Many Mansions Aids the Needy

The mission of Many Mansions has been and is to help “provide safe, well-managed housing with on-site life-enriching services for limited-income residents in the Conejo Valley and surrounding communities in Ventura County.”

Since joining the board of Many Mansions two years ago, I have been impressed with its history of providing housing assistance to needy families. The most recent example of its success is the Shadow Hills apartment complex. Prior to being managed by Many Mansions, this apartment complex had been a blight to the city due to overcrowding, resulting in drugs, gangs and other criminal activity.

Since being taken over by Many Mansions, the property has been rehabilitated and overcrowding eliminated. This has resulted in a cleaner and safer environment both for the tenants and the surrounding neighborhood. The purpose of the Stoll House is to provide housing for homeless families for one to two years, in order to give the families time to get back on their feet. There is currently nothing to aid families who have involuntarily become homeless.

Of those in need of housing assistance, the largest percentage are female-headed households that are unable to afford to pay approximately $775 per month for a one-bedroom apartment. A major portion of these homeless currently reside and work in Thousand Oaks and have lived in the Conejo Valley an average of 11 years. These are not illegal aliens or dropouts from society, but are hard-working families that are struggling to survive. Residents will be required to adhere to strict rules and must be drug- and alcohol-free during their stay. There will also be a manager living on site to monitor the apartments and make sure the rules are obeyed.

Over 4,000 years ago God gave this command to the Israelites in Deuteronomy 15:7-8 when they entered the promised land: “But if there are any poor people in your towns when you arrive in the land of the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tightfisted toward them. Instead, be generous and lend them whatever they need.”

I believe the same command still applies today and urge the community to support any effort to fulfill that command.

KATHLEEN M. INMAN

Thousand Oaks