Friend with newborn at Cottage Hospital facing housing crisis – Looking for leads/advice

Hi everyone, I’m posting here because I have a very dear friend in a heartbreaking situation and I’m trying to help her find a safe path forward.

She is currently at Cottage Hospital with her newborn baby, who arrived 3 weeks early. She has no father in the picture and is facing a serious housing crisis.

The Situation:

• She is already signed up for the Coordinated Entry System (CES) and is hoping to get into Villa Majella or St. Vincent’s Family Strengthening Program, but as many of you know, those waitlists can be unpredictable.

• Her only other current option is moving back to her parents in LA, but the environment there isn’t healthy and a hoarding situation, which is unsafe for a newborn.

• She can stay with me in my 1-bedroom temporarily, but it is not a sustainable long-term solution for a mom and a baby.

How I’m trying to help:

I am willing to help cover her rent/costs for a studio or 1-bedroom apartment in the Santa Barbara/Goleta area to get her on her feet. However, I cannot sign another lease myself, and she doesn't meet the standard 3x income requirement that most management companies demand.

What we are looking for:

1. Leads on "Mom & Pop" landlords or private owners who might be willing to work with a unique situation if the rent is guaranteed/prepaid for a period.

2. Advice from anyone who has navigated Villa Majella or St. Vincent’s, any tips on how to advocate for an emergency spot now that the baby is actually here?

3. Specific local resources for "bridge housing" that we might have missed.

I’m doing the best I can to support her and this new baby. Please, if you have negative things to say, just move past this post. I’m looking for solutions and kindness for a new mom in a tough spot.

Thank you, SB community.