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County OKs joint housing plan with Ventura near City Hall
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The county Board of Supervisors agreed Tuesday to a joint effort with the city of Ventura to build housing for city and county employees, and for young people who have recently left foster care.
The county and city have been talking for months about a way to develop two properties in downtown Ventura, across the street from Ventura City Hall. One belongs to the county and has a building that's no longer in use. The lot next door is owned by a private family trust and leased by the city, which uses it as a parking lot.
Under the agreement approved Tuesday, over the next year the city will hire an architect to design an apartment and condominium complex. The design will then go to the city and county for approval.
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"All we have to do is hold the property for a year, and we get a look at what they come up with, no strings attached," said Supervisor Steve Bennett, who took the idea to the board in October.
Faced with Ventura's high housing costs, the county and city want to build a development for vital public employees, such as police officers, firefighters and teachers. The housing could also be used to attract employees in other hard-to-recruit jobs.
Some of the apartments would be reserved for young people just out of foster care, who often find themselves on the streets once they turn 18. Living near stable government employees and their families would be good for them, Bennett said.
"To have a few emancipated youth at various places around the city, that's what's identified as the ideal solution, and this could help that come about," Bennett said.
A nonprofit group has proposed another project in west Ventura that could also house post-foster-care youths.
The county's downtown property is worth about $550,000 on its own, County Executive Officer Johnny Johnston told the board. If it's developed along with the city property, its value would rise to about $750,000, he said.
"If we try to market it by itself, it would be difficult, because it has no parking," Bennett said.
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