Group to Honor Housing Advocate

Former Ventura County supervisor and longtime affordable housing advocate John Conlan will be honored next month by Many Mansions at its second annual Founder’s Day Award Dinner.

Conlan served on the Many Mansions’ board of directors from 1980 through last year. He was the board’s president from 1982 through 1984.

Conlan remains an advisor to the nonprofit housing agency.

“He’s very, very strong on [helping] people who need assistance,” said Joe Smolarski, Many Mansions’ community relations director. “I’ve never seen him refuse someone with their hand out. That’s the kind of person he is.”

He said Conlan’s extensive business and political contacts have helped Many Mansions, particularly in the early years after it was founded in 1979.

Conlan, who served as a supervisor from 1969 to 1973, was a real estate broker in Thousand Oaks for many years.

Conlan, his wife Dorothy and their four children moved to the Conejo Valley in 1959.

The award luncheon is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. Nov. 9 at the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks.

Tickets are $35 each. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 496-4948.