Senior Administrators
| Name | Dates | Title |
|---|---|---|
| James Welch | 1965-1970 | Administrator |
| Ray Schneider | 1970-1996 | Administrator |
| Sharon Davis | 1996-2000 | Administrator |
| James Wells | 2000-2002 | Senior Administrator |
| Jack Booth | 2002-2003 | Administrative Director |
| Ron Schaefer | 2003-2011 | Administrator |
| Tim Wetzel | 2011-2014 | Executive Director |
| Melissa Honig | 2014-2025 | Executive Director |
| Mark Hansen | 2025- | Executive Director |
Housing Inventory
| Year | Studios | 1-Bedroom | 2-Bedroom | Independent Living Total | Assisted Living | Memory Care | Skilled Nursing Beds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | 32 | 108 | 42 | 182 | — | — | 15 |
| 1977 | 32 | 108 | 42 | 182 | — | — | 49 |
| 1983 | ? | ? | ? | 42 units added | — | — | 49 |
| 1987 | ? | ? | ? | 28 units added | 43 | — | 75 |
| 1998* | ? | ? | ? | 239 | ? | — | 75 |
| 2008** | 11 | 99 | 114 | 224 | 44 | — | 75 |
| 2014 | ? | ? | ? | 40 new homes | 26 | 17 | 75 |
| 2026 | 7 | 87 | 155 | 249 | 26 | 17 | 75 |
* February 23, 1998, “How Green is Their Valle”, Santa Barbara News-Press
** 2008 “Master Plan” document by TynanGroup, Inc. It points out that 10 studios were converted to other uses: 2 for a Wellness Clinic, 3 for a Bed & Breakfast, 4 for use by Hospice of Santa Barbara, and 1 for a campus archive; also, some 1-bedrooms were combined into 2-bedrooms.
Annual Rate Increases
| Year | Rate Increase |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 3.00% |
| 2016 | 3.00% |
| 2017 | 3.00% |
| 2018 | 3.50% |
| 2019 | 4.25% |
| 2020 | 4.00% |
| 2021 | 4.25% |
| 2022 | 4.90% |
| 2023 | 7.50% |
| 2024 | 5.50% |
| 2025 | 3.90% |
Origin of Alcohol Policy
Valle Verde, built as an American Baptist institution, did not initially serve alcohol. Requests for wine at meals started to come up in 1991. In 1995, the Resident Council circulated a wine survey. Beginning July 8, 1996, wine service was introduced in the dining room, one six ounce glass of wine at the evening meal only. There was a choice of red, white, blush, or non-alcoholic wine. (Source: “Ray Schneider’s Page”, July 1996, RN8554)
Evolution of Pet Policy
The 1978 Resident Handbook says “pets are limited to birds and fish”. By 1994, both dogs and cats were welcome, and there was a “Valle Verde Cat and Canine Club”.
Where was the Rutherford House?
The Rutherfords’ original farmhouse and water tower were located near the creek, just south of the current dog park. Their “retirement home” was situated on the hill, near where Valle Verde’s 1068 Torino duplex stands today; that house was torn down in October 2012.
The following map is from the 1990s, predating the construction of the homes added to Zone 5 in 2014. The photo is of the modest retirement house, and features Verde Rutherford’s cat, Jerry, snoozing in the garden. Photo is courtesy of the Jessie Stevens Family Album.
1996 Valle Verde Mission Statement
“Valle Verde, as an expression of Christian mission in the Santa Barbara area, seeks to enhance the dignity, independence, well-being and security of older people through the provision of housing, health care and supportive services.” (Source: Valle Verde View, Spring/Summer 1996, RN 11259)
The Torino Drive sign
This sign dates back to 1973 when it was approved by Santa Barbara’s Architectural Board of Review. It was designed to be modest, in keeping with a neighborhood of single family homes. It was paid for by the Residents Assocation at a cost of $377.98. In 2026 dollars, that would be $2,835. Photo on the left is estimated to be from 1973; the one on the right is from 2026.
Valle Verde History Resources
Published Book
Brunton, Mary Parker. (1974). A Mid-Century Adventure: American Baptist Homes of the West, 1949–1974. American Baptist Homes of the West.
Newsletter Articles
Levy, Joan. (2013). Right from the Start [Collection of weekly newsletter articles]. Valle Verde Weekly Newsletter.
Valle Verde: A Verde Dream. (2002, October). ABHOW Communications, 2(8). [Valle Verde Archive document 18671]
VV Archival Documents
ABHOW: A brief history. (n.d.). [Valle Verde Archive document 18646]
Gabelman, Gustave. (1987, June 10). The beginnings of Valle Verde [Letter]. [Valle Verde Archive document 5446]
History re-cap, 1965–1999. (n.d.). [Valle Verde Archive document 8195]
Rutherford obituaries. (1962 and 1986). Santa Barbara News-Press. [Valle Verde Archive document 8207]
Schneider, Raymond. (1996, October). A brief history of Valle Verde. [Valle Verde Archive document 1545]
Schneider, Raymond. (1997). Raymond Schneider notes. [Valle Verde Archive document 8219]
The 3rd edition of the Valle Verde timeline, 1915–2015. (2015). [Valle Verde Archive document 19293]
Valle Verde chronology. (2001). [Conversation with Edna Smith]. [Valle Verde Archive document 8126]
Valle Verde movie script. (2004). [Valle Verde Archive document 15797]