Santa Barbara, CA
Samarkand
Samarkand is a low-density, largely single-family neighborhood: the city's General Plan zones about 94 percent of its 177 acres for single-family use at up to five units per acre, describing it as a neighborhood with little room left for further development, and 733 dwelling units fill that footprint today. Streets roll gently across a hillside, with homes commonly described as a mix of Spanish Colonial Revival, Craftsman-influenced cottages, and mid-century ranch styles, though that architectural mix has not been independently confirmed by a historic survey. Highway 101 runs the length of the southern boundary. A portion of Oak Park sits inside the neighborhood's own eastern edge, and the public Santa Barbara Golf Club, an 18-hole, par-70 course, borders the west side. Public schools run through Santa Barbara Unified: Peabody Charter School serves a defined K-6 attendance area, though even in-boundary families must go through the school's lottery rather than receiving automatic assignment. The neighborhood's name traces to a Persian-themed hotel that operated here from 1920 to 1955, on ground first developed in 1915 as a boys' school; since 1955 the site has run as a continuing-care retirement community for residents 62 and up, now branded Covenant Living at the Samarkand, whose skilled-nursing program was named to U.S. News & World Report's 2026 Best Nursing Homes list.
Homes for Sale in Samarkand
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The data relating to real estate for sale on this web site comes from the Internet Data Exchange Program of the Santa Barbara Multiple Listing Service. Real estate listings held by brokerage firms other than the displaying broker(s) are marked with the 'MLS' logo and detailed information about them includes the name of the listing brokers. All properties are subject to prior sale, change or withdrawal. Neither listing broker(s) nor displaying broker shall be responsible for any typographical errors, misinformation, or misprints. 2015 Santa Barbara Multiple Listing Service. All rights reserved.
Where These Samarkand Homes Are
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Based on information from the Santa Barbara MLS as of September 11, 2026. Display of MLS data is usually deemed reliable but is NOT guaranteed accurate by the MLS. Buyers are responsible for verifying the accuracy of all information and should investigate the data themselves or retain appropriate professionals. Information from sources other than the Listing Agent may have been included in the MLS data. Unless otherwise specified in writing, Broker/Agent has not and will not verify any information obtained from other sources. The Broker/Agent providing the information contained herein may or may not have been the Listing and/or Selling Agent. Listing data last updated September 11, 2026.
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What defines it
- City General Plan boundary runs just above Samarkand Drive and past Serena Road on the north, with Highway 101, Mission Creek, and Las Positas Road closing the south, east, and west sides
- 733 dwelling units spread across roughly 177 acres, about 94% zoned low-density single-family (E-3, five units per acre max) with 6% open space/park land
- A slice of Oak Park sits within the mapped footprint on the east side, not merely adjacent to it
- Site of the 1920 Samarkand Persian Hotel, built on ground first developed in 1915 as a boys' school
- Since 1955 the former hotel grounds have operated as a continuing-care retirement community, today Covenant Living at the Samarkand, for residents 62 and older
- The retirement community's skilled-nursing program earned a spot on U.S. News & World Report's 2026 Best Nursing Homes list
- Public Santa Barbara Golf Club, an 18-hole par-70 course, borders the neighborhood on the west
The Housing Stock
Samarkand's General Plan zoning caps the neighborhood at low-density single-family development, about 94 percent of the land at up to five units per acre, with little remaining room for new construction, consistent with a settled, built-out hillside neighborhood bordered by Highway 101.
Frequently asked
Is Samarkand named for a hotel or for the retirement community that's there today?
The name comes from a Persian-themed property, the Samarkand Hotel, which opened in 1920 on ground first developed in 1915 as a boys' school. That hotel no longer exists, it closed and changed hands in 1955. The site has operated as a continuing-care retirement community ever since; Covenant Living at the Samarkand is the name it operates under now, a distinct institution from the historic hotel despite sharing its name and site.
What are Samarkand's official boundaries?
The municipal General Plan draws the line just above Samarkand Drive and past Serena Road on the north, with Highway 101 closing the south side, Mission Creek marking the east side, and Las Positas Road forming the west side. Within that boundary the neighborhood holds 733 dwelling units across about 177 acres. Informal real-estate descriptions of the boundary sometimes differ from the city's official line.
What does Samarkand's zoning allow?
About 94 percent of the neighborhood is zoned low-density single-family residential (E-3), capped at five units per acre, with roughly 6 percent set aside as open space or park land. City planning documents describe it as a largely built-out area with not much room left for new construction.
Is Oak Park part of Samarkand, or just next door?
Part of it is genuinely inside the neighborhood: the municipal General Plan states that a slice of Oak Park runs along Samarkand's own eastern boundary line, not merely next to it.
What operates on the old hotel site today?
A continuing-care retirement community at 2550 Treasure Drive, open to residents 62 and older, currently branded Covenant Living at the Samarkand, run as a nonprofit affiliated with the Evangelical Covenant Church. In November 2025 its skilled-nursing program earned a spot on U.S. News & World Report's 2026 Best Nursing Homes list, rated highly for both short-term rehab and long-term care.
What school does a Samarkand address feed into?
Peabody Charter School, a K-6 SBUSD charter, uses a defined attendance area, but even households inside that area must still go through the school's public lottery rather than receiving an automatic assignment. A seat is never guaranteed by address alone, so run any specific home through SBUSD's enrollment resources first.
Is there a golf course or other recreation near Samarkand?
Yes. The public Santa Barbara Golf Club, an 18-hole, par-70 course, sits right on the neighborhood's west side. MacKenzie Park is close by too, with a lawn-bowling club whose greens date to 1966, plus fields for youth baseball and a fenced dog run.
