About Us

CHANCE, Inc. assists Santa Barbara County's most vulnerable adults and families find and maintain affordable and accessible housing in their home community.

History

Since its inception in 1999, CHANCE has been providing a variety of affordable and accessible housing opportunities to people with disabilities in Santa Barbara County. CHANCE's core services include: In-take; needs and resource assessment; individualized strategic planning; targeted housing case management; search assistance; advocacy; and consulting.

In addition to its core services, below are the affordable and accessible housing projects and stakeholders with which CHANCE has been involved over the years.

1999

Project concept and funding acquisition for the four-unit Braddock House project in Goleta (SB County Housing Authority; Tri-Counties Regional Center; George Braddock Creative Housing Solutions).

1999 – 2003

Grant writing, program implementation, and administration of California Department of Developmental Service's “DDS-AH Grant” Rental Subsidy Program.

2002-2003

Advisor on the 127-unit Hillside House Project (Hillside House Intermediate Care Facility for DD; SB County Housing Authority; George Braddock Creative Housing Solutions, Tri-Counties Regional Center).
Consultant and housing case management for selected resident relocations on Phase I of the Devereux campus downsizing and dorm closures (Devereux; Tri- Counties Regional Center; and families of residents).

2003

Served as a founding member on SB County’s Affordable Housing Advisory Committe, Special Needs Housing Sub-committee. This Committee was formed to ensure that SB County's housing programs, documents, policies, procedures, ordinances reflect the needs of people with disabilities.
Served as a founding member on the the multi-stakeholder grassroots effort “South Coast Livable Communities Project”. As a Coordinating Council member, ensuring that local affordable and accessible housing needs of people with disabilities received representation, attention, and consideration.

2004-2005

Project concept and funding acquisition for the four-unit Braddock House project in Goleta (SB County Housing Authority; Tri-Counties Regional Center; George Braddock Creative Housing Solutions).
Consultant and housing case management for selected resident relocations on Phase II of the Devereux campus downsizing and dorm closures (Devereux; SB County Housing Authority; Tri-Counties Regional Center; and families of residents).
Lassen Place Goleta: Project concept and funding acquisition for an affordable and accessible home for four adult males displaced by Devereux downsizing (Devereux; SB County Housing Authority; Tri-Counties Regional Center; and families of residents).

2005

Community Development Block Grant - Income reuse: Program design, implementation, and administration of SB County's first “Move-in Cost Program” providing gap grants and loan funds to poverty level and low-income County residents with disabilities who require assistance to acquire affordable and accessible housing.

2006

Apply for and acquire additional Community Development Block Grant funding to expand and re-fund the very successful “Move-in Cost Program”.
Apply for and acquire a second Community Development Block Grant award for program design and marketing of a new SB County “Accessibility Rehab/Retrofit Program”; Providing grants and loan funding to poverty level and low-income disabled renter/owner households requiring accessibility work or barrier removal to remain safely in their home; Bring in George Braddock as construction program administration.

2007

Market and implement the CDBG-funded “Move-in Cost Program”.
Market and implement the CDBG-funded “Accessibility Rehab/Retrofit Program”.

2008

Administer the CDBG-funded “Move-in Cost Program”.
Administer the CDBG-funded “Accessibility Rehab/Retrofit Program”.

Board of Directors

Each member of CHANCE’s Board of Directors represents the underserved low-income and/or disability community in Santa Barbara County. Pursuant to the organization’s bylaws – “The properties and assets of this Corporation are irrevocably dedicated to charitable purposes. No part of the net earnings, properties, or assets of this Corporation, on dissolution or otherwise, shall inure to the benefit of any private person or individual, or any member, officer, or director of this Corporation.”

Shella Comin-DuMong

Executive Director of CHANCE, Inc.
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