Castle Creek Capital Partners VI SC 13G Southern California Bancorp \ CA / Castle Creek Capital Partners VI ownership change

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 13G

Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. )*

Southern California Bancorp

(Name of Issuer)

Common Stock, no par value per share

(Title of Class of Securities)

84252A106

(CUSIP Number)

December 31, 2023

(Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement)

Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule is filed:

¨ Rule 13d-1(b)

¨ Rule 13d-1(c)

x Rule 13d-1(d)

*            The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).

	1.	Name of Reporting Persons: Castle Creek Capital Partners VI, LP
	2.	Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group
		(a)		o
		(b)		o
	3.	SEC Use Only
	4.	Citizenship or Place of Organization: Delaware
Number of Shares Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person With			5.		Sole Voting Power: 0
			6.		Shared Voting Power: 2,340,719 (1)
			7.		Sole Dispositive Power: 0
			8.		Shared Dispositive Power: 2,340,719 (1)
	9.	Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person: 2,340,719 (1)
	10.	Check Box if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares (See Instructions)  o
	11.	Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9): 12.7% (1)
	12.	Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions): PN (Limited Partnership)

(1) See Item 4.

	1.	Name of Reporting Persons: Castle Creek Capital VI LLC
	2.	Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group
		(a)		¨
		(b)		¨
	3.	SEC Use Only
	4.	Citizenship or Place of Organization: Delaware
Number of Shares Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person With			5.		Sole Voting Power: 0
			6.		Shared Voting Power: 2,340,719 (1)
			7.		Sole Dispositive Power: 0
			8.		Shared Dispositive Power: 2,340,719 (1)
	9.	Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person: 2,340,719 (1)
	10.	Check Box if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares (See Instructions)  o
	11.	Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9): 12.7% (1)
	12.	Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions): OO (Limited Liability Company)

(1) See Item 4.

Item 1.	(a).	Name of Issuer: Southern California Bancorp
	(b).	Address of Issuer’s Principal Executive Offices: 12265 El Camino Real, Suite 210 San Diego, California 92130
Item 2(a).		Name of Person Filing: (i)          Castle Creek Capital Partners VI, LP (ii)         Castle Creek Capital VI LLC
Item 2(b).		Address of Principal Business Office: (i)          Castle Creek Capital Partners VI, LP   11682 El Camino Real, Suite 320   San Diego, CA 92130 (ii)         Castle Creek Capital VI LLC   11682 El Camino Real, Suite 320   San Diego, CA 92130
Item 2(c).		Citizenship: (iii)        Castle Creek Capital Partners VI, LP: Delaware (iv)        Castle Creek Capital VI LLC: Delaware

Item 2(d). Title of Class of Securities:
Common Stock, no par value

Item 2(e).		CUSIP Number: 84252A106
Item 3.	If this statement is filed pursuant to Rule 13d-1(b), or 13d-2(b) or (c), check whether the person filing is a:
	Not Applicable.

Item 4.	Ownership.
	(a)	Amount beneficially owned: 2,340,719(1)
	(b)	Percent of class: 12.7% (2)
	(c)	Number of shares as to which each Reporting Person has:
		(i)	Sole power to vote or to direct the vote: 0
		(ii)	Shared power to vote or to direct the vote: 2,340,719(1)
		(iii)	Sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of: 0
		(iv)	Shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of: 2,340,719(1)

⁽¹⁾ Excludes 3,097 shares of the Issuer’s Common Stock held by Castle Creek Advisors IV LLC on behalf of David Volk, a managing principal of Castle Creek Capital VI LLC, in his capacity as a member of the Issuer’s Board of Directors, as the Reporting Persons do not presently have, and will not within the next 60 days have the right to acquire, beneficial ownership of such shares.

⁽²⁾ Based on the Issuer’s representation in the Agreement and Plan of Merger and Reorganization filed as Exhibit 2.1 to the Issuer’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on January 30, 2024, there were 18,384,779 outstanding shares of the Issuer’s Common Stock as of January 25, 2024.

Item 5.	Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class
If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of the date hereof, the reporting persons have ceased to be the beneficial owner of more than five percent of the class of securities, check the following: o
Item 6.	Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person.
	Not Applicable.
Item 7.	Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired the Security Being Reported on By the Parent Holding Company.
	Not Applicable.
Item 8.	Identification and Classification of Members of the Group.
	Not Applicable.
Item 9.	Notice of Dissolution of Group.
	Not Applicable.
Item 10.	Certification.
	By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were not acquired and are not held for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having that purpose or effect, other than activities solely in connection with a nomination under §240.14a-11.

SIGNATURES

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.

Dated:  February 9, 2024
	CASTLE CREEK CAPITAL PARTNERS VI, LP
	By:	/s/ David Volk
	Name:	David Volk
	Title:	Managing Principal
	CASTLE CREEK CAPITAL VI LLC
	By:	/s/ David Volk
	Name:	David Volk
	Title:	Managing Principal

EXHIBIT LIST

Exhibit 99.1 Joint Filing Agreement, dated as of February 9, 2024, by and between Castle Creek Capital Partners VI, LP and Castle Creek Capital VI LLC.