Building Dreams Together: SBAOR and Habitat for Humanity 2023

By Todd Shea
2023 President
Santa Barbara Association of Realtors

Since its founding in this lovely city in 2000, Habitat for Humanity has made incredible progress in tackling the pressing need for affordable housing and assisting marginalized groups in Santa Barbara. The Santa Barbara Association of Realtors (SBAOR) chose Habitat as their annual partner in 2023. Here are some of the successes and further details on Habitat that these two organizations have achieved together. They work incredibly well together. This year, I had the privilege of working with the incredible and committed leadership of Habitat for Humanity. This year, find out more about SBAOR’s cooperation with Habitat. And I’m hoping you’ll want to join in as well!.

Habitat for Humanity’s Mission:

The goal of the nonprofit organization Habitat for Humanity is to construct and renovate houses for low-income households. Their mission is to enable people who might not otherwise have access to affordable housing to do so through volunteer labor and financial and material donations.

Habitat for Humanity Santa Barbara has increased its efforts in 2023 to tackle the area’s housing crisis. The completion of multiple housing developments, which have made many families happy, is one of the major highlights.

Construction of New Homes: Habitat for Humanity has successfully finished building a number of new homes in different Santa Barbara communities. These residences, which were constructed in cooperation with devoted volunteers and knowledgeable experts, are evidence of the organization’s dedication to offering everyone access to safe and decent housing.

Home Repairs and Renovations: The organization has concentrated on repairing and remodeling homes in need since it understands how important it is to preserve the stock of existing dwellings. This program guarantees that families can continue to live in secure and comfortable surroundings while also reviving neighborhoods.

Community Partnerships: In 2023, Habitat for Humanity Santa Barbara deepened its connections with regional companies, governmental bodies, and civic associations. The group has increased its effect thanks to these collaborations, which have been crucial in getting resources, funding, and support for its projects.

Engagement of Volunteers: The projects carried out by Habitat for Humanity rely heavily on volunteers. The group has observed a rise in community involvement in 2023 as people from diverse backgrounds unite to provide their time and expertise. Together with speeding up the building process, this cooperative endeavor has promoted a feeling of community.

SBAOR’s Partnership this year included:

A “Community Beautification” day where REALTORS® and affiliates, who are lenders, title, escrow, etc., got together on the Eastside of Santa Barbara and spent the afternoon enjoying each other’s company while walking the streets and cleaning up trash. We covered a ton of ground and picked up a lot of debris on the streets.

The other workday was a “Brush With Kindness” afternoon with a family on the Westside that had home damage they did not have the means to fix. We went in as a partnership and repaired the damaged ceiling, room, flooring, and painting. This was a very rewarding project that addressed both safety concerns and gave peace of mind to the homeowner.

SBAOR also donated, as a result of being the beneficiary of our annual golf tournament, over $46,000 towards Habitat for Humanity programs.

SBAOR was awarded the “Mover and Shaker” award this year from Habitat for an organization that not only contributed financially but also with boots on the ground and a physical presence and effort.

Outside of these efforts, many REALTORS® and affiliates have volunteered their time and donated to help Habitat for Humanity to impact our community in a positive way. If you are looking for a way to give back and help out, please contact Habitat!

Habitat for Humanity Santa Barbara: www.sbhabitat.org

Todd Shea is the 2023 president of the Santa Barbara Association of Realtors (SBAOR). He is a California licensed real estate agent with the Zia Group powered by eXp Realty here in Santa Barbara. He has served on and chaired several committees within the SBAOR and served on its board of directors. Todd can be reached at 805.453.7730 and todd@ziagroup.com or message and follow @toddshearealtor on Instagram.