Isla Vista

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 of this era emerged a number of grass roots efforts to build a community, culminating in the creation of many service agencies in this small town.

The community of Isla Vista, commonly known as “I.V.,” borders the main UCSB campus on the west side and is approximately one square mile in size. Aside from students, residents also include families. Through the Isla Vista Foot Patrol, established in 1970, law enforcement in I.V. is provided by Campus Police, Sheriff’s officers, and the California Highway Patrol who respond on foot, bicycle, and by car, making them flexible, responsive, and approachable. Though Isla Vista is physically connected to the campus, it is not a part of the UCSB campus. Isla Vista is an unincorporated area of Santa Barbara County. The only form of local government is the Isla Vista Recreation and Parks District.

Our Town

The population of nearly 20,000 is served by:

• five churches
• 18 parks
• a teen center
• a retirement home
• an elementary school
• the IV theater (a lecture facility where the University also offers students low-priced and free films on a regular basis)
• Embarcadero Hall (formerly the Bank of America building now a newly renovated lecture hall and home to UCSB’s College Alcohol and Substance Education (CASE) Program)
• two religious centers
• 120 businesses (including 20 restaurants)
• groceries and markets
• a nine-hole frisbee golf course

IV Living

Isla Vista defies simple definition. 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.

Students who choose to live in Isla Vista are attracted by:

• beautiful ocean views from apartments and houses on oceanside Del Playa Road (also known as “D. P.”)
• the convenience of being able to walk or bike to class
• the ability to take care of basic needs without a car
• the benefits of communal living (living in households with multiple roommates/housemates)

Students cite noise, crowding, lack of parking, and high rents among the challenges of living in Isla Vista. As in any college town, there are problems related to the irresponsible use of alcohol. UCSB works with residents and law enforcement in Isla Vista on these issues and actively addresses 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. A broad array of projects and initiatives in this area are coordinated by a working group of campus and community members, professional counselors in the Alcohol and Drug Program, and peer educators. Despite the challenges presented by this community, there is a vibrancy and dynamism to life in Isla Vista that is without match elsewhere. While many students choose to rent apartments or houses in Isla Vista after their first year in the residence halls, others choose to remain in University-owned housing or move to the nearby communities of Goleta or Santa Barbara. No matter where students choose to live, expert assistance is available from UCSB’s Community Housing Office (CHO), which provides rental listings, education, mediation, and assistance to first-time renters.

UCSB in IV

UCSB maintains a presence in the community of Isla Vista in many ways. The Isla Vista/UCSB Community Liason, with an office in the heart of I.V., provides services and opportunities for residents to participate in community affairs. UCSB also operates Isla Vista Theater’s two lecture halls for classes by day. The University recently purchased Embarcadero Hall (the former Bank of America building), which recently underwent renovation and is now open as a lecture hall and campus office space. UCSB’s Campus Learning Assistance Services (CLAS) provides group academic tutorials and learning skills workshops on-site in Isla Vista and the Alcohol and Drug Program runs it’s CASE Program there as well.

Service with a Smile

Isla Vista provides UCSB students with a learning laboratory right in their own backyard. Community service opportunities are available on every street corner. Students can provide companionship to the elderly at the Friendship Manor Convalescent Home, help an at-risk teen study after school at the Isla Vista Youth Projects, tutor a second-grader to read at I.V. Elementary School, or wrestle with a policy or funding issue during a board meeting of the Isla Vista Recreation and Parks District. UCSB students living in Isla Vista can also enhance their understanding of a political science, sociology, or psychology class while learning how to be a member of a household and a community. As parents, you are invited to visit often and explore the community that may become your student’s home away from home.

Fun Facts about IV

• The IV Foot Patrol was the first community policing effort in the United States.
• About 60% of I.V.’s 20,000 residents are UCSB or Santa Barbara City College students.
• Isla Vista was home to the first Kinko’s (now owned by Fed Ex) which opened its doors in 1970.