Those With Drive Can Now Get Cars

A handful of welfare clients unable to accept jobs because they have no way of getting to work may soon be able to drive themselves out of that dead end.

Starting with three used cars, the county will launch a six-month pilot welfare reform program guaranteeing car loans for welfare recipients.

Crafted by Supervisor Frank Schillo and his staff over the past four months, the program won unanimous support from county supervisors Tuesday.

County officials argue that state and federal welfare reform plans, placing a two-year limit on receiving benefits, make no provisions for overcoming one of the greatest obstacles to self-sufficiency: reliable transportation.

As many as half of the 8,600 Ventura County families receiving Aid to Families with Dependent Children do not have cars or adequate access to public transportation.

And although officials believe they have developed solid plans for safe and affordable child care, they have not solved the transportation problem.

“The transportation issue in welfare reform is our most pressing issue,” said board Chairman John K. Flynn.

Three cars--two from the Bank of America and one from the county government’s fleet--have been donated and could be placed in the hands of welfare recipients within days, officials said.

Under the pilot program, the county will guarantee 48-month car loans at standard interest rates to eligible recipients through the Ventura County Credit Union.

With provisions for private insurance and liability protections for the county, the program will serve welfare clients who have job opportunities they would otherwise refuse for lack of transportation.

The participants in the program will be screened for good credit and driving histories.

If a client loses a job and defaults on the loan, the county will repossess the car and help another welfare client finance it.

All five county supervisors agreed to support the program through June to work out any kinks and gauge its success or failure.

The board’s support included a $7,000 appropriation to guarantee the first three loans.

Even if the program is successful, supervisors will look to place its administration into the hands of a nonprofit agency before allowing it to become permanent.

“We’ll see how it works with three cars,” Schillo said. “If it does work properly and we work all the bugs out, the next step will be to see if there’s another organization to take this over for the county.”

Meanwhile, supervisors said, they need to work through the Ventura County Transportation Commission to encourage public transit agencies to help welfare recipients surmount the transportation barrier.

Randy Johnson Automotive in Port Hueneme will conduct initial safety and smog inspections and do minor repairs on the three cars.

But for Johnson, his work in the program will be more than just another repair job.

Twenty years ago, he and his family were dependent on welfare checks until publicly funded job programs helped him learn a new trade and open his own repair shop.

“I see this program as one way for me to give back to society some of the help I received,” Johnson told supervisors Tuesday. “I strongly believe that it can be a very, very viable way to bring people dependent on society to self-sufficiency.”

Schillo said that for every family able to find permanent work and get off of welfare, county taxpayers will save $5,376 a year.