Piru

Peter H. King’s Oct. 18 column on the plight of the Ventura County community of Piru accurately chronicles the devastation inflicted on the town by the Northridge earthquake. However, in registering concern about the pace of recovery there, King overlooks efforts of the California Department of Housing and Community Development, the county and the private sector to bring new housing to Piru.

Last June, ground was broken on a 113-unit single-family-home housing development--the town’s first-ever subdivision and the first new homes to be built there in some 60 years. This development will allow scores of hard-working low-income families to buy their first homes. The state has provided $500,000 in down-payment assistance through the Building Equity and Growth in Neighborhoods program to make the American Dream of homeownership a reality for 33 local families.

In July, a dedication ceremony was held for a 35-unit rental complex across the street from where the new homes are being built. This long-overdue affordable housing development was funded in large part by a $1.76-million loan from HCD. Clearly, something is happening to rebuild Piru.

The column also erred in saying that state and local officials don’t visit Piru. Gov. Pete Wilson dispatched several officials to Ventura County immediately following the Northridge earthquake. I visited Piru on Jan. 23 and 31, 1994, to begin discussions with Ventura County officials on how the state could help rebuild. We are now looking forward to still another visit to Piru soon to welcome Piru’s new home buyers into their new homes.

TIMOTHY L. COYLE

Director, HCD

Sacramento