Agency Upheld on Low-Cost Housing

The Board of Supervisors is supporting the Ventura County Area Housing Authority in the agency’s dispute with federal housing officials over how waiting lists for low-cost housing are compiled.

The board passed a resolution on Tuesday backing the authority and urging the county’s congressional representatives to help solve the housing authority’s dispute with the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Until recently, the authority kept separate waiting lists for public housing by city, giving residents of those areas preference for upcoming housing. But in July, HUD officials told the authority that unless they combine all waiting lists into one countywide list, they would be in violation of federal rules and lose funding for housing.

The authority is complying with the order while the issue is on appeal. Meanwhile, 2,400 people are on the combined list, many of them losing their earlier priority. Some may be offered housing far from their communities.

County officials formed the authority in 1972, including the cities of Ojai, Thousand Oaks, Fillmore, Camarillo, Simi Valley and Moorpark. The dispute may cause some cities to consider pulling out, Supervisor Maggie Kildee said.

“I’m disturbed to hear that the cities may break off and do their own,” Kildee said. “That would be a terrible loss.”

Supervisor John K. Flynn said the board should work with cities throughout the county to establish 500 new units of low-income housing.

He said almost 8,500 people in the county are on waiting lists for low-cost housing, if those in cities outside the authority--including Oxnard, Ventura, Port Hueneme and Santa Paula--are included.

“All areas of the county need to take a greater responsibility,” Flynn said. “It’s gotten to be an immense problem.”