Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV) offers microenterprise development services to female entrepreneurs in California’s Central Coast. Trainees receive self-employment training through a proprietary curriculum and loans that enrich the diversity of businesses and opportunities in the area. WEV has helped more than 6,500 clients jump start 4,000 businesses. More than $4 million in loans have supported the dreams of borrowers who do not qualify for conventional products. These combined forces have created about 8,000 local jobs. In addition to WEV’s work in the Santa Barbara area, the organization has extended some of its services to women in Texas, Hungary, Nepal, Amman, and Jordan. While great strides have been made since the inception of WEV in 1991, there is still a lot of work to be done to reach economic parity. WEV’s Business Recovery Specialist Nicki Pharr explains, “Women currently own about 38 percent of all businesses, but they generate only 25 percent of the annual revenues as their male counterparts. 71 percent of woman-owned businesses generate less than $25,000 in annual receipts and only 1.8 percent reach a million dollars in annual sales.” Research suggests that confidence and access to capital are two of the main reasons why women fall behind. Pharr says, “Women start businesses with roughly half the capital as men. A growing body of research indicates that confidence is as important as competence as a determinant of success and women exhibit much less confidence than men. We need to close the confidence gap so women don’t opt out of competitive but lucrative opportunities to start scalable businesses in male-dominated fields, and we need to continue to help women acquire the business acumen and skills they need to grow bigger businesses.” WEV in Action Pharr has known that she wanted to connect with WEV ever since...

The End Hunger Games have been a Foodbank of Santa Barbara County tradition for five years. This winter holiday campaign adds a dose of friendly competition to local corporate philanthropy. Each year, 10-15 corporate teams compete to be crowned as the biggest givers. Yardi has participated in the End Hunger Games since its inception. “We use Yardi activities as examples to inspire the other teams to go above and beyond,” says Nathalie Keller, Corporate Giving Manager at the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County. “They have several teams within the company. They volunteer regularly, donate food, post on social channels, and plan events like their holiday boutique and company party to benefit the Foodbank.” Yardi emerged as the victor of the fifth annual End Hunger Games, followed closely by other fine local organizations: First place: Yardi – Total Points: 1466 Second place: Evidation Health  – Total points: 1457 Third place: FastSpring – Total Points: 1327 The vast outpouring of corporate support, coupled with donations from the community, could not have come at a better time. The Thomas Fire, one of the largest and costly in the state’s history, caused widespread dislocation and loss of property. For the Foodbank, the efforts to provide for daily community food needs were made even more challenging by this disaster. Keller explains, “Children and families experienced increased food insecurity during this time of crisis. Many were unable to work because businesses had shut down or reduced work hours during the emergency. This meant that hourly employees faced sudden loss of wages. Owners of businesses connected to tourism and recreation, along with service providers and vendors, experienced immediate loss of income.” As soon as the UCSB American Red Cross shelter opened, the Foodbank began providing food, water and snacks to evacuees. Two...

One of the most innovative programs on the UC Santa Barbara campus, the Technology Management Program (TMP) benefits students, employers, and the community at large. The TMP focuses on practical applications of tech and engineering skills in the workplace, and now offers a fast-tracked master’s degree program for those wishing to further their education. “We think we have a very unique program that is designed to accelerate how quickly an early-career engineer or scientist can become a leader in a technology company, by emphasizing human capital skills like communication and leadership,” said David Telleen-Lawton, Career Development Manager for the TMP. In the process of developing the Masters in Technology Management (MTM) track, a team from TMP conducted extensive market validation research, including speaking with executives at 24 local, Bay Area, and Southern California tech companies, including Yardi (pictured), to determine what skill sets and educational backgrounds were most needed. “We learned that companies need more software developers. They also told us that they could not find enough technically trained people that would take initiative. They need people who see the bigger picture and realize that the organizational problems are often more intransigent than the technical problems,” Telleen-Lawton shared. The MTM team also met with potential program students, where they learned that interest in the program was not just from engineers and scientists, but others with non-technical degrees already or wanting to work in the tech space. As a result, the MTM “is a curriculum of leadership skills for those who are comfortable working at fast-moving technology companies,” Telleen-Lawton said. The nine-month program is designed to quickly return students to the job market after packing in a year of management-level education focused on business, leadership, human resources, and product marketing. TMP leaders are proud to...

Yardi Oxnard teamed up with Casa Pacifica Centers for Children and Families to bring hope to local, at-risk youth. About the Non-Profit Casa Pacifica helps children overcome a broad spectrum of difficult circumstances, from abuse and neglect to complex emotional, behavioral, and family issues. Services are offered to more than 4,000 children from Ventura County, Santa Barbara County, Kern County, San Luis Obispo County and surrounding regions. The non-profit organization is located on a rural 24-acre campus, providing a serene getaway for recovery from severe emotional, social, behavioral, and mental health challenges. Over 90 percent of the children served by the nonprofit also have alcohol and drug issue that contributed to their placement in Casa Pacifica. Casa Pacifica youth programs include but are not limited to: Short Term Adolescent Treatment and Therapy – for anxiety disorders, trauma and PTSD, Illicit substance use, self-harm behaviors, co-occurring disorders, depressive and bi-polar disorders. Foster Care – placement for more than 1,500 children in need throughout Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. The organization provides the required 52-hour training program for parents as well as 24/7 emergency support. Casa Pacifica’s Non-Public Special Education School – a WASC accredited, diploma-granting institution for youth in grades 1 – 12 who are dealing with mental health and developmental issues. Transitional Youth Services – for young adults transitioning from Casa Pacifica services into adulthood. These vital services help young adults continue to prepare for the responsibilities of adulthood—including housing and employment assistance–beyond the care and guidance received through Casa Pacifica. Yardi + Casa Pacifica Yardi Oxnard has established a relationship with Casa Pacifica through the company’s local non-profit grant committee. “We asked for 3-5 volunteers to be a part of the non-profit committee. Employees submitted up to two non-profit organizations they would like to...

For Rowan Diloia, the key to childhood learning wasn’t in a classroom or in the pages of a book. It was outside, in the mountains, beaches and creeks of Santa Barbara County. These were places he explored as a child, thanks to a local nonprofit called the Wilderness Youth Project (WYP). Serving kids as young as 3 and into high school, WYP is considered an early pioneer of an educational approach that’s now gaining acclaim nationwide. “It’s such a good alternative to staring at a phone, computer or tablet screen. Instead, let’s go outside, build a fort, learn how to make fire with two sticks and build a water filtration system,” Diloia said. When he was in the first grade, his parents enrolled him in the WYP, which was at that time an after-school program. They immediately noticed it made a difference for their son, who struggled with dyslexia and ADHD. “One of the grounding areas of his early life was the Wilderness Youth Project and their ability to bring him out into the wilderness and outside of his head,” said Tony Diloia, Rowan’s father. “A lot of after-school (programs) my parents tried didn’t really work for me,” Diloia said. “Most were a little too structured. But to be able to do my own thing at Wilderness Youth, go out in the dirt and climb trees, really helped.” When he entered high school, Diloia was accepted to the Visual Arts & Design Academy at Santa Barbara High School.  He is now a senior at California College of the Arts in San Francisco, where he is studying furniture design. He recently won a prestigious national award from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., for his functional art. Diloia said...

Junior League is a woman-operated nonprofit organization that is committed to developing the potential of women, promoting volunteerism, and community improvement. Junior League of Santa Barbara (JLSB), founded in 1924, continues the tradition of leadership and service in the central coast. Several Yardi team members are involved with LSB including Tori Fisher, Sustainer Melanie Calbow, and Kelly Johnson. Johnson has been with the organization for four years. “I joined JLSB because I have always had a passion for volunteering and wanted to find more ways to become involved with the community,” says Johnson. “Through trainings, I have learned to excel in a variety of areas outside of my current job role and am learning to be a better leader.” She adds, “While the international Junior League was first founded in 1901, I think it is more relevant today than ever before.  Our mission remains the same: promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers.” “We work towards making lasting improvements in the community, just as women did in the early 1900s,” Johnson continues. “Too often we hear about all of the negatives in the world and we need people coming together to make changes for the better.” The organization continues to be a positive force in the community. In 2016, JLSB raised more than $100,000 for local causes. Additionally, the Focus Area Committee at JLSB undertakes extensive research to select a Signature Project, the nonprofit’s most ambitious community service endeavor. One project can take several years. JLSB took on the renovation of Eastside Library as a former Signature Project. Phase one gave the teen space a modern and appealing update. Phase two transformed the basement of the library to a bright, fun, and welcoming space...

There is something special about nonprofit galas: the glitz, the big names, and the buzz of fellowship in the air. But how special would it feel if the gala didn’t exist at all? What if all of a nonprofit’s funds were directed to the people who need it most? Transition House explores the no-ball fundraiser concept with Help-a-Kid No-Ball. Transition House in Santa Barbara provides housing and services for families facing housing insecurity. Heather Stevenson, Grants Manager at Transition House, has seen hardworking families lose everything. “In Santa Barbara, the cost of living is so high that people without a safety net or family support can lose everything when an unexpected crisis occurs,” she said.  “A job loss or a medical emergency might be all that stands between a family that is already poor and homelessness.” She recalls a family that arrived to transition house several years ago. The father, a roofer, was unable to earn pay during one rainy winter month. Though he had part of his rent payment for the next month, he lacked $430. The family lost their apartment as well as all of their possessions. Transition House was there to help. The non-profit offers emergency shelter, transitional and permanent housing, as well as homelessness prevention services to promote long term stability. Each family obtains the essentials such as three meals each day, clothing and reliable shelter. Case managers and a career development specialist work together with heads of household to improve money management skills, education, and employment preparation. Since the organization exclusively serves families with children, about 60 percent of its residents are under the age of 18. When children enter Transition House, they are able to participate in uplifting programs and interventions that may provide the care and stability...

Since 1988, Storyteller Children’s Center has helped Santa Barbara’s homeless and at-risk toddlers achieve kindergarten readiness. Therapeutic preschool and support services provide students will the skills needed to beat the odds and excel. Since our previous article, Storyteller has grown. The second location and its staff are thriving. Even with the second location, the center has a waitlist for enrollments. In 2014, the waitlist averaged 80 families. This year, the waitlist has 144 families. The demand for Storyteller services continues to rise as local families struggle with homelessness, food security, and access to fundamental necessities. More than 90 percent of families serviced live below the 2017 Federal Poverty Guideline of $24,600 for a family of four. Delene Bliss, Director of Development at Storyteller, understands the conditions in which many students live. “That’s not a livable wage,” Bliss said. “That’s just the federal poverty guideline but that wage makes living very, very difficult in Santa Barbara.” About 56 percent of Storyteller families are single income, single parent households. Shelters or crowded, shared residences are what 53 percent of students call home. In addition to precarious living conditions, 43 percent of children strive to learn while managing developmental delays or disabilities. Without the help of Storyteller, these children would risk falling farther behind than their peers. The small classroom settings and one-on-one attention that students receive at Storyteller increase students’ chances for success. Yet in spite of the odds, Storyteller students are flourishing. Storyteller collaborated with the University of California, Channel Island and the University of California, Santa Barbara to conduct a study of Storyteller graduates. Dr. Michael Furlong of the University of California, Santa Barbara’s Counseling Clinical and School Psychology program led a team of researchers on a quest to determine the long-term effects of...

Local students are back in class, and that means back to awesome after school activities for the young ladies who participate in Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara’s afternoon programming. Yardi is a longtime philanthropic supporter of Girls Inc.’s efforts in the community. For the second year, this fall a partnership with UCSB’s Gevirtz Graduate School of Education will expose several dozen fourth to sixth grade girls to career opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The program is called the Curie-osity Project (after trailblazing female scientist Marie Curie), and it was a runaway success when it started in Winter 2017. “The girls are exposed to women who are in the STEM profession. They are experiencing hands on STEM projects and having the opportunity to really dive in and and learn about those areas,” said Kristina Webster, director of programs for Girls Inc. The success of the program highlights two of the things the non-profit organization excels at: creating meaningful community partnerships, and enlisting the support of dedicated volunteers. 12 female UCSB scientists donated their time to welcome the Girls Inc. students to their laboratories and offices last year – a similar number will do the same this fall and winter. “We wanted to create a program that combined literacy and science for girls,” said Danielle Harlow, an associate professor of education, in a UCSB press release. Harlow and colleague Diana Arya were the leaders on the UCSB side of the project. “We specifically wanted the girls to come to UCSB’s campus because research tells us that children who spend time on university campuses see college campuses as places they belong and are more likely to pursue higher education,” Harlow said. Last year, the girls in the program learned about how computer programs...

Millions of kids across the United States rely on school lunch as their affordable, nutritious daytime meal throughout the school year. But what happens when school is out? For many kids, hunger is a tragic condition associated with summer break. Foodbanks across the country are working to end summer hunger. The coordinated effort of nonprofit staff and volunteers serves millions of healthy meals all summer long at locations easily accessible to kids. Parks and playgrounds are prime locations to reach kids in need. Judith Smith-Meyer, marketing communications manager for the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County describes the Picnic in the Park program, which served more than 30,000 lunches in 2017 to kids across the region. “Lunches always include vegetables, fruit, milk, protein and carbohydrates. We serve everything from chef salad, tuna salad, turkey and cheese sandwiches, to plums, apples, yogurt and hardboiled eggs,” said Judith. The lunch menu can often depend on what the Foodbank has in stock. However, the notoriously fickle taste buds of children can also play a big part in crafting the menu. “We found that in certain parks the kids really did not like tuna salad sandwiches. We were thankful for that feedback and switched tuna out for peanut butter and jelly the next time we were there. At another park, the kids were really not fond of Caesar salad dressing. Our local Walmart donated another type of dressing which we served the next time we were in that park, which was a lot more successful,” said Judith. Foodbank volunteers are strategic about when and where they plan lunch services to coincide with the financial needs of neighborhoods and to not overlap with similar programs run by other organizations. “This is a big county with a lot of varying demographics....

What do you remember most about your summers as a child? Many of us enjoyed camps and retreats during our breaks from school. For others, those activities were not an option. United Way Santa Barbara (UWSB) is working to level the playing field for a new generation of local students by providing summer enrichment for ask-risk youth. Members of the local Yardi Voyager Client Success Residential SB 2 Team recently volunteered at the UWSB Fun in the Sun (FITS) Lunch Bunch event. Volunteers included Evan Hamilton, Brandon Paul, Luke Smith, Sonia Acuna, Ryan Daley, Baron Wei, Richard Ngoy, Dan Maliniak and Jomel Esleta, Team Leader, CSD. FITS is a six-week learning program geared towards children who are academically and financially at-risk. Esleta explains, “FITS is an important program for the community because these students’ parents spend much of their time working. The children are often unsupervised during the summer and are exposed to behavioral risks. FITS provides students and their families with unique and engaging experiences to reduce and reverse ‘summer learning loss’ and narrow the achievement gap between lower-income students and their middle or upper class peers.” Summer learning loss is a condition examined and analyzed through a 20-year study at Johns Hopkins University. When students lack access to enrichment activities over the summer, they lose academic skills gained during the previous year. They are also less prepared for the upcoming school year. The affects of summer learning loss accumulate year after year, pushing the students farther behind their peers who are able to continue learning during the summer. “By ninth grade, summer learning loss can be blamed for roughly two-thirds of the achievement gap separating income groups,” says TIME Magazine. To prevent summer learning loss, volunteers help students with hands-on assignments, arts and...

Each May, the good people of Santa Barbara, Calif. are encouraged to put pedals to the pavement and ride their bikes to work. Yardi’s home office in Goleta is a longtime participant in CycleMAYnia, the regional cycling challenge that encourages people of all ages to get back on their bikes. The event has been ongoing since 2005. “The community benefits through fewer cars on the road and reduced emissions, as well as elevated levels of joy and friendliness amongst neighbors, strangers, and coworkers,” said Lori LaRiva, Traffic Solutions/TDM Program Coordinator for Santa Barbara County Association of Governments. “Employees arrive at work refreshed, they let go of stress at the end of the day, they get a free workout, and they experience the camaraderie of a friendly workplace challenge,” LaRiva said. That’s certainly been the experience at Yardi, which captured the win for the 500 – 999 employee category. Companies are stacked up against each other based on size. Second place category finisher, Mindbody of San Luis Obispo, rode just 25 percent of the miles Yardi team members did. Yardi employees racked up 3,598 miles on bikes during the month of May to earn the win, and 439.5 miles during the week of May 15-19 when the competition tallies were recorded. “Not only did CycleMAYnia encourage employees to bike together, but it also encouraged carpooling for those who live too far to bike the entire way.  We had a new cyclist ride from downtown Santa Barbara every day,” said Kelly Johnson, Yardi event coordinator.  “The farthest biker came from Carpinteria.” LaRiva described some of the widespread benefits of the competition. “Every year, participants say that the Bike Challenge gets them back on their bikes again. For some, it creates a casual routine that will last...

The Housing Trust Fund of Santa Barbara County (HTF) has received a $5,000 contribution from Yardi in honor of the late Michael Towbes, local businessman and philanthropist, and to support the agency’s new South Coast Workforce Homebuyer Program. “Michael Towbes was a champion of workforce housing and was committed to the Housing Trust Fund’s mission to expand workforce housing opportunities. Yardi is pleased to be a ‘seed sponsor’ of HTF’s new South Coast Workforce Homebuyer Program. We hope that our donation in honor of Michael Towbes will inspire other business to contribute to this worthwhile workforce housing program,” said Gordon Morrell, Executive Vice President of Yardi. Michael Towbes served on the Board of Directors of the Housing Trust Fund for 12 years and the agency greatly benefited from his expertise, experience and generosity. The grant award from Yardi will provide key operational support for HTF as it launches the South Coast Workforce Homebuyer Program, which will provide low-cost down payment loans up to $100,000 to help first-time working households buy an entry-level home in the community where they work. The Housing Trust Fund is a non-profit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) whose mission is to expand affordable rental and homeownership housing opportunities throughout Santa Barbara County for working households and our most vulnerable populations.  HTF operates a countywide $6.7 million Revolving Loan Fund for affordable housing in partnership with community lenders. The loan fund provides short-term, low-cost loans to qualified sponsors of affordable housing for the production, preservation, and rehabilitation of affordable housing for low-income households. The agency also operates a countywide Workforce Homebuyer Program that provides down payment assistance to first-time homebuyers. HTF was created by countywide community leaders to address our region’s critical affordable housing needs by building innovative partnerships between the...

The Voyager Front Line Residential Santa Barbara teams joined forces to volunteer at PATH Santa Barbara last week in the tradition of Yardi’s commitment to the community. PATH is a non-profit organization which addresses homelessness for individuals and the community. It provides services to improve their health, increase their income, and transition to stable housing. “We had a great time sorting vegetables, fruits, breads and desserts. We also helped clean the tables and set up the food. Most especially, we enjoyed serving great food to our less fortunate brothers and sisters,” said Jomel Esleta, Team Leader, CSD. “We can see the happiness in their faces when they saw the team helping out and received non-stop ‘thank yous’ from all of them,” Esleta said. “It always feels great to help other people,” said team member Evan Hamilton. In addition to Esleta and Hamilton, Yardi employees Brandon Paul, Ryan Daley, Baron Wei, Richard Ngoy and Allen Shelledy spent four hours on a Saturday at PATH. The PATH community kitchen is open 365 days a year and serves other local agencies that assist the homeless, including Common Ground, Giving Tree, Presbyterian Church, Rescue Mission, Salvation Army, Stalwart House, WillBridge, and Unity Shoppe. For information iabout volunteering at PATH in Santa Barbara, visit this...

With its mild weather and low-cost housing, Florida has held the crown for top retirement destination for decades. However, what once intrigued and lured senior citizens to Gulf Coast condominiums and South Beach high rises no longer carries sway. A new era of retirees are changing the notion of “ideal retirement location.” The king has been deposed, and though Pompano Beach and West Palm Beach still maintains some allure, the top spots now include more than a few unlikely candidates. A Different Kind of Retiree SmartAsset recently set out to discover what U.S. cities were best for active retirement. What they found was a shift away from quiet, sedentary twilight years. Instead, today’s seniors want stronger community connections, friendly tax policies, and all the amenities associated with an active lifestyle. With boomers poised to dominate all facets of senior living over the next several decades, the cliché of aimless retirees splitting time between golf and bingo has changed. As a reflection of this shift, SmartAsset chose to study the nation’s top cities based on this new set of metrics. What they found upends some of the most basic assumptions about what makes a perfect golden years retreat. The Active Lifestyle SmartAsset considered four metrics for their study: average effective tax rate, the number of doctors per 1000 residents, the number of retirement centers per 1000 inhabitants, and percentage of population made up by senior citizens. When assessing a city’s active lifestyle compatibility, SmartAsset determined the area’s Walk Score, which measures pedestrian navigability, safety and convenience. They also took into account the number of golf courses per 100,000 residents (some standards still apply!). Another key data point measured the number of other fitness-related businesses, like gyms, recreations centers and sporting goods stores, in the area. Once...

According to the most recent report released by the Center for Disease Control, 22 percent of girls and 18 percent of boys in grades 9-12 reported being bullied at school. The National Association of School Psychologists estimates that is about 3.2 million children who face verbal and physical abuse at the hands of their peers. Although 71 percent of students report incidents of bullying as a problem at their school, most schools aren’t equipped to handle their concerns. Academy of Healing Arts (AHA! ) Santa Barbara hopes to change all of that, not just in local school districts but throughout the US. The organization strives to achieve its goal by beginning with those who bully and are bullied the most: school children. 67 percent of students believe that schools respond poorly to bullying and that adult help is often ineffective. By working directly with students, AHA! empowers youth to discourage bullying amongst themselves and become advocates of empathy and change. Molly Green, Development Director at AHA!, knows that strengthening the connection between children plays a key role in the solution to bullying. “If you’re connected to the person next to you, you’re less likely to harm them. Our program is always encouraging self-expression, empathy for the person next to you, and an understanding of commonality.” To forge these connections, AHA! staff creates counsel circles that bring together the bully, the person that was bullied, and anyone affected by the incident. Through a series of activities and conversations, students learn to share their circumstances, take responsibility for their actions, and learn how their actions impact other members of their community. AHA!’s principles are based on restorative approaches. Rather than punitive measures, like chastisement and expulsion, restorative approaches bring people together to connect, understand, and take...

Yardi would like to welcome our valued clients to our fall Advanced Solutions Conference in our hometown of Santa Barbara, Calif. We hope you enjoy your stay in our  beautiful beachfront city, but more importantly, we hope that the conference is a valuable learning experience for you. This morning, the day begins with Anant Yardi’s General Session remarks at 8:30 a.m. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from our CEO and one of the industry’s most respected technology innovators. The General Session will be immediately followed by the Spotlight Sessions, market-specific overviews for Commercial and Investment Management, Multifamily, Public Housing, Affordable Housing, and Marketing. Here are a few brief reminders about resources and things to remember during your stay. Should you have questions or need assistance with anything during your stay, simply ask a Yardi staff member wearing a blue polo shirt, or contact us at the Hospitality Desk. We’re happy to help. To connect with us on social media during the event, please visit our YASC Page. Here you’ll find access to all of our social media channels, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and of course, this blog. Don’t forget to tag your tweets and posts with #YASCSB so they can be seen by everyone looking for conference observations and insights. This year, course materials and handouts will be available for you to download and save electronically. Follow along in class on your tablet or laptop, and save to share with your coworkers when you get back to the home office. Find all of those items right here. You can also find them after the event on Client Central. And finally, looking for fun things to do outside of the conference venue? Find our locals tips for Santa Barbara right here. Thank you...

It has been over 10 years since The Marjorie Luke Theatre reopened its doors to the public. The performance venue, established in 1933, had passed through the hands of several owners before falling into a state of disrepair. It’s beautiful architecture, history, and Santa Barbarans’ notorious local pride triggered the restoration of the property. Now, the revitalized Luke Theatre is home to over 140 arts and educational organizations and countless visiting performers. Rick Villa, General Manager at The Luke Theatre has been helping dreams take stage since 2003. He became involved in the arts as a child, though when he entered college he took the sage advice to “have something you can fall back on” and majored in marketing and communications. That path led to an assistant position with the theater and ultimately to management. Since then, Villa has devoted his efforts to securing affordable access to the arts for Santa Barbarans and providing artists with a beautiful space in which to present their craft. The Luke Theatre does not produce its own shows. “We’re here to serve our community, offering an affordable house theater for anyone in our community to rent,” says Villa. Competitive pricing and an attractive space has enticed a wide range of performance troupes, school groups, local organizations, and bands to bring their talents to Santa Barbara. “[The pricing] attracts a lot of people to us and we get such a wide range of events coming through our doors, everything from operas to surf movies to plays and mariachi music,” says Villa. Though everyone is welcomed to rent the space, the theater has a special place in the hearts of youth organizations, many of which use the performing and visual arts as a tool for education. “Arts education is important...

Santa Barbara’s Multiple Listing Service is among the latest to switch to a website provided by Yardi-owned Point2. The Santa Barbara Association of REALTORS® (SBAOR) introduced SBAOR.com earlier this week. The new website uses data from the Santa Barbara Multiple Listing Service (MLS) to display searchable property listings on a mobile-friendly platform. SBAOR.com was developed by Point2, an industry leader in online marketing and data management for real estate. Website visitors can browse Santa Barbara homes for sale and rent, see property details by address and contact local real estate agents. Search options allow users to view active MLS listings by neighborhood, ZIP code and custom-drawn polygon, as well as criteria such as price range, property type, number of bedrooms and upcoming open houses. Registered users gain access to near real-time updates, new listings, detailed property reports and additional functionalities. Registration is free. “The Santa Barbara Association of REALTORS® has enjoyed partnering with Point2 to create a valuable real estate resource for our community that’s also an asset to our members,” commented Ed Fuller, president of SBAOR and broker-owner of San Roque Realty Inc. “SBAOR.com is the most accurate, mobile-friendly and consumer-friendly website for comprehensive Santa Barbara real estate information.” Using best-in-class consumer interface and mapping technology supplied by Point2, SBAOR.com benefits association members by generating increased exposure for member listings and services. Listing agent contact information is prominently featured next to each property. A “Find a REALTOR®” tool at the top of each page helps buyers and sellers to get in touch with SBAOR brokers and agents. “Point2’s MLS and Association Consumer Portal solution connects buyers and sellers to our members without lead diversion,” continued Fuller. “Whether you’re looking to buy a home, sell a property or speak with a REALTOR®, SBAOR.com is...