Homeless families, individuals given priority as tenants of affordable Ventura apartments

Homeless individuals and previously homeless families will be prioritized as tenants of an affordable housing project set to open at Ventura's Westview Village.

The project is located in west Ventura between Olive and Riverside streets along Barnett, Warner, Flint and Vince streets. Of the 320 affordable units, 20 will be set aside for previously homeless families and five for homeless individuals.

The plan for Westview Village called for the demolition of the public housing complex built in 1952 and the construction of new apartments, which began in 2017.

The demolition displaced 72 families who were provided housing elsewhere. Of those, 66 families wanted to return once the new complex was built, according to Karen Flock, San Buenaventura Housing Authority's deputy director of real estate.

With the former residents accounted for, the project provides enough room to accommodate homeless families and individuals, which wasn't part of the plan when the project was first approved.

The Housing Authority of the City of San Buenaventura determined there was a need to fill in the community. The authority co-developed the complex with San Francisco-based nonprofit developer BRIDGE Housing Corp. The authority is the property manager and service coordinator for the complex.

"It's so clear that it's important to provide shelter for homeless, and it's great we have a shelter in Ventura, but then, where do people go?" Flock said. "That's really the way to address homelessness is to provide housing for people."

Recently, developers broke ground on some of the apartments aimed for homeless individuals. Another phase of affordable units, including 20 for previously homeless families, is set to be complete next month.

The project cost was $64.5 million for the first phase, $35.7 million for the second phase and $70.1 million for the third phase, Torres said. A fourth phase to construct homes is roughly estimated at $21 million, he said.

In 2019, the first phase was completed with 131 affordable one- to four-bedroom multi-family apartments. All of Westview Village's different phases are expected to be completed by 2024, Torres said.

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The Ventura County Continuum of Care, an alliance of governmental agencies and nonprofits aims to safely end homelessness, will help identify homeless individuals as prospective residents, said Jennifer Harkey, a continuum program management analyst.

The continuum works with 34 partner organizations that make referrals for the apartments, she said. Homeless households are prioritized using criteria that includes length of time homeless and the severity of their needs such as a disability or a health condition, Harkey said.

The individuals will be determined within the next two weeks, she said.

There will be two case managers on staff and a community services department that will help the homeless families once they've moved in, said Ricardo Torres, policy and community affairs manager for the housing authority.

Westview Village a work in progress

On Thursday, construction continued at Westview Village where some residents had moved into their LEED-certified units — or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design — that use less water and energy than traditional ones.

They ranged from one- to four-bedroom multifamily apartments. Next to the just-completed units were construction workers toiling on more units, a community center and a new road.

Katherine Simonson lived in the complex before it was demolished and recently returned. She said she is happy to be back because she had issues at her previous apartment.

Simonson, who works at the complex and is a resident commissioner on the housing authority's board, said her worst problems stemmed from the temporary relocation.

"I just had terrible neighbors, and I couldn't do anything about it," she said.

Simonson said at Westview Village she's happy there are resources and help available when issues crop up.

Leticia Juarez, housing authority's deputy director of property operations, used to manage the property when it was 180 units. A 30-year veteran at the site, she remembered heading to lunch one day, seeing one of the buildings getting demolished and shooting a video.

"For me, that was nostalgic," Juarez said. "I used to go into those units. I used to do inspections."

She said it's a big change considering the original buildings were constructed 70 years ago.

"It's good for the residents because they get a brand new unit," Juarez said.

Construction Superintendent Dan Locascio said he worked on the project since its first phase and some changes were made to the newer units after current residents gave critiques.

"They came in here and said, 'This is what I would modify,'" Locascio said.

The kitchen layouts and closet locations were changed, he said, while added materials like drywall were used for noise reduction.

For more information, visit www.hacityventura.org.

Wes Woods II covers West County for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at wesley.woodsii@vcstar.com, 805-437-0262 or @JournoWes.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Homeless families, individuals priority tenants of Ventura apartments