The Purpose of NeighborMatch.org is to match needs and resources.
This project is part of a larger, long term effort to transform the community’s approach to housing that prioritizes supportive relationships and neighborhood resiliency as well as increasing the number of affordable units. For information on successful models for housing such as cooperatives and community land trusts, please like our Facebook Page “Future Housing Communities – CA” and for more specific housing opportunities and news for Santa Barbara, join our Facebook Group “Neighbor Match SB“. You are also invited to complete the ‘Get Involved’ form that can be accessed at the top and bottom of this web page.
In August of 2019 the soon-to-be non-profit Future Housing Communities was formed with 6 board members: Matt Lowe, President, Kym Cochran, Treasurer, Linda Honikman, Secretary, J.P. Herrada, Kathy Allen and Noah Compo. Planning for Neighbor Match began in the spring of 2019 by housing advocates Matt Lowe, Linda Honikman and Max Golding. The purpose of this site is to address the housing crisis in Santa Barbara County by facilitating the community sharing of housing resources. It is hoped that the community can come together to support each other across all income levels and backgrounds, through collaboration and matching neighbors who need space with those that have space.
Matt Lowe, President of Future Housing Communities, is applying his passion for justice and housing equity to lead a community wide effort to address our housing crisis. As an undergrad student at UCSB and more recently while completing a Masters in Community Development, he has experienced the difficulties of finding an affordable place to live in Santa Barbara. Even with a vision impairment disability he remained on the long section 8 wait list for a number of months. Prior to the Covid-19 shutdown he was in line to receive a housing voucher funded by new resources earmarked for our local disabled community but that is on hold as community priorities are addressed to tackle the current emergency.
“Changemaker Matt” is an entrepreneur, life coach and activist who seeks creative ways to find solutions and bring communities together. His dreams include being part of the national blind hockey Olympic team and trying to hook a Tuna of a life time on a deep sea fishing boat.