THOUSAND OAKS : Draft of Housing Plan Available for Review

Thousand Oaks officials will step up efforts to help renters become homeowners and ask developers to build more low-priced housing over the next five years, according to a draft report.

The city’s Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy, now available for public review, sets out these and other goals as part of a five-year blueprint to provide housing for people of various income groups.

After considering public comments, the City Council will vote on the 100-page document early next year. As required by the National Affordable Housing Act, the Department of Housing and Urban Development must also sign off on the housing strategy.

Rather than focusing on new development--a primary goal five years ago--city planners want to make existing houses more affordable through low-interest loans, down-payment assistance programs and other help for first-time buyers.

Another priority: to create more opportunities for nonprofit groups to buy financially troubled housing projects and turn them into well-managed tracts for low-income families, according to Olav Hassel, housing services manager.