SIMI VALLEY : Planners Reject Senior Housing
The Simi Valley Planning Commission unanimously rejected a proposal for a 75 apartment units for low-income senior citizens and disabled people.
The Christian Senior Housing Foundation, a nonprofit corporation based in Atlanta, applied to the city to build a three-story apartment complex on a four-acre site south of Heywood Street and west of Erringer Road.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development would contribute about $5 million to pay for 90% of the construction costs, foundation President Joe Glenn said. Most of the tenants would be senior citizens and 10% would be disabled people, he said.
But Planning Commissioner Michael Piper said at a meeting Wednesday that the city does not need another housing project for seniors.
“We’re taking a step that I think is ill-timed,” he said.
Planning Commission Chairman Robert Barrett agreed.
“There is certainly not a dearth of housing,” he said. He also said the project would not be close enough to public transportation and medical facilities.
The foundation will appeal the decision to the City Council, Glenn said.
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