are not required to wear a mask. Please read our full masking guidance for more details.

For more information on when to where face coverings, view the California Department of Public Health Face Coverings Q&A here.

1Someone is considered fully vaccinated two weeks or more after their second dose of Pfizer/Moderna or two weeks after receiving the single dose J&J vaccine.

2Local health jurisdictions may impose stricter criteria. In workplaces, employers are subject to the Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS) or in some workplaces the CalOSHA Aerosol Transmissible Diseases Standard, and should consult those regulations for additional applicable requirements.

California is Open, With Some Restrictions

As of June 15, California retired its Blueprint for a Safer Economy.1 California’s economy is now fully open. Restaurants, shopping malls, movie theaters, and most everyday places are operating as normal – with no capacity limits or physical distancing required.2 However, everyone is still required to follow masking guidelines in select settings. Some restrictions also still exist for large events.

Masking is Still Required In Some Settings

Everyone, regardless of vaccination status, is still required to wear masks on public transportation (buses, trains, planes, etc.) and some other places (like hospitals and shelters)3 per CDC guidelines.

People who are not fully vaccinated must still wear masks in all indoor public settings (such as, but not limited to, the grocery store and the movie theater) and should wear masks in outdoor crowded settings when that region is experiencing high covid transmission.

Fully vaccinated4 people may go unmasked in most settings (except public transportation and places like hospitals and shelters). Workers must follow Cal/OSHA rules.

Read our full masking guidance.

Large Events are Subject to Some Restrictions

Some public health measures are still in place for large, or mega events, which include 5,000+ people indoors or 10,000+ outdoors. Think concerts, sporting events, festivals, and conventions. Mega events are high risk for spreading covid-19 because they attract people from around the world, and people gather in crowds. Indoor mega event attendees will be required to confirm proof of vaccination or negative covid-19 status to attend. Outdoor mega event attendees will be strongly encouraged to do so.

What’s Next

California will keep a close eye on covid-19 vaccination and infection rates over the summer and will review these guidelines by September 1, 2021. Learn more here.

1See the full Beyond the Blueprint guidance. Read the Beyond the Blueprint Q&A.

2Local health jurisdictions may impose stricter criteria. In workplaces, employers are subject to the Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS) or in some workplaces the CalOSHA Aerosol Transmissible Diseases Standard, and should consult those regulations for additional applicable requirements.

3This includes K-12 schools, childcare and other youth settings, healthcare settings (including long term care facilities), state and local correctional facilities and detention centers, homeless shelters, emergency shelters, and cooling centers.

4Someone is considered fully vaccinated two weeks or more after their second dose of Pfizer/Moderna or two weeks after receiving the single dose J&J vaccine.

Fire Chief Video Message to Goleta Community

We are lucky to live in such a beautiful place, but like most California cities, Goleta is susceptible to fires. We want to make sure our community members understand the risks and are prepared. We want to remind everyone to please take time out to watch this important video message we previously shared from Santa Barbara County Fire Chief Mark Hartwig to Goleta residents.

Make sure to sign up for alerts from Santa Barbara County at https://readysbc.org/ and City of Goleta information at http://tinyurl.com/goletaemergency.

Pictured: Santa Barbara County Fire Chief Mark Hartwig

#RideGoleta Community Bike Share Survey

Bike share programs everywhere have been clicking into high gear! You see them in communities across California including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, San Diego, and more recently by our neighbors in Isla Vista and the City of Santa Barbara. Now, the City of Goleta is considering a bike share pilot that would offer bikes on-demand, providing residents and visitors with quick and easy access to some of Goleta’s most popular destinations. The first step is to hear your valuable input. If you’d like to be involved in the decision-making process, please take our survey in English here, or in Spanish here, by July 19, 2021.

City of Goleta Sustainability Coordinator Cindy Moore said, “Goleta is such a bike-friendly town and we are eager to find out what residents and businesses think about bringing a bike share program to Goleta, and if so, what the pilot should look like.”

What is Bike Share?

Bike share programs provide bicycles available for rent to the public. In a bike share program, bicycles are stored in multiple locations throughout a city, providing options for where a bike may be picked up and dropped off. Some bike share programs operate within a limited area and others operate on a regional scale. These programs can also offer different types of bicycles including the common human powered bicycle and pedal-assist electric bicycles.

In the past several years, bike share programs have had a resurgence throughout the United States due to innovation with smart bicycles and reduced costs. Smart bikes are equipped with locking systems, global positioning software (GPS) for tracking, and other technological infrastructure to manage the bikes within a bike share platform. The bikes are reserved and managed through a smart phone application. Cities typically contract with bike share vendors who provide bicycle parking infrastructure, locally maintain the bikes, and manage the system.

What are the Key Considerations?

Bike share is unique in that it can serve as both a convenient option to visit points of interest in a city and as an alternative and healthy method of transportation for residents and visitors. The many benefits of bike sharing include improved individual and community health, economic development through green jobs, and improved access to businesses, decreased traffic congestion, and environmental benefits such as reduced vehicle emissions. Additionally, safety, nuisance issues, availability, and equitable distribution must be carefully examined. Goleta hopes to gain your feedback on these key considerations from the community survey.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to fill out the survey. The results will help inform next steps in the process and will be shared with the community later this summer. For any questions, please email bikeshare@cityofgoleta.org. #RideGoleta

COVID-19 Vaccine Update and Anticipation of June 15th!

The County is moving in the right direction with more and more people getting their vaccinations. Per County Public Health, if the downward trend in metrics continues, we can anticipate moving to the long-awaited yellow tier on June 9th.  Then on June 15th, the Governor is expected to get rid of the colored tier system altogether and lift the mask mandate. 

While we are still waiting on specific guidelines from the state, here is a look at what life may look like beyond June 15th: publichealthsbc.org/june-15th-beyond.

Vaccinations are the key to moving forward. The COVID-19 vaccine is free and readily available throughout Santa Barbara County. Everyone ages 12 and over is eligible to be vaccinated. Minors are only eligible for the Pfizer vaccine and must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Vaccination appointments can be made using the states My Turn vaccination scheduler, a Community Vaccination Clinic, or Local Pharmacy. If you still need a vaccine, please go to https://publichealthsbc.org/vaccine/ or call 2-1-1. 

Currently more than 50% of the eligible population is vaccinated. In order to reach herd immunity, Public Health is striving to get 80% of the eligible population vaccinated by July.

Let’s Give it a Shot Goleta, the best vaccine is the one available to you! Hear from your Mayor and City Council on why it’s important to get vaccinated in our #VaccinateGoleta video message.

#GoletaGraduates Spotlight on Vinesh Manian

What a year this has been for students, parents and educators with remote learning and then moving to in-person learning for the end of the year. While we know our seniors didn’t get the year they were hoping for, we are glad they were able to celebrate a reimagined prom and graduation.

Congratulations to all of our #GoletaGraduates. While we are so proud of you all, we want to take time out to highlight a senior in particular for his service to our City.

Vinesh Manian, a 2021 Dos Pueblos High School graduate, served as the first Youth Commissioner on the City’s Public Engagement Commission (PEC) for the past three years. He also participated in the Dos Pueblos Engineering Academy and the Golf Team. Vinesh is also the proud leader of Riptide Robotics, a local FIRST Tech Challenge Team.

Community Relations Manager Kelly Hoover said, “Vinesh has been an important voice on the PEC Commission and has brought fresh perspectives and feedback to the Commission that we wouldn’t have had without his participation. It has been important to make sure we are resonating with the entire community, including our youth, and he has helped make sure we are doing that.”

He said, “I initially applied for the Youth Public Engagement Commissioner position because I wanted to do something to give back to my community. I have really enjoyed working with my fellow Commissioners on some very cool projects such as the Census. The skills I have learned in this position will help throughout my lifetime and I am very grateful for the opportunity I have had.”

We wish Vinesh the best of luck as he moves on to UC Riverside where he will major in Materials Science and Engineering. Vinesh your future is bright! Thank you for all you have done for Goleta!

The City is looking for a student to fill our soon-to-be vacant Youth Position on the PEC Commission, if you are interested, click here.

Pet Resource Centers Open

C.A.R.E.4Paws and Santa Barbara County Animal Services (SBCAS) joined forces with five other nonprofit partners to open two new Pet Resource Centers at the County Animal shelters in Lompoc and Santa Barbara. On May 26, Mayor Paula Perotte performed the ribbon cutting at the Santa Barbara shelter, 5473 Overpass Road (pictured). The additional five organizations include: Companion Animal Placement Assistance (CAPA), Animal Care Foundation of Santa Barbara County, ASAP Cats, K-9 PALS, and Bunnies Urgently Needing Shelter (BUNS).

No pet owner should ever have to make the tough decision between paying a bill and buying pet food or providing medical treatment for a four-legged family member. But the pandemic has made it hard for a growing number of community members to care for their pets, leaving animals at greater risk of being relinquished to a shelter. The Pet Resource Centers are part of the shared community-based vision of C.A.R.E.4Paws and SBCAS to leverage partnerships to provide increased support services that prevent animals from ending up in shelters.

Pet Resource Centers are locations where community members can pick up dog and cat food and other supplies, as well as sign up for critical pet wellness services and veterinary care in C.A.R.E.4Paws’ mobile clinic and the SBCAS clinic at the Santa Maria Animal Center.

Beyond the joint Pet Resource Centers, during the pandemic, SBCAS and C.A.R.E.4Paws began collaborating even more closely to prevent animals from being relinquished at SBCAS’s three shelters. A joint staff member works with pet owners inquiring about relinquishing their animals to provide access to the services and support they need to prevent them from having to give up their pet. This includes assistance with spay and neuter surgeries, veterinary care and pet food.

Since the start of COVID-19, C.A.R.E.4Paws’ Companion Pet Assistance program has distributed more than 400,000 pounds of pet food to pet owners in need throughout Santa Barbara County. This amount of pet food is 100 times the total amount of pet food distributed during any year prior to the pandemic and reflects the tremendous need in the community. The uncertainty around the long-term economic impacts of the pandemic creates an imperative to bolster services and resources to keep families together.