From time to time we will report on housing situations that are affordable, or at least more reasonable than the current outrageous rental and housing market.

An avid reader of HopeDance and local activist in the Santa Barbara area, Arthur Schwartz, informed me of a 200-room hotel for seniors (62+) in Isla Vista. So I went there to check it out.

Settled in the midst of UCSB student housing is a three-story "hotel." Like a typical hotel, it has a swimming pool in one of its courtyards. Everywhere I turned, there were courtyards with lawns and trees, and plants in pots throughout the corridors, stairways and balconies. When I arrived, it was dinnertime, buffet-style, where I could choose halibut or lamb, rice or baked po-tato, green vegetables, salad, desserts, jello, yogurt, coffee, tea and soft drinks. The dining room was alive with conversation and laughter, and there were other guests of members, like myself.

A typical room in the hotel has a liv-ing room, bedroom and bath (one can get larger rooms). The walls are concrete like in my old college days so it was definitely soundproof. Spacious balconies were plenti-ful, viewing the courtyards or the campus nearby, so one didn’t feel enclosed as in some student housing. The laundry room with washers (75 cents) and dryers (25 cents) was open all day. A spacious room for meetings held a mammoth table for 20 chairs. Another room held art and craft classes as well as card tables for puzzles, chess and cards. Also on the shelves were books of all kinds.

On the third floor was a huge library with three computers for members as well as tables and chairs for small meetings. On the second floor was a theater that fit 60-70 people comfortably. All equipped with video projector and DVD/VCR player, it is set up for members to use for friends, members and nonmembers. Mr. Schwartz, in conjunction with HopeDance Media, is now showing films in the little theater where both seniors and the nearby UCSB students (as well as others in the Santa Barbara area) can join to watch some evocative and inspiring documentaries with discussion afterwards (see the ad in this issue for their future documentary films). Also, there is a pool hall with three pool tables and a large television (hopefully it will be hooked into DISH TV soon). Of course, there is one elevator for getting up and down the "hotel."

Arthur has recently installed the DISH TV network dish in his room so he and his friends can watch such wonderful channels as WorldLinkTV, UCTV and FreeSpeech TV.

Members have their own parking space, and there’s plenty of space for visi-tors in the garage as well as in a nearby vacant lot near the hotel.

How much would you expect to pay for a place like this that includes three meals a day? $850 a month includes every-thing, and there are 13 vacancies. So, if you are looking for a place, if you want to be near the ocean, if you want to be close to the University (three blocks away) with all that it provides, if you are over 62 years of age and seek to join a community of active retirees, you ought to check it out. Call me for details at 544-9663.

From their website:

Friendship Manor has served the elderly since 1973, providing them with a good, affordable home as well as many simple pleasures of group retirement living. It is a commu-nity designed for those 62 and older who are physically able and enjoy congregate living. The center provides transportation services to residents for their medical ap-pointments and shopping needs. Residents enjoy participating in various cultural and educational events nearby at UCSB. (http://www.as.ucsb.edu/cab/FManor.html)