Rob Pearson

Rob Pearson served as the Executive Director of the Santa Barbara City Housing Authority from October 1988 to December 2016. He is now retired. Prior to being Executive Director, he served as its Deputy Executive Director for 6 years. The Authority currently provides over 4,600 units of low rent housing assistance to the South Coast. Their rental housing inventory has often been termed “the best public housing” in the nation. The balance of Rob’s professional career was with the City of Santa Barbara where he held various positions, the last being Housing and Redevelopment Manager. As the Redevelopment Manager for the City, Rob was responsible for the operation of the City’s Redevelopment Agency, the Community Development Block Grant program, Housing Rehabilitation program, and related planning and community development activities. He holds an undergraduate degree in Political Science and Public Administration from the University of California at Santa Barbara. One year of undergraduate study was completed at the American University of Beirut, Lebanon. His graduate work was completed at Cal State Northridge in Environmental Planning. Rob is also active in numerous civic organizations. He is past president of the Coastal Housing Partnership, board member and past president of Casa Esperanza Homeless Center, a member of the Housing Committee pf the Public Housing Authorities Directors Association, President of San Felipe Supportive Housing for the Disabled, a member of the Santa Barbara Housing Action Coalition and a founding board member of the Housing Trust Fund for Santa Barbara County. Rob also served as Vice President of AIDS Housing Santa Barbara and served as a Trustee and Vice-Chair of Goleta Valley Community Hospital for many years.