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County to help fund low-income housing
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More from County NewsThe county of Ventura will pitch in $150,000 for a $3 million low-income housing project in downtown Ventura, the Board of Supervisors decided Tuesday.
The board voted 4-0 to approve the funding, with Supervisor John Flynn absent.
The nonprofit People's Self-Help Housing is purchasing the 44-room El Patio Hotel on Palm Street and plans to convert it into affordable housing.
The city of Ventura has already pledged $500,000 for the project, and the rest will come from state, federal and private sources, said Jill Martinez, a representative of People's Self-Help Housing.
In exchange for the county's contribution, People's Self-Help Housing will reserve three units in the complex for people who are released from the county's care, such as those in programs for the mentally ill, and who are in danger of becoming homeless.
As many as half of the 42 units could be available for people referred by the county, Martinez said.
Rents at the complex will range from $400 to $750 a month, with federal assistance so residents don't pay more than one-third of their income for rent, Martinez said.
Homeowners in the area are generally in favor of the project, which is unusual for a low-income complex, she said.
A representative of the Kalorama Coalition, a neighborhood group in downtown and midtown, came to Tuesday's hearing to tell the board the coalition supports the project.
Supervisor Kathy Long said the project is an important part of the county's strategy to fight homelessness.
"For $50,000 a unit, in perpetuity, the investment is pennies when you think about the human investment we're making," she said.
Posted by shaver_one on February 13, 2008 at 10:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I've got it.
Turn the now empty Victoria Avenue K-Mart into low cost housing for the homeless and indigent.
Seriously...this is a great idea. But, allocating only three units for county-releases and soon-to-be- homeless doesn't seem to be enough units.
In most parts of this country, $50K per year income is considered middle-class. In Ventura County, it's low income.
Instead of building multi-million dollar estate houses throughout the county, take this land and build homes for the people who need to leave the riverbeds and hotels...Hard working people that cannot afford $600K for a one-bedroom "cottage" in the barrio. Forget about the $150K for a rusted piece of 'sculpture' and spend it towards allowing people to come home to a home, and not a seedy motel in crime ridden neighborhoods. Forget the $40 million for a replica baseball park that nobody will go to, and build units for those families of 6 that are living in two-bedroom apartments.
There are more people homeless in Ventura County than county officials, or city officials, want to admit. we cannot keep sending them to temporary shelters during the cold weather, and then allowing them to return to the river bottom during warm weather.
Farm workers, both legal and illegal, get housing assistance from the cities, county, state and federal government. Why can't these government agencies do the same for people who are down on their luck. And, if they need treatment and/or counselling for alcohol/drug abuse, give it to them. Treatment and prevention costs far less than river raids and arrests...in terms of money, time, and reduction in crime (both by and against these homeless people).
"Out of sight, out of mind" no longer works.
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