Address: 329 West Ortega Street
Thomas and Janet Rhodes have lived in the home at 329 West Ortega Street for more than 35 years, and they helped convert it into three condos. They own the first floor and were part of a group called Homes for People. This nonprofit group began in 1980, and its goal was to make housing in Santa Barbara more affordable. The motto was “people helping people help themselves.” This organization, which was headquartered at 17 East Haley Street, rehabilitated older properties such as this home, and built new homes as well.
In 1986, the Homes for People organization bought the home and began the renovation process. Much of the work on the home was done by professionals, but prospective homeowners were also required to provide “sweat equity,” and the Rhodes did just that by nailing drywall, etc. Mark Lurie, one of the founders of the group, told me that the organization was active until the late 1990s. He estimates that they created about 115 affordable housing units.