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Summit View Apartments Debut at 11681 Foothill Boulevard

New affordable housing complex overlooks Hansen Dam

URBANIZE LOS ANGELES | BY STEVEN SHARP | PHOTOS BY RIC BERRYMAN

In the hills above Sylmar and Lake View Terrace, construction is complete for a new permanent supportive housing complex from co-developers LA Family Housing and Many Mansions.

 

View of Summit view from above Hansen Dam Recreational Lake
View of Summit view from above Hansen Dam Recreational Lake – Ric Berryman

 

The Summit View apartments, built on a site overlooking Hansen Dam at 11681 Foothill Boulevard, consists of four interconnected buildings which feature 48 studio and one-bedroom apartments reserved for formerly homeless veterans earning between 30 and 50 percent of the area median income level. 

“Today, when I walk through my front door here at Summit View, I feel something I’ve never felt before in my life: I feel at home. After so many difficult years, I feel like myself again,” said Donte Aguilar, a U.S. Navy veteran and Summit View resident at the project’s ribbon-cutting ceremony. “Every day, I cook in my own kitchen, take a shower in my own bathroom, and sleep in my own bed. My confidence has gone up. I’m working on rebuilding relationships with friends and family. Thanks to my incredible neighbors and the wonderful staff here at Summit View, I am truly thriving.”

 

View of Summit View and Hansen Dam Recreational Lake
View of Summit View and Hansen Dam Recreational Lake – Ric Berryman

 

GGA designed Summit View, which includes two- and three-story structures oriented around courtyard spaces, landscaped decks, and terrace gardens. The more than 120,000-square-foot development also features community rooms, a computer lab, fitness center, on-site services, laundry facilities, and surface parking for 17 vehicles. 

“Today’s grand opening is proof that we’re continuing to make progress towards helping our homeless neighbors and getting a permanent roof over their heads,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger. “I’m especially proud of this project’s focus on housing veterans. This year’s homeless count found that there was at least a 12% increase among homeless veterans. That amounts to 422 more individuals who served our country yet are abandoned, living in squalid conditions on our streets. That’s unacceptable. I am committed to mobilizing County resources and working with state, city, and community-based organizations to make more projects like Summit View Apartments a reality in my district. These homes will change lives.” 

 

The Summit View apartments debut shortly after the release of the result of the most recent Greater Los Angeles homeless count, which found that more than 75,000 people are experiencing homelessness in the region – roughly 4,000 of whom are veterans. 

Article originally appeared in the  URBANIZE LOS ANGELES (Read full story and additional photos)

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New Permanent Housing Opens In Sylmar, Changing the Lives of Formerly Homeless Veterans

Summit View Apartments models community partnership to provide permanent homes and supportive services to Veterans transitioning out of homelessness

A group of formerly homeless Veterans now have a place to call “home.” They are finally coming home to a new permanent supportive housing development in Sylmar. Community members, partner organizations, and civic leaders from across Los Angeles came together to celebrate the official grand opening of Summit View Apartments, which is providing 48 permanent homes for veterans experiencing homelessness.

“Today, when I walk through my front door here at Summit View, I feel something I’ve never felt before in my life: I feel at home. After so many difficult years, I feel like myself again,” said Donte Aguilar, a U.S. Navy veteran and Summit View resident. “Every day, I cook in my own kitchen, take a shower in my own bathroom, and sleep in my own bed. My confidence has gone up. I’m working on rebuilding relationships with friends and family. Thanks to my incredible neighbors and the wonderful staff here at Summit View, I am truly thriving.”

Overlooking Hansen Dam, Summit View Apartments, has an open-air courtyard, community rooms, a computer lab, fitness center, and laundry facilities that foster healthful living and community building.

“Many Mansions is proud to have collaborated with LA Family Housing, the Veterans Administration, the City of Los Angeles, and so many others on this meaningful project,” said Rick Schroeder, President of Many Mansions. “We know from our deep experience in developing supportive housing that Summit View Apartments will play an impactful role in the lives of our Veteran residents for years to come.”

State, County and City officials join community leaders and co-developers LA Family Housing and Many Mansions to cut the ribbon at Summit View Apartments, permanent supportive housing for formerly homeless Veterans.
State, County and City officials join community leaders and co-developers LA Family Housing and Many Mansions to cut the ribbon at Summit View Apartments, permanent supportive housing for formerly homeless Veterans.

“Today’s grand opening is proof that we’re continuing to make progress towards helping our homeless neighbors and getting a permanent roof over their heads,” said Supervisor Kathryn Barger. “I’m especially proud of this project’s focus on housing veterans. This year’s homeless count found that there was at least a 12% increase among homeless veterans. That amounts to 422 more individuals who served our country yet are abandoned, living in squalid conditions on our streets. That’s unacceptable. I am committed to mobilizing County resources and working with state, city, and community-based organizations to make more projects like Summit View Apartments a reality in my district. These homes will change lives.”

It’s estimated that at least 4,000 veterans in LA County are homeless. Despite services that are supposed to be available to veterans, they’ve historically faced barriers to housing and resources.

Veterans now housed at this apartment complex will now have access to a range of voluntarily accessible onsite supportive services to enable them to thrive long-term, including comprehensive case management, connections to health care services, education and employment resources, life skills training, and more.

“We must build more permanent supportive housing throughout Los Angeles. This project will provide much-needed housing for our veterans as well as others who need a helping hand to get back on their feet,” said Mayor Karen Bass. Thank you to LA Family Housing and Many Mansions for continuing your work with us to confront the homelessness crisis head on and to house our most vulnerable.”

“I was proud to celebrate the grand opening of Summit View Apartments, which provides much-needed housing for Veterans experiencing homelessness in my district,” said Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez. “As a daughter of a Vietnam War veteran, advocate for veteran services and representative for hundreds of veterans in my district, I am particularly thrilled to welcome this housing in my district and will continue to fight to ensure this community receives the services and assistance it deserves.”

“Today is a day of celebration and joy as we officially welcome 48 formerly homeless veterans home. With a roof over their heads and a door they can close, they can begin the process of healing, regaining personal stability, and ultimately, thriving,” said Stephanie Klasky-Gamer, President and CEO of LA Family Housing. “LA Family Housing is beyond grateful to all our partners who made it possible for us to build the kind of housing we know is effective in ending homelessness in people’s lives.”

Article originally appeared in the  the San Fernando Valley Sun (Read full story and additional photos).

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Apartments for Seniors Set for Early ’24 Opening

Modular Construction Speeds Pace

Construction has started on an apartment complex near Camarillo that will provide affordable housing to older adults.

“Housing the community’s most vulnerable seniors is a priority, and this development with the wraparound services will provide stability and dignity to those in their later years who have limited financial resources,” said Linda Fisher Helton, community relations manager for the Area Housing Authority of the County of Ventura. “And it doesn’t matter why or how they have found themselves homeless or at risk of homelessness.”

The $38-million project known as Rancho Sierra Apartments was conceptually approved by the county Board of Supervisors in June 2020 and is a collaboration among nonprofit Many Mansions, the Area Housing Authority and Ventura County Behavioral Health. The largest source of funding is federal tax credits.

Located in the 1700 block of S. Lewis Road just outside city limits, the complex will include one two-bedroom unit for a property manager and 49 one-bedroom units allocated for extremely low-income seniors, with half for homeless seniors.

Rick Schroeder, president of affordable housing provider Many Mansions, said individuals 62 and older are the fastest growing demographic of Ventura County’s homeless population.

“We’re hoping to have a huge impact,” he said. “People probably aren’t aware that much of our homeless population is now elderly people—the people who are the most vulnerable and the ones who are really struggling.”

Rent will be equivalent to 30% of residents’ income, with the remaining amount paid with Section 8 vouchers.

Residents will have access to county-provided services targeted toward their age bracket that address the root causes of homelessness, Schroeder said. These include nutrition workshops and assistance with healthcare and other government benefits.

Completion is expected as early as April 2024.

Rancho Sierra Apartments is the first housing development in the county to be built using modular development.

Since the May 31 groundbreaking, several modules have been delivered, and the prefabricated apartments will likely be assembled into one building on the 2-acre, county-owned plot in August. The technique will cut construction time by about six months.

“It definitely is going to speed up the project, and that’s going to be one of the major benefits,” Schroeder said. “We hope that if it does work out well, this is something that we and other affordable housing developers can use in other places.”

A potential second phase of the project would involve building additional affordable apartments on the remaining land.

The housing authority will begin accepting applications 8 a.m. Aug. 8 at onlineportal.ahacv.org for the project-based voucher rental assistance program. A random lottery drawing will determine applicants’ placement on the waitlist. For assistance, contact (805) 480-6010 or email WL.info@ahacv.org.

Article originally appeared at the Camarillo Acorn (click to read full story). 

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A Ventura County Community Has an Innovative Solution to Provide Affordable Housing for Seniors

It’s an issue across the Tri-Counties.

Work started this week on the first modular development in Ventura County, Rancho Sierra Senior Apartments in Camarillo.

“Most of the apartments are built off-site, transported here and then put together,” explained the President of Many Mansions, Rick Schroeder.

Many Mansions is the non-profit behind the affordable housing development specifically designed for seniors who have extremely low-income and homeless seniors with a mental disability. Schroeder says the modular homes speed up the construction timeline by as much as a third.

“Seniors on fixed income do not have a lot of housing options. As a result they are our fastest growing homeless population,” said Schroeder.

“This is the type of housing that’s fitting into a growing need,” he said.

The County provided the land and will collaborate with wrap-around mental health services to residents.

Article originally appeared in the  KCLU (Read full story and additional photos)

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Award-Winning Affordable Housing Project in Fillmore Breaks the Mold

Location may be everything when it comes to housing, but aesthetics is a close second. This is doubly true for affordable housing, which is often mired in social stigma. Affordable housing historically had a purposeful, “low budget” look. In other cases, insufficient long-term funding resulted in inadequate or completely nonexistent maintenance.

Consequently, many people are now skeptical of new affordable housing projects. Getting these projects approved by the community requires close collaboration between all stakeholders. The award-winning Mountain View Apartments in Fillmore is an example of that collaboration in action.

The 77-unit community provides affordable homes for over 150 individuals, families, and seniors, as well as people formerly experiencing homelessness. The apartments have a wide range of on-site services, including after-school programs and a community room with Wi-Fi and computer stations, as well as case management and life skill training for residents in need of extra support.

“People who don’t know what Mountain View is walk on the site and have one of two reactions,” said Doug Menges, the executive vice president for developer Many Mansions. “Hey, are any of the condos/townhouses available for sale here? Second: This reminds me of a beach community.”

The apartments opened late last year. Rosa was one of the first tenants. A single mother, Rosa worked hard to stabilize her life and is now the assistant manager at Goodwill in Fillmore. However, she could only afford a studio apartment, and her two older children had to live with their grandparents.

“[I am] grateful to Many Mansions for the opportunity to live in an apartment that is the right size for my family,” Rosa said.

Breaking the stigma and finding the funding

Construction projects are usually governed by two truisms. Construction rarely goes smoothly, and vacant land is vacant for good reasons. In this case, the land was an abandoned orchard surrounded by above-ground utilities. There were no curbs or gutters. There was, however, a large gully, and an eight-foot grade difference from the highway.

Competing demands and laws can also slow down construction. “There are no more easy properties in California,” said Kevin McSweeney, the city’s planning and community development director.

Many Mansions and the city rose to the challenge. The city amended its general plan and changed the site’s zoning from commercial highway to high-density residential. This allowed the developers to build 35 units per acre, making the project financially feasible.

There was also an early disagreement about the building’s façade. “We do a very in-depth review at the very beginning that includes all involved city departments,” McSweeney said. “When you propose something, city staff will respond with a really long letter. You are going to know exactly what we think.”

In this case, Many Mansions proposed a tan, stucco box design typical of inexpensive housing. The city countered with something more unique — the award-winning color and material scheme — which the developers accepted.

“If we want to continue build[ing] affordable units, they have to look nice,” McSweeney said. “The moment we build one that looks like tenement housing in New York or New Jersey, we’ll never be able to build another one.”

For affordable housing, this means that each unit must appear independent and not feel like part of a “complex.” According to McSweeney, this creates a sense of ownership that allows a tenant to say, “That is my unit.” The units should also have porches or balconies that let people “step outside and enjoy [the] fresh air.” Features like this help reduce the social stigma of affordable housing.

After the developers changed the design, the process went smoothly. “The actual permitting process went very quickly once we secured the design,” Menges said. “All throughout the process, they worked hand in hand with us in getting the zoning right. The city was always available, always returned our calls. When we would stop in — which was often — to city hall, they were always [there] to talk to us. There were no surprises.”

The city also helped advertise the apartments, gave Many Mansions a place to interview applicants and conduct outreach, and provided temporary parking for construction workers on city-owned land.

For their part, Many Mansions met with the community often and early, something Menges says is key to getting these projects approved. “The hot topics are always going to revolve around parking, water, trees, followed by traffic,” Menges said. “In terms of Mountain View, we addressed the parking early on because we actually provided more parking than we were required to do. We saw the condition of the street and wanted our residents to walk safely to the elementary school.”

According to both men, residents were thrilled about the project. In the end, the major hurdle was not the land’s unusual slope or the city’s review process. It was funding. It took six years to complete the project. In the end, the housing authority, along with a combination of state funding and tax credits made the project a reality.

“The funding in California is so competitive,” Menges said. “It’s really acquiring the different funding that took the most amount of time.”

Up next for Fillmore: housing for people making just above low-income wages

The city is working on several other notable housing projects and programs. McSweeney is particularly focused on finding developers willing to build housing for people making just above low-income wages — the area with the greatest demand. At this income level, most people do not qualify for subsidized rent but still have trouble paying market-rate rent.

One possible policy change is specific to a four-block neighborhood near city hall. The homes were built before World War II. When the city adopted its zoning ordinance, it identified the neighborhood as a commercial highway. As a result, homeowners could not receive construction loans and many homes fell into disrepair. Due to the size of the lots, it is unlikely those homes will ever become storefronts.

The city plans to change the zoning to high-density residential. “For a homeowner, they probably won’t realize that until two to three years when they try to get a construction loan,” McSweeney said “It will help them immensely and it will help the city.”

A subdivision of 130 condominiums is also under construction and 222 apartments for people making just above low-income wages are in the development pipeline. More moderate-income projects are on the way.

“For Fillmore, that’s a lot,” McSweeney said.

Like any city, Fillmore has its fair share of challenges going forward. Fillmore is the first city outside Los Angeles County and is surrounded by agriculture and forests. Residents like the “slower pace of life,” which means there is a lot of political pressure to keep the region’s character intact.

But there’s also a demand for housing — something McSweeney is confident the city can meet. “We are on target to meet [our housing numbers] … both affordable and moderate, McSweeney said.

Article originally appeared in the  League of California Cities website (Read full story and additional photos)

person holding their hands own with a small home in the palm of their hands

Finding People to Count Proves More Difficult Than Expected

FIRST-PERSON PERSPECTIVE /// Homeless count

By Zia Zografos

Unlike inhabitants of the tent cities in Los Angeles that have taken root along freeways, overpasses and city sidewalks, Ventura County’s homeless population is less obvious, often keeping hidden from the general public.

This made the job of dozens of volunteers difficult when they set out Jan. 24 to count and survey people living on the street and in parking lots, river beds and parks across Ventura County.

I was one of those volunteers.

Although I report on the homeless crisis from time to time, the count was not quite what I expected.

The annual survey, often referred to as the point-in-time count, is required of counties receiving funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. During the survey, people are asked a series of questions, and their answers offer insight into what led them to become homeless and what’s keeping them in a state of homelessness.

The Ventura County Continuum of Care Alliance, a collaborative group of agencies, cities and individuals, oversees the count. The alliance coordinates the volunteers who fan out to tally homeless individuals or families in the county’s cities and unincorporated areas. The alliance compiles the information, generally publishing the results a few months later. Continuum director Jennifer Harkey said she expects this year’s report to be completed sometime in the spring.

GONE TO WASTE—Bags of donated clothes were found torn open and clothing strewn on the ground behind a Thousand Oaks housing complex during last week’s Ventura County Homeless Count. ZIA ZOGRAFOS/Acorn Newspapers

GONE TO WASTE—Bags of donated clothes were found torn open and clothing strewn on the ground behind a Thousand Oaks housing complex during last week’s Ventura County Homeless Count. ZIA ZOGRAFOS/Acorn Newspapers

According to last year’s count, there were 2,238 homeless people living in Ventura County, including 1,356 unsheltered people. The total includes people living in shelters and hotel rooms paid for by government programs and charitable organizations. In 2020, 1,787 people were counted, 1,265 of them unsheltered. There was no count in 2021.

I volunteered with the Thousand Oaks group. We met at the Hillcrest Villas Apartments managed by nonprofit affordable housing provider Many Mansions.

Our group started at 8 a.m., though some started at 6 a.m.

I was paired with Stu Warford, a retired urban farmer who is a veteran count volunteer. Warford and his wife, Colleen, donate harvested crops to Manna Conejo Valley Food Bank.

Members of Thousand Oaks’ city staff were also in attendance. Other dignitaries participated as part of the earlier group.

Before setting off, we were instructed to only count people who slept outside or in a place not meant for human habitation. We were prepped on what to do if we saw children or people who were experiencing domestic violence.

The first question on our survey was, “Where did you sleep last night?”

I had imagined we would count more people than we did.

As we slowly drove through the parts of town assigned to us, we only spotted two individuals, one of whom had already been counted.

Warford suggested that people might be at work. Some people are able to hold down jobs despite not having housing.

Senior Dep. Chris Dyer of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, who works at the Camarillo Police Station, said, “We have a sect of homeless people who we never contact, people who work 40-hour-per-week jobs while living out of their cars,” he said. “And they never cause any problems.”

Others could have had appointments to attend or be hanging out in a new location, and still others might not want to be found.

Those involved with the homeless community know the count is rarely accurate. Many Mansions President Rick Schroeder said there can be three times as many people who are homeless than the count shows.

In Thousand Oaks, where Many Mansions is based, for example, vulnerable populations officers—whose primary assignment is working with members of the homeless community— keep their own count, which is always higher than the point-in-time number.

Despite authorities knowing the count will be off, the county continues to conduct it because funding is reliant upon it. The count, along with other data compiled by the continuum, determines funding allocation, Harkey said.

The one person I was able to survey on the 24th had been living in his car. A friend of his was helping him clean his living quarters.

The man was friendly and relatively open about his situation, answering various survey questions about the number of times he’s been homeless, whether he has a substance use disorder that affects his ability to live independently and if he has a chronic health condition.

People become homeless for all sorts of reasons, Schroeder said. Mental or physical disabilities can be a factor, he said, as can substance abuse. Some are fleeing domestic violence while others don’t want to be raised in the foster care system.

There is hope. People can rebound—Schroeder and Dyer said they’ve seen it happen.

“We do have people who are service resistant, but our (vulnerable populations officers) continually do outreach (and) extend that olive branch in the hopes that one day they’ll take it,” Dyer said.

“Some people are OK being homeless,” he said.

Though there’s likely no one-size-fits-all approach to solving homelessness, Schroeder said, he’s seen situations improve— especially when people agree to follow the rules at an affordable housing complex. Things might start off rocky, but an all-encompassing supportive approach helps improve a person’s situation.

“A formerly homeless resident in our supportive housing property only has to pay one-third of their total income toward rent,” Schroeder said. “Thus, they may not pay any rent at the beginning. However, over time, we help them get employment or government benefits. . . . Everyone eventually pays rent.”

As Warford and I drove, we saw signs of homeless living strewn throughout the city. When inspecting the nooks and crannies of my hometown, we saw mattresses, damaged bikes, shopping carts, garbage bins that had been picked through and piles of clothing. Evidence of homelessness was tucked away in places I’d never seen.

“It makes you see the city with a brand-new pair of eyes,” Warford said.

Article originally appeared in the Acorn (Read full story and additional photos) 

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T.O. Council Selects “Dream Team” to Develop Emergency Homeless Shelter

The Thousand Oaks City Council has selected a trio of nonprofits to build and operate a village of tiny homes that will become the city’s first year-round emergency shelter and homeless services hub. 

The council voted unanimously Tuesday to choose a team led by Thousand Oaks-based affordable housing nonprofit Many Mansions to lease a city-owned property at 1205 Lawrence Drive to build a so-called navigation center. 

The site is an undeveloped acre in an industrial area of Newbury Park. The project will consist of 30 small, prefabricated modular homes with on-site services where law enforcement and social services agencies can send people in need of shelter.  San Francisco-based DignityMoves will construct the center and North Hills-based Hope of the Valley Rescue Mission will operate the site. 

 “Time is absolutely of the essence,” she said.  The site could be developed within 12-18 months and the council has the option to expand to 50 units at a later date, according to staff reports. 

 Jeff Lambert, chief operating officer of the Ventura County Community Foundation, called the partnership a “dream team” and said the foundation would work to bring charitable donations to the table to help support the venture. 

 Many Mansions, which owns and operates 18 affordable housing communities with 1,400 residents, is the only member of the development team based in Ventura County. The nonprofit will serve as leaseholder and provide consultation services to oversee that the site is well-run. 

 Developer DignityMoves specializes in building interim supportive housing, which its website describes as “a stop-over between tents and permanent housing.” The firm, which was created by a group of business and real estate professionals during the pandemic to address homelessness, has built three interim supportive housing communities with 165 units since 2021, including one in downtown Santa Barbara.

DignityMoves, the developer selected to build Thousand Oaks' first emergency shelter, has completed three interim supportive housing projects, including this one with 35 units in downtown Santa Barbara.
DignityMoves, the developer selected to build Thousand Oaks’ first emergency shelter, has completed three interim supportive housing projects, including this one with 35 units in downtown Santa Barbara.

Hope of the Valley, a faith-based nonprofit, operates 900 beds in tiny home villages, including the country’s largest village of tiny homes in Los Angeles County.  Though the organization is faith-based, it does not discriminate based on gender, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or religious affiliation.  Founder Ken Craft, a Ventura County native, told the council his rescue mission currently operates 15 shelters and three Project Homekey sites, which are former motels that were converted into permanent housing using state funds. 

 “We operate six tiny-home communities and we’ve seen really the impact it makes when we can bring people indoors,” Craft said. “We can stabilize them. Then we begin to address the underlying issues that led to their homelessness and the issues that are preventing them from being permanently housed.” 

The navigation center will include shower and laundry amenities as well as employment, healthcare and mental health services. It will not be a drop-in shelter. 

 “The goal of the temporary housing is to create a pathway to permanent housing and to end homelessness,” said Assistant City Manager Ingrid Hardy, who spearheaded the city’s effort. 

An estimated 250 residents in Thousand Oaks are living without shelter, Hardy said. 

The project is expected to cost $3.9 million to design and build and $800,000 to operate annually. The county has previously promised to pay cities for half of a shelter’s annual operating expenses, according to the staff report.  Dusty Russell, an economic development analyst for the city of Thousand Oaks, said the city is trying to minimize impact on its general fund. Other funding sources could include various county and state grants, including Project Homekey. 

 City Councilmember Al Adam said modular homes are the “cheapest, fastest” way for Thousand Oaks to prevent the “devastation” of homelessness that has plagued cities like Santa Barbara and West Hollywood.  “This modular home village that is to be created is as much for the homeless in our community as it is for the community itself,” he said. 

Councilmember Kevin McNamee said the navigation center “goes a long way” toward addressing inhumane living conditions, but said the city’s two current projects fall short of having capacity to house everyone living on the streets of Thousand Oaks.  He applauded the development team, noting that he encounters people experiencing homelessness outside his business every day.  “You’re doing God’s work,” he said.  

Article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Thousand Oaks selects developer for emergency homeless shelter

David Martinez says after five years of being homeless, he's thrilled to have his own apartment in Fillmore

A Place to Call Home: 200 Ventura County Residents Move into Needed Affordable Housing Complex

$47 million Mountain View apartments in Fillmore helping homeless, people with disabilities, seniors, and families in financial crisis.

We’re walking up the stairs to David Martinez’s new apartment in Fillmore, and he’s excited to show it off.

“Here we go… this is my place right here,” said Martinez, as he opened the door.

Martinez is one of the 200 people moving into Mountain View, a 77-unit affordable housing complex which just opened in Fillmore. Martinez said he was coping with mental health issues, and homelessness at the same time.

“I was homeless for about five years, and I couldn’t get help from anybody at the time,” said Martinez. He admits when he applied for one of the slots in the new building, he didn’t think he would get one. Now, the 58-year-old man has a one-bedroom apartment in the complex.

The Thousand Oaks based non-profit housing development organization Many Mansions put together the $47 million project.

Rick Schroeder is President of Many Mansions. He said building the project wasn’t easy. In fact, some previous developers gave up on the three acre Santa Clara Street site.

Many Mansions bought the property six years ago, and spent years trying to line up government and private financing for the project.

Now, it’s home to many people who were in desperate need of affordable housing.

“Individuals, families, homeless, seniors, those with disabilities,” said Schroeder.

Many Mansions Executive Vice President Douglas Menges describes the complex, which is just north of Highway 126 in Fillmore.

“What’s here is 77 units… 19 three bedrooms, 21 two bedrooms, and the rest are one bedrooms,” said Menges.

The new Mountain View apartment complex in Fillmore has 77 units. It's designed to provide some badly needed new affordable housing for the community.
The new Mountain View apartment complex in Fillmore has 77 units. It’s designed to provide some badly needed new affordable housing for the community.

The Mountain View complex also features community rooms, play areas for children, and other amenities for residents.

Democratic State Assemblyman Steve Bennett of Ventura said the project is impressive, but admits it’s just scratching the surface of the affordable housing needs in the region.

“We need hundreds of these kinds of projects in Ventura County, and we need them now” said Bennett. “800 people from Fillmore alone qualified for these 77 apartments.”

Fillmore Mayor Pro-Tem Lynn Edmonds said they need several more affordable housing projects on this scale to ease the city’s affordable housing crisis.

“We need to get people out of sheds, out of garages, out of unhealthy conditions… we need to keep working,” said Edmonds.

Martinez feels like he’s hit the jackpot, going from being homeless to having his own one-bedroom apartment. He shows off a pair of battered tennis shoes he’s keeping as a reminder of his past, when he was living on the streets.

Martinez said having a home has changed his life.

“They gave me the key… and I couldn’t speak because I was overwhelmed. Every day, I wake up with joy.”

Article originally appeared in the  KCLU (Read full story and additional photos)

Many Mansions honors 24 recipients of scholarship grants

Vickys Scholarship 2021

Many Mansions recently honored 24 individuals, including high school seniors and parents, with Vicky’s Scholarship awards for seeking to better their lives through education.

This year was the highest amount of scholarship money awarded in any one year— $33,500. First-year recipients received $1,000; second-year recipients were awarded $1,500; third-year recipients got $2,000; and fourth-year recipients, $2,500.

Over the past nine years, Many Mansions has awarded 176 scholarships to 104 individuals, totaling $176,350.

The nonprofit organization provides affordable housing to low-income residents of Ventura and Los Angeles counties, with a focus on those of very low-income who are formerly homeless, seniors, veterans or disabled.

Victoria Garcia, a longtime school and classroom volunteer, offered love and support to her many students, improving their lives for the better, according to a statement from Many Mansions.

Vicky’s Scholarship was created by her son Marty Garcia, a member of Many Mansions’ board of directors, in honor of his mother and her inspirational work with youths.

Article originally appeared in the  Thousand Oaks Acorn (Read full story and additional photos)

Camarillo gives green light to build 67 affordable apartments, townhouses for sale

Vista Campanario

A planned housing development will add 67 affordable housing units near Lewis Road in Camarillo.

The Camarillo City Council gave developers Many Mansions and the Area Housing Authority for the County of Ventura the go-ahead last week to build affordable apartments and townhouses on the 2.5 acres of land where Stock Building Supply once stood.

“This type of a project doesn’t come before us very much,” Councilman Kevin Kildee said. “I have been on this council for 25 years, and this is the first project of this magnitude in affordability that I’ve seen.”

The development, to be located at 2800 Barry St., will be called Vista Campanario Apartments and Vista Campanario Apartments. In Spanish, “vista campanario” means view of the bell tower. The site is located near the St. Mary Magdalen Chapel in Old Town Camarillo.

Developers will construct 59 apartments that will be restricted to extremely low-income, very low-income and low-income households.

Low-income households make up to 80% of the area median income. Very low-income households earn up to 50% and extremely low-income households make up to 30%, according to the city’s housing element. The current area median income in Camarillo is $92,913, housing document says.

The developers will also build eight, three-bedroom townhomes that will be sold to low-income families.

Fourteen of the apartments will be reserved for households with family members who are disabled or veterans, said Jackie Lee, the city’s principal planner. Seven of the units will be single-occupancy units, which are small, studio-type apartments with their own kitchen and bathroom intended to be rented for one or more months at a time, she said.

Michael Nigh, executive director of the Area Housing Authority of the County of Ventura, said tenants will only pay 30% of their income in rent each month. A family of three earning $50,000 a year will pay about $1,250 per month for a two bedroom apartment. Nigh said the average market rate for a similar apartment is about $2,400 a month,

“This is going to be a model on how you can do affordable housing well,” Councilwoman Susan Santangelo said. “How you can do it and still maintain the character of your community and be able to meet the housing need of so many.”

The developers will build a 60th apartment for the property manager in addition to the 59 affordable units, as well as a playground, picnic and barbecue area, community room and laundry facilities.

A total of 128 parking spaces will be provided in a two-story parking garage, though some of the spaces will be located outside of the structure. The townhouses will have their own two-car garages.

Nigh anticipates construction to begin as early as December 2022 with residents moving in on July 1, 2024, a year before the original estimated completion date.

The total estimated cost for the project is approximately $37 million, he said.

To make the development possible, the City Council changed the designated use of the property from industrial and commercial to high-density residential. The council also changed the zoning from light manufacturing to residential development with a maximum of 30 housing units per acre.

The project’s 67 affordable housing units can help the city meet guidelines set forth by the state. According to Camarillo’s housing element, the state is recommending the city support the construction of 597 affordable housing units by 2029.

The housing element is a document that identifies the housing needs within the city and offers solutions to those needs.

The City Council also approved a waiver for the requirement to underground surrounding utility lines and poles.

The city will donate the 2.5-acre property to the developers, which was purchased in 2018 for $3.6 million, to support the construction of the project, Lee said. The city will also issue a $4.9 million, 55-year loan to the developers.

During a public hearing at last week’s City Council meeting, local resident Stephan Lovstedt said he was concerned about the number of residents the residential development would add to the area. He explained street parking is already crowded and wondered how the flow of traffic would be affected.

“Less people in a small area seems like a nicer community to live in,” Lovstedt said.

Armando Delgato, a member of the Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters Local 805, spoke out against the project. He acknowledged that while an environmental assessment of the project found no significant impact on the quality of the human environment, it failed to adequately account for air quality and greenhouse gas emissions.

“How do you study an out-of-area workforce coming from Lancaster or Santa Maria,” Delgato said. “That’s a lot of vehicles on the road.”

Instead, he encouraged the developers to hire local contractors and subcontractors to help the carpenters union’s apprentices grow in their careers.

Nigh said the Area Housing Authority of Ventura County has a record of hiring local skilled laborers and encourages its general contractors to do the same.

Article Originally from VCStar by Brian J. Varela