City Council approves new housing numbers
By Eliav Appelbaum eliav@theacorn.com

Camarillo residents and the heads of two Ventura County social service agencies urged the Camarillo City Council at its Feb. 27 meeting to approve and build more affordable housing within the city.

Although the council members listened to the recommendations of nearly a dozen speakers in favor of additional affordable housing, the council agreed the city was meeting its state-required goals and voted unanimously to maintain its General Plan's housing numbers.

Camarillo's new housing report was changed slightly to satisfy the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA), a state law which requires specific housing numbers for cities.

"We're ahead of the curve; we're ahead of most cities," Councilmember Mike Morgan said on the city's number of low-income housing units. "We disperse (lowincome housing) in many spots so it makes people feel better. We've done some major work on lowincome housing. Ask the people in Thousand Oaks, where are they?"

Bob Burrow, director of community development, gave a detailed presentation comparing Camarillo with other Ventura County cities.

"We're doing better than most cities in the state providing affordable housing," Burrow said.

The state requires Camarillo to build 727 very-low-income and 591 low-income units between 2006 and 2014. In all, California has mandated the city to build 3,340 new homes in nine years.

The California Department of Housing and Community Development has two months to review Camarillo's proposal and suggest any modifications. The final housing element proposal must be adopted by June 30.

During public comments, both residents and affordable housing advocates shared their concerns about the updated housing numbers.

Cathy Brudnicki, the executive director of the Ventura County Homeless and Housing Coalition, urged the council to consider adding housing for homeless or near homeless families. Brudnicki said, "One in five families in Ventura County are at the level or are in danger of becoming homeless."

Sonja Flores, a coordinator for House Farm Workers based in Santa Paula, urged the city to build more housing for farmworkers. She said the average farmworker in Camarillo makes about $19,729 a year. Tom Kelley, president of the Camarillo Chamber of Commerce, approved the update.

"I'd like to see more people who work here to be able to live here as well," Kelley said.

Council members Jan McDonald and Kevin Kildee approved the update because they want Camarillo to remain a "balanced community."

"We can't worry about just one special interest group," McDonald said.

Although Mayor Charlotte Craven agreed with Morgan that Camarillo does provide more homes for low-income workers than most area cities, she said the city could always do better.

"Through the years, the city has continued to build homes for lowincome families, but it's not as much as is needed," Craven said. "I'm happy to see the council have an active part in this. . . . It may not be as good as what makes people happy. But I can support this."