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TO to fund repair of building that houses non-profits
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More from Other NewsThe 20-year-old building that houses 11 non-profit agencies that serve Thousand Oaks' poor and disabled is in need of repair.
The City Council agreed to pay for the work, voting unanimously to grant the building's owner, Community Conscience $150,000 to make upgrades to the Human Services Center, commonly known as Under One Roof, at its meeting Tuesday night.
The money will go toward repairing and weatherproofing the building's roof, resurfacing the crumbling parking lot, improving lighting and installing a wrought iron gate and rail along stairs that leads to an entrance for employees of the Social Security Administration, which is also housed there. Before casting their votes council members urged Ken Humphrey, president of Community Conscience, to consider establishing an endowment in order to fund building repairs in the future.
"That is fully our objective," Humphrey told the council. "Just to let you know, we are putting money away for that rainy day. We have started that process. We are at the low end of it, but it is definitely on the board's priority list."
The grant money will come from Community Development Block Grant monies, which are made available to cities by the federal government.
Under One Roof, which is located at 80 E. Hillcrest, is home to social service organizations including Catholic Charities, Hospice of the Conejo, Interface Children Family Services, Senior Concerns Bargain Boutique and Women's Resource Center. The 11 non-profit organizations, which have served in excess of 15,000 people, do not pay rent.
Along with housing the local office of the Social Security Administration, the building is home to other government service agencies. The agencies pay market-rate rent.
Councilman Dennis Gillette said the city is trying to organize a meeting with representatives from the building's tenants to discuss opportunities to ensure there is a "high level of satisfaction," among them. Social Security's office lease is up in November.
"We seem to have hit the proper mix," Gillette said.
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