Through ingenuity and tenacity, the Housing Authority of the County of Santa Barbara salvaged $500,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds originally targeted to build 12 public housing units and leveraged those with $700,000 in HOME funds to produce 118 large family apartments for eligible low income families in the difficult to develop south coast region of Santa Barbara County.

Positano exemplifies the positive contribution to the affordable housing community which can be attained when interested entities join to form partnerships.  A complicated financing package and complex deal structuring was successfully negotiated between nine separate business entities (the Housing Authority, County of Santa Barbara , AMCAL Affordable Communities, State of California Department of Housing and Community Development, HUD, Santa Barbara Community Housing Corporation, Edison Housing Investments, Union Bank, and California Community Reinvestment Corporation).

The complex consists of 118 units of multi-family housing located near schools and public transportation.  Amenities include on-site laundry facilities, a community center and playgrounds. 

A central common area attracts residents and encourages social interaction among neighbors.