Large items and Leftovers Picked Up as Thousands Move Out of Isla Vista
John Palminteri
ISLA VISTA, Calif. – The end of the school year at UC Santa Barbara means one of the largest move outs of a student population on and off-campus in California.
An estimated 15-20,000 residents are leaving for the summer months. With that, items they can not take usually end up going to a donation site or left on the roadside.
The extra items, trash and household belongings, are not what the Isla Vista Community Services District (IVCSD) wants to see left strewn around. The company, Hauling-4-U, has been brought on to pick up discarded items during the move out period and help to clean the streets. It is a locally owned and family owned business.
“We are here, to pick up all the trash, gather all the trash and put in bags, so Marborg can come and pick them up,” said owner Ivan Padilla. “This is the beginning of the move out. So we are getting all the big spots, and after that, we just kind of pick up some small stuff.”
The work is on every street, and comes in all sizes and shapes. It ranges from clothing to furniture to every household item that just can’t fit into cars and trucks going away with students to their next stop.
There will be a drop off spot at Embarcadero Hall for a parking lot sale, happening next Saturday, June 21st. It is known as the ‘GIVE’ sale, with proceeds going to the Isla Vista non-profits.
There is also a coordinated effort with Junk Luggers to assist in moving large items from the apartments and homes to the GIVE sorting location. This work will continue through the weekend.
This year, an additional collection site is set up at Rottapel Park on Del Playa Drive.UCSB and the IVCSD have collaborated in recent years to help those moving out do so in a smooth and environmentally friendly process, compared to massive piles of leftover in the past.
One of the residents says the leftover items and trash stacks up very fast.Brock Camp said, “most people will finish their finals around like Tuesday, Wednesday and then everything will just be on the street, just crazy. Everything piled up.”In addition to the trash there will be an e-waste and large item pick up.
Padilla says his crew of three is making a difference. “Oh, yes. We are happy to help.”
A student who was around last year at this time Ethan Mofarah said, “honestly it’s cleaner this year than last year. Also it’s I think still a bit early. I’d say in a couple more days Saturday, Sunday when graduations are happening I think it’s going to get worse.”
Some of the items are sold on line quickly through sites like Facebook marketplace.
Mofarah said, “I sold my couch. You know, I got like $50 and I sold some Timberlands and I got like $20, and I made some money off it.”
Tenants trying to get any kind of a deposit back are clearing their room of all items. “Everything moved out. Like the floor has to be completely open. Like we’ve got to get the table out today. All the couches, everything, sweep, mopped,” said Camp.
Many of the efforts to clean the streets and repurpose some of the leftovers is coordinated by the Community Services District and the UC Santa Barbara office of Civic and Community Engagement.
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