Press Releases

Congressman Salud Carbajal announced that he had secured $16,621,540 in direct federal funding for community projects to benefit residents of Santa Barbara County in the federal funding bills drafted and passed yesterday by the U.S. House of Representatives.

The funding bills, written to cover federal spending for the upcoming Fiscal Year 2023, provide funds to help expand 101 carpool lanes, support upgrades to public spaces in Santa Barbara, Lompoc, and Santa Maria.

“I have, and always will, use my seat in Congress to work to deliver real results for Central Coast residents. I am proud to have secured over $22 million for local projects – including nearly $17 million for Santa Barbara County – that will improve our quality of life once approved by the Senate and signed into law for the upcoming fiscal year,” said Rep. Carbajal. “With these funds, we will be able to make critical upgrades that will reduce traffic, renovate public spaces, and improve access to food and clean water across the Central Coast.”

Rep. Salud Carbajal specifically requested and pushed for funding for these and other Central Coast projects through the House Appropriations Committee.

In total, Rep. Carbajal secured $22,466,540 for 14 projects across the House’s funding bills that were approved in recent weeks by the House Appropriations Committee.

So far, the full U.S. House of Representatives has advanced 12 of Carbajal’s projects to the U.S. Senate.

The following Santa Barbara County projects were advanced to the U.S. Senate this week:

$7,000,000 to support construction of one of the two remaining sections of carpool lane expansion on U.S. Highway 101 between Santa Barbara and Ventura. Once completed, these carpool sections will complete 30 continuous miles of three-lane traffic between Ventura and Goleta. Construction of the remaining HOV lane sections is expected to begin in March 2023 and be completed by summer 2026.

“Representative Carbajal has been a champion of the Highway 101 Carpinteria to Santa Barbara project for many years and we appreciate his strong and consistent support,” said Marjie Kirn, executive director of Santa Barbara County Association of Governments. “Out of hundreds of projects in the bill, this $7 million for Highway 101 is one of the largest included, which really shows his effectiveness. This leadership in Washington, DC couldn’t come at a better time. Federal support is critical for continuing to make progress in supporting our region’s number one transportation priority.”

$2,000,000 to help fund the acquisition and retrofit of a new building to serve as an upgrade location for the Orcutt Branch Library in Orcutt.  Unlike most library facilities in Santa Barbara County which are owned outright, the Orcutt branch is reliant on a leased facility, and the current space is no longer adequate to serve the growing community.

“Funding for a new and permanent Orcutt library and community center will make a true difference for residents in and around Orcutt, the largest unincorporated area in Santa Barbara County,” Santa Barbara County Supervisor Bob Nelson said. “The current space is inadequate for the 35,000 residents in this growing area, and a larger building will be able to serve as a destination for all families and members of our community.”

$1,500,000 to fund part of the total costs of the full-scale renovation of Dwight Murphy Field in Santa Barbara, including a brand new 36,000 square-foot playground. Costs of the project, for which construction is expected to begin as early as summer 2023, are shared by the City of Santa Barbara, the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation, and private donors.

“The City of Santa Barbara is tremendously pleased to receive Community Project funding in support of the Dwight Murphy Field Renovation Project.  The renovation will create a modern, inclusive, multi-generational play space with an innovative playground, youth baseball, outdoor fitness area, a multi-sport field, accessible restroom facilities, and community gathering/picnic space,” said Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Director Jill Zachary.

$1,500,000 to support the retrofitting of the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County’s new south county warehouse in Goleta. Once completed, the warehouse will have the capacity to store more than 750,000 pounds of food. Retrofit construction on the facility is estimated to be completed in June 2023.

“We’re grateful to Congressman Carbajal for including development of the Foodbank’s new south county warehouse space as a key local priority in the bill and advocating for its passage,” Foodbank of Santa Barbara County CEO Erik Talkin said. “We are hopeful the bill will pass both branches of congress and help the Foodbank best respond to community need in the case of both large-scale emergencies, as well as the daily disaster of hunger that so many residents of Santa Barbara County are facing.”

$1,267,500 to fund renovations and upgrades for the City of Lompoc’s Pioneer Park, including the construction of a new playground and baseball fields. Federal funds secured by Carbajal would cover roughly a third of the expected cost, with additional funds provided by the City of Lompoc and Community Development Block Grants.

“I want to thank Congressman Carbajal for securing funding for Pioneer Park,” said Lompoc Mayor Jenelle Osborne. “With so many of our parks needing upgrades and refurbishment, this funding helps the city do more than we could have accomplished on our own. This park is utilized by the neighborhood, the public school across the street, and our youth sports programs so this funding will not only improve the quality of life in and around it, but for the entire city. We appreciate Congressman Carbajal’s advocacy and support of our community.”

$500,000 to support the construction of the Santa Maria Japanese Community Center to honor the original Japanese settlers to the Santa Maria valley. The 10,000 square foot facility would feature memorabilia documenting the lives of the Issei first generation immigrants, part of the 7-acre Smith-Enos History Farm House project supported by the City of Santa Maria and local community groups.

“We appreciate Congressman Carbajal’s efforts to secure federal funding for the construction of Santa Maria’s Japanese Community Center,” said Santa Maria Mayor Alice Patino. “This important project will memorialize the Issei first generation immigrants to the Santa Maria Valley, yet will also serve as a gathering spot for all cultures.  The community center is one part of the larger 7-acre Smith-Enos History Farm House project that will provide more community space and amenities for residents and is now closer to reality thanks to the work of the Congressman.”

$500,000 to help water districts reliant on Lake Cachuma to respond to record drought by supporting an emergency pumping facility project that is needed to allow Lake Cachuma’s water to continue supporting its surrounding regions. Lake Cachuma provides more than 70% of the water supply to 200,000 residents of Goleta, Santa Barbara, Montecito, and Carpinteria, but record low levels in the reservoir make normal gravity-feed methods of extracting water difficult.

“The Cachuma Operation and Maintenance Board and it’s Member Agencies appreciate Congressman Carbajal’s assistance in support of our critical lifeline project at Lake Cachuma during these times of drought,” said Janet Gingras, General Manager of the Cachuma Operation and Maintenance Board.

The following projects are also included in the House’s funding bills, and are expected to be considered by the House in future proceedings:

 $1,384,040 to help Santa Barbara County stabilize roughly 975 feet of railing roadway on San Marcos Road, a key fire suppression and emergency access road during closures of State Route 154. Funding will also help restore embankments and shoulders that are prone to landslides and other roadway failures.

“The County greatly appreciates Representative Carbajal’s leadership on this project, which will protect a vital link between the Eastern Goleta Valley and State Route 154 and the Santa Ynez Valley beyond,” said Scott D. McGolpin, Director of the County of Santa Barbara Public Works Department. “Over the last twenty years, the roadway and slopes adjacent have been severely impacted by several storm-related disasters. These roadway improvements will not only protect access for those who use the road during detours of State Route 154 closures, but also for the people who live in the area.”

 $1,000,000 to support construction and equipment needs of Marian Regional Medical Center’s Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB/GYN) Residency Program Clinic in Santa Maria. The funds included in the House draft funding bills cover part of the costs associated with the construction of a new 8,700 square-foot clinic for the OB-GYN clinic.

"Marian Regional Medical Center truly appreciates the dedicated efforts of Congressman Carbajal to secure this vital funding for our hospital's much-needed OB/GYN Residency Program Clinic in Santa Maria," said Marian Regional Medical Center President and CEO Sue Andersen. "This crucial funding supports Marian's OB/GYN Residency Program Clinic where physician residents will train to provide prenatal and postpartum care for the current and future healthcare needs of our community."

Additional Background

The full list of projects requested by Carbajal for Fiscal Year 2023, as well as more information on the rules governing what projects could be requested, can be found here.

This is the second year that Rep. Carbajal and his colleagues have been permitted to request specific Community Project Funding (CPF).

In Fiscal Year 2022, Rep. Carbajal delivered nearly $18 million for nine community projects on the Central Coast.

More information on those CPFs can be found here.