Seminar to Focus on Affordable Housing

The complexities of--and need for--affordable housing in the Conejo Valley will be the topic of a seminar at Cal Lutheran University on Wednesday.

The two-hour session is being organized by A Time for Families, a group of leaders from religious and social service groups and local government founded by Thousand Oaks City Councilwoman Judy Lazar and county Supervisor Frank Schillo last September.

The meeting will be mostly educational, meant to inform real estate agents, business leaders and others involved in housing about the city’s shortage of affordable apartments and houses, said Beth Arnold, a division manager for the nonprofit family services group Interface.

“This will put a perspective on what is currently available and what can be done,” Arnold said. “It’s pretty difficult to find affordable housing in our city. And we’re not talking about the homeless or people who have no jobs. We’re talking about people’s sons and daughters, recent college graduates making $20,000 or $30,000 who can’t afford to live in their own homes, so they live in their parents’ homes.”

At the meeting, real estate agents and city officials will describe the city’s stock of affordable housing.

City housing officials, who have already committed the better part of their annual $2-million housing budget this year, will also list available parcels that could be developed for affordable housing.

Ideally, the meeting will not only open eyes but could also generate ideas for providing more housing for the working poor, Lazar said.

The housing workshop is scheduled for 2 to 4 p.m. at the university. The insurance industry’s Million Dollar Roundtable is sponsoring the event.

For more information or reservations, call Interface’s Arnold at (800) 339-9597, Ext. 660, by Saturday.