Santa Maria Sun / News

Santa Barbara County receives more funds for the North County jail

BY JASON BANANIA

The California Board of State and Community Corrections voted on July 26 to award Santa Barbara County a grant of an additional $20 million in funding for the a new jail facility in Santa Maria.

The $20 million completes the $60 million partial grant the county received in March under AB 900, also known as the Public Safety and Offender Rehabilitation Services Act of 2007. To date, the county has received $80 million—the full amount requested by Santa Barbara County officials for the construction of the new jail, which will be built on 50 acres at the corner of West Betteravia and Black roads.

The new facility is expected to detain up to 376 inmates, and will include mental and medical facilities.

The total estimated cost for the structure is $95 million. The grant requires the county to match $11 million of the money awarded.

According to officials with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department, the next step will be to meet with the advisory and debt committee next month to discuss where the county will acquire the matching funds.

“Today’s award puts us one step closer to building an urgently needed additional jail facility made necessary by chronic jail overcrowding and the influx of state prisoners shifted to local custody due to criminal justice realignment,” Sheriff Bill Brown said in prepared statement.