The Community of Isla Vista
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Over the years, the community of Isla Vista has become synonymous with students and student lifestyles. But Isla Vista is also a community for families and children (over 550 children attend the local Isla Vista Elementary School); a respite from the rigors of academia (both UCSB and SBCC students live and study here); a new home for recently arrived immigrants (Spanish is the first language of a growing population in IV); a retirement town (nearly 200 seniors live in Friendship Manor); and an athlete's paradise (witness the cyclists, skateboarders, surfers, and runners outside every day of the year.)
 Situated on one-half square mile on the bluffs of the Pacific Ocean, Isla Vista is part of a spectacular geographic area. Environmentalists, scientists, and nature lovers have worked to protect the undeveloped areas within and adjacent to Isla Vista. The creation and maintenance of "open space," as a way to balance the dense property development, are important community issues for locals. In 1991, the Redevelopment Agency for Isla Vista purchased all the remaining undeveloped land on the bluffs of Del Playa to maintain as recreational and open space. Isla Vista's newest park, Pelican Park, located on the blufftops at 6541 Del Playa, has panoramic views of Devereux, Campus Point and the Channel Islands.
Originally a thriving Chumash Indian settlement when the Spanish arrived in the mid-1500s, Isla Vista secured a place in history between 1968 and 1970 with a series of civil disturbances as students and residents clashed with police. Out of the turmoil emerged a number of grassroots efforts to build a community, culminating in the creation of many service agencies in this small town. The Isla Vista Foot Patrol, established in 1970, was the first community policing effort in the United States. Through the Foot Patrol, law enforcement is provided by Campus Police, Sheriff's officers, and the California Highway Patrol who respond on foot, bicycle, and by car, making them flexible and responsive. Paramedics and fire fighters provide additional emergency response from the UCSB campus. The only form of local government in I.V. is the Isla Vista Recreation and Parks District.
Commonly thought of as a laid-back student community by the beach, Isla Vista is in reality a densely populated urban area with a complicated set of social dynamics. Isla Vista residents are confronted with parking problems, crowded living conditions, personal and public safety concerns, and conflicts exacerbated by substance abuse. In addition, students cite noise and high rents among the challenges of living in I.V. UCSB works with residents in Isla Vista on these issues and actively address alcohol and other drug problems on campus and in the community of Isla Vista through a multifaceted program comprising education, early intervention, environmental change, and enforcement. Despite the challenges presented by this community, there is a vibrancy and dynamism to life in Isla Vista that is without match elsewhere.
For the thousands of students who call Isla Vista "home", community service opportunities are available on every street corner. Students can provide companionship to the elderly at Friendship Manor, help an at-risk teen study at the Isla Vista Youth Projects, teach a second-grader to read as a tutor at I.V. Elementary School, or wrestle with a policy issue during a board meeting of the Isla Vista Recreation and Parks District. A variety of UCSB and County of Santa Barbara offices offer services and opportunities for all residents of Isla Vista to participate in community affairs. The newly renovated Embarcadero Hall houses the Isla Vista/UCSB Liaison, the Isla Vista Alcohol and Other Drug Council (IV AOD) and a conference room on the second floor which is available for community meetings. Campus Learning Assistance Services (CLAS) provides tutoring and oversees a computer lab for UCSB student use in Embarcadero Hall. The Hall also serves as an Emergency Operations Center for the Isla Vista community. The County of Santa Barbara Housing Inspector's satellite office is located next to the Isla Vista Medical Clinic at 970 Embarcadero del Mar. That address also houses the Isla Vista Tenant's Union which has offices and a conference room.
 UCSB also operates Isla Vista Theater's two lecture halls and Embarcadero Hall for classes by day and as entertainment venues by night. UCSB, the County of Santa Barbara, and the Isla Vista Recreation & Parks District have teamed together to develop a comprehensive, long range Master Plan for the community of Isla Vista. The Master Plan identifies development policies for the Isla Vista community and specific projects to improve housing, infrastructure, transportation, community services and downtown business opportunities. See www.islavistaplan.org for more information.
This is a dynamic time for Isla Vista residents. Both students and non-students are getting strong support from UCSB and the County of Santa Barbara to improve the community. Local organizations and health and human service agencies are collaborating on efforts to enhance their services. Academic, social, and philanthropic projects are abundant. You are invited to participate. Welcome to Isla Vista!
- Catherine Boyer, Community Liaison, Isla Vista/UCSB Community Services Center
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