City Funding Sought for Housing Project

Backers of a much-maligned low-income housing project in Santa Paula hope a presentation to the City Council tonight will improve the development’s chances of being built.

The Cabrillo Economic Development Corp. will ask for $285,000 in Redevelopment Agency money to help finance the $1.2-million townhouse project on Garcia Street.

“We don’t know right now whether we have the votes,” said Rodney Fernandez, the nonprofit group’s executive director. “But they should approve it because the city . . . leads the county in overcrowding and the neighborhood needs some upgrading.”

City Manager Arnold Dowdy is recommending the council give the go-ahead to the 14 townhomes. The project would eliminate a blighted vacant lot and help the city comply with state law requiring it to spend a portion of Redevelopment Agency money on low-income housing, he said in a report to the council.

Cabrillo opponents have urged the city to rehabilitate existing low-income housing before spending public money on building new residences. Last month, the council approved a program to do just that after a series of contentious meetings that prompted charges of racism. Many of the prospective low-income housing residents are Latino farm workers.

Consequently, most of the money set aside for housing projects has already been allocated. The council would now have to appropriate money that could be spent on other redevelopment projects.

Cabrillo has made attempts to deflect criticism of the project. The city would own the lot and lease it to Cabrillo, providing greater municipal control. Moreover, Cabrillo would pay $3,200 a year in lieu of property taxes so that the city would derive some financial benefit from the project.

The council meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. at City Hall, 970 Ventura St.