This review is to warn family and potential clients of the many downsides of Sanctuary Centers. I…read morewas there for 5 months, January of 2011 - May of 2011. Even though this is being written long after my stay, I see a review written on Yelp dated 12/20/24 which shows that not much has changed over the past 15 years. First off, as with other reviewers, I immediately disliked the director, Lisa Moschini. I found her to be abrasive, egotistical, and confrontational. Next, here is a message that I emailed to my parents after I had been living at Sanctuary House for 4 months being treated for bipolar: The reason for this message is to express my INTENSE desire to move out of Sanctuary House ASAP!!! My therapist at the Sanctuary House Arlington Day Treatment Center knows this, and you know I've been unhappy living here for various reasons for some time now (at least a month??) What my therapist at the Sanctuary House Arlington Day Treatment Center nor you, Mom & Dad, know is what happened today: after dinner, my chore was to wipe down the dinner table. In doing so, I found myself cleaning up large chunks of food (chicken & rice) from the floor where another patient had sat. Ggrrr. I informed staff, and was told that she should be cleaning up her dinner area in the future. I then went upstairs to take a bath. There were chunks of a patient's menstrual blood on the bath mat. Again, I informed staff about the mess, and staff assisted her in cleaning up the bath tub & mat. Still, as you might imagine, I was not too excited to use the tub after that. I waited until the bathroom was clean and went in to draw a bath. At 11pm, I went to bed. I woke up at midnight to my alarm clock going off--I have no idea how, but my alarm was somehow cleared and set to midnight. I shut it off and, at first, was going to go back to sleep. I got up & re-set my alarm (a task that is a pain in the butt with the alarm clock here...it's tedious and takes a long time, especially in the dark so that I don't disturb the schizophrenic woman who is my current roommate). And then, I got anxious--what if I overslept and missed the morning meeting? I would be placed on restriction. I CANNOT handle going on restriction!!!! Being confined to the house (instead of doing movement outside which is so integral for my health) is completely counterproductive. This infantalizing punitive system does way more harm than good. These things may seem minor to you. For me, though, I just can't deal with any more unpleasantness in my living environment!!! I am tired of asking 20 year old psychology student staff for my medications in the morning & at night. I am tired of asking staff if I may please use my 'contraband' items (perfume, razor, tweezers, cuticle scissors). I am tired of informing staff that other clients aren't doing their chores or are being messy. I am tired of doing chores. I am tired of being put on restiction if I have food in my room, am late for a morning meeting, or who knows what else. I am tired of signing in & out every time I want to go somewhere. I am tired of asking for money & turning in receipts. And, I am tired of having 11 roommates who all suffer from a mental illnes!!! The poor quality food here and constantly smelling smoke from the patients who smoke cigarettes isn't helping either. My patience, tolerance, and compassion for people in this house are GONE and I detest the person I have become in this house--ill-tempered, annoyed, and paranoid. I do not know how much longer I can take being in this house. I am trying my best, but quite honestly, would LOVE to flee. As far as 'graduating' goes: 1) I'd like to think that I could graduate by June 1st, but there is no guarantee of this (and from what my therapist said yesterday when we spoke about this, my chances may be slim). 2) Even IF I got a firm promise that, as long as I don't change my meds & keep up my 20 'community hours' per week, I'd be able to graduate June 1st I STILL don't know that I can hack living in this house until then--I am at my wits end with this house. 3) The Arlington Day Treatment Center is a joke. Spending my day being told to 'draw a picture of what anger looks like' is a task for a kindergarten, not for someone who is an adult. Thus, at this point, I could really care less whether or not I 'graduate' from Sanctaury. I honestly believe, throughout my entire being, that I will feel MUCH BETTER when I am no longer living here--my living at Sanctuary House is making me miserable!!!! *A final note: in all of the reviews on Yelp and Google, there is not a single one about a positive interaction with Lisa Moschini. And, I am happy to say that since leaving Sanctuary House by their defined 'AMA' (Against Medical Advice) I was able to rebuild my life. I work, have a husband, and a huge community of friends. Recovering from bipolar can be done!

Sanctuary is the prime example of amazing mental and co occurring disorder therapy and as well as…read morethe people who make up this very caring environment .Anyone who says anything negative is simply ignorant and doesn't accept the program and the problem's they Face

if i can rate no stars i would my sister got kicked out…read moretoday because she was spending time with her 3 kids that she hasn't seen in weeks, not even a warning, write up or some sort of discipline and still had the audacity to say to come back in 30 days? NO THANK YOU. this is very stressful and disappointing now she has no where to go. all because they " can't bend their back for her " don't see a point in calling themselves SALVATION army if they aren't helping but i guess another client lost. she does her choruses works and does what need to be done. this is so disappointing definitely do NOT recommend this place. i hope they do better and especially for their clients this is so ridiculous.

As a client of this facility I have been given the opportunity to find work, clear away legal…read moreissues, work on finding a stable living environment, and rejoin society. The staff is professional, and are helpful. I made some incredible friendships there. If anyone is down and out and needs a chance to get back on their feet there is nothing better than the Hospitality House.

What a great place to walk around. A lot of stores to shop in. Everything mostly opens at 11am…read more We were here early morning around 9am. Definitely a great place to eat and shop. They have all the name brand stores.

It's always nice to stroll along the Blvd. it's completely changed big time from years ago with the…read morefancy department stores. Now all are gone as well as loads of smaller shops. But plenty more taking their space. Also, new restaurants popping in left and right. Plus I did notice loads more breweries which is nice. The main road is still blocked off from Covid I believe. There's still plenty of places to walk into and check out.

In 2006, i was introduced to casa ad it was a wonderful experience. Staff so nice. Showers great…read morehad a nice den with reclining chairs, food olenruful and organized. Regret did not take advantage of program. I didn't witness any drug use in those years.

this homeless shelter is struggling. they have financial issues and many homeless people say they…read morearen't friendly and don't accommodate guests respectfully. ie. poor living conditions, lack of basic material needs provided, lack of respect, careless. as of june 12, 2014 they are having legal problems. i don't know if everything said is true, but when i went there they couldn't help the 10-15 homeless people looking for help when they went to check in at 8 am. they turned them away. i heard they used to serve lunch and either had a day center or were trying to build one for the homeless to get help and spend time there during the day instead of being unwanted in the city. now it is my understanding that they are just have a few beds for addicts in recovery and turn most homeless people away. this is not a sufficient shelter anymore, and the resources and help are very limited if at any http://www.noozhawk.com/article/casa_esperanza_board_lays_off_top_executives_20140310 http://www.independent.com/news/2014/mar/11/homeless-shelter-directors-laid/

Cute store The staff is really friendly, I found some great…read moredeals at this place. It's down town so parking can move tricky but worth paying for a garage near by.

Unity Shoppe is a thrift store located at the Random store location. It is cleaner, more organized,…read morebut you still can spot some merchandise left over from Random (frankly more interesting) and it has the Random vibes. Lots of merchandise, a tad of everything- clothes, home decor, very little media, accessories, decent prices, good customer service. Closed on Sundays!

Easy drop off but the parking lot was very busy when we went. It would be better if it had a drive…read morethrough.

**1 Star** This was…read moremy first visit to Santa Barbara. My sisters and I were visiting from Washington, DC, and we love thrifting, so we decided to stop by this Goodwill. We found a few things and made our purchases. As we were walking back to our car, a homeless gentleman politely approached us and asked if we could help him get a pair of sneakers. He was incredibly respectful, so we went back into the store and bought him not only shoes but also some clothing. What happened next completely overshadowed what had been a positive experience. When we checked out, the cashier (Operator #9088) carelessly tossed the gentleman's clothing into the bag as if it were trash. I politely asked if she could fold the clothes instead of just throwing them in. Her response was shocking. She took the clothing back out of the bag, threw it toward me, and said, **"You fold them then. I don't fold clothes."** Caught off guard, I simply replied, "Ma'am, you can clearly see what we're trying to do here." Her response? **"Yeah, whatever."** I have rarely encountered such unnecessary disrespect from someone working in customer service. We were trying to do something kind for another human being, and instead we were met with rudeness and complete indifference. The only reason I didn't ask for a refund was because the gentleman genuinely needed the items we had purchased for him. Otherwise, I would have walked away from the transaction. If this employee's behavior reflects Goodwill's standards, then there is a serious need for better customer service training. Every customer deserves to be treated with respect, and certainly someone receiving help should not have their belongings handled with such disregard. This experience left a lasting negative impression. Unfortunately, because of how we were treated, I will not be returning to this Goodwill, and it has made me think twice about shopping at Goodwill stores in general. Goodwill, no how about IllWill!

While I intended to stay with Casa Serena for 90 days, my stay was cut short to only 6 days as a…read moreresident. I complained of bullying by other residents, and the same day was asked to leave. I was discharged through the front gate without a plan on where to go. My home is 5 hours away. I was just 6 days sober and asked that I secure a safe aftercare plan, but the Clinical Director malpracticed. Casa Serenas is TOXIC. There is no privacy if you wish to have confidential conversations with the staff. The staff is mostly college aged women who cater to bullies in the program. The Clinical Director is at fault for the condition of Casa Serena. And when I was there, only three beds out of fifteen were occupied. Noone believes in this place anymore. It's a shame. Casa Serena should look inward to find a way to remediate the toxicity.

Life changing! I hold everyone at casa in my heart always. Continuing on to outpatient is…read moremandatory if you want real recovery.

As a local I have been to ASAP multiple times. Every time I have been there the staff is welcoming,…read moreand very approachable. The place is very clean and the cats look very happy. We adopted a sweet cat from here in July and we could not be happier. I recommend this place, the application process is a breeze and is paperless. One difference between ASAP from other shelters is that you can foster cats and that they have different age cats avaliable. They will also not discriminate against people with disabilities and try to match you with a cat/kitten. I really enjoyed my experience and highly recommend ASAP.

I didn't adopt a cat here, but I wanted to write a review because my daughter is a girl scout and…read morewe came here for a field trip. What an amazing place that I honestly didn't even know existed! The people working here are so knowledgeable and good to the cats. The girls had the best time playing with the cats as well! They have small rooms to go in where you can hangout with the cats in an enclosed, safe environment. I can definitely tell that the cats here are really loved and cared for! This is such a loving place for these cats. Also, shoutout to ASAP for being so good with the girl scouts who visited them as well!

Spark Rescue is doing something truly special. As a foster, I've had a front-row seat to watching…read moredogs pulled from high-kill shelters slowly come into their own. These animals are angels, and Spark cares so deeply for each one, always wanting what's best for them. What sets Spark apart is how thoughtfully they match dogs and cats with the right adopters. They take the time to really understand both the animal and the family, which makes all the difference for a lasting, loving bond. As an all-volunteer organization, the effort they pour into saving the most at-risk animals is remarkable. Every dog and cat they pull gets a real chance at life and they find each one their perfect forever home. If you're thinking about adopting or fostering, look no further. Spark is the real deal.

I have been a volunteer foster for Spark Rescue Santa Barbara for almost 4 years and did end up…read moreadopting one of my sweet wonderful foster dogs. I have found the people who work and volunteer there to be very dedicated, kind, caring and knowledgable. They are easy to work with and ready to step in to help with all my questions or concerns regarding my foster dogs. The great advantage to this organization is the dogs are all in foster homes, they have been loved and cared for before being adopted. It's a big step to adopt a rescue so our goal is to help individuals and families find a dog /cat that would be a perfect match for them and for their new animal family member.

I had the pleasure of visiting both the Hermitage Museum and the botanical sculpture gardens…read more It's unbelievable that all of this is on one man's property in the hills of Santa Barbara. The museum is filled with fun pieces of art, some of it interactive. The giant sculptures on the property are remarkable, with the sheer quantity of them amazing. I loved the themed areas like the zoo. The vegetation is also a wonder, especially seeing rare specimens, some of them hundreds of years old. I can't wait to go back and spend more time appreciating all the detail that went into the place!

One of the most interesting and numerous place to visit. Vigorous walking up and down the hillside.read more