Ojai council approves city yard to permanently house tent camp residents

Great news for the homeless.  The eclectic, artsy community of Ojai has decided to use tax dollars to create a “homeless community.”

“The 1.2-acre site is an active yard for the agency that is not open to the public, said City Manager Ben Harvey at the meeting. The property is bordered on the west side by South Ventura Street and lies generally within a triangular area where South Montgomery Street, to the east, curves to connect with South Ventura.

The city received a $12.7 million state grant from the state for the permanent housing effort earlier this year. All costs associated with the project for the first two years will be paid by the grant proceeds, according to a staff report.

After the first two years the city will be responsible for the cost of crime, drugs and slums brought into the community.  I want to advertise in Simi Valley for the homeless to move to Ojai—they want it, they deserve it.  Watch as the population of homeless BOOMS thanks to the creation.  Oh, how are they going to keep the homeless hordes to just the 1.2 acres?

Ojai council approves city yard to permanently house tent camp residents

Wes Woods II, Ventura County Star, 9/3/24    https://www.vcstar.com/story/news/2024/09/01/ojai-council-approves-city-yard-for-cabin-village-housing-project/75019164007/:

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Ojai council members selected a public works yard to install a cabin village and create permanent supportive housing for homeless residents currently living in tents on the City Hall campus.

The Ojai City Council voted 3-1 Tuesday for a city-owned lot off Signal Street, down the hill from the Public Works Department building. The parcel, which has no street address, is referred to as the lower public works yard.

The 1.2-acre site is an active yard for the agency that is not open to the public, said City Manager Ben Harvey at the meeting. The property is bordered on the west side by South Ventura Street and lies generally within a triangular area where South Montgomery Street, to the east, curves to connect with South Ventura.

The city received a $12.7 million state grant from the state for the permanent housing effort earlier this year. All costs associated with the project for the first two years will be paid by the grant proceeds, according to a staff report.

“We are not relocating the encampment,” said Mayor Betsy Stix. “We are building something new and beautiful and exciting that can be a model to other communities to show how we take care of people.”

Earlier this year, a plan to house about 30 people at the encampment fell through after the property owner backed out. The 30 have been living in city-provided tents outside Kent Hall, where they were moved starting in late January from a encampment in the City Hall Community Garden area.

On July 9, council members requested the Ojai Valley Board of Realtors serve as a task force to identify proposed locations. They came up with the four sites considered Tuesday for the cabin village, sometimes referred to as a tiny home village.

The public works lot was selected after the council discussed the four properties. The others included a vacant parcel of almost an acre next to the fire station on East Ojai Avenue with an estimated value of $799,000, a 1.6-acre, $1.75 million property at 1400 Maricopa Highway and the city’s Rotary Community Park on West Ojai Avenue.

More than 20 people spoke on the topic during the meeting.

Resident Linda Burr said the public works yard was the best option because it allowed the city to use grant funds to help residents rather than to buy land. The property’s location at the end of Signal Street is not heavily used, she said.

Resident Howard Sherer, who lives near the selected site, said he didn’t want a neighbor he didn’t know and 30 new people could be overwhelming. He also felt the site would decrease property values.

“I want this project to go forward,” he said. “I just don’t want it to be in the neighborhood I live in.”

Lindy Palmer, public works director, said the lower yard has challenges including drainage issues, possible soil contamination and no infrastructure. The rectangular lot has access issues and a lot split might be required, she said.

Jeff Gaddess of Dignity Moves, a nonprofit based in San Francisco that is helping Ojai form the plan, favored the site over the others.

“I don’t see any significant barriers or concerns that would cause us not to move forward,” he said.

Councilmember Andrew Whitman, who cast the no vote, said one neighborhood shouldn’t shoulder the burden.

“Is there a way to address homelessness where we spread locations throughout the community so we don’t have the entire issue in one neighborhood?” Whitman said. “I can’t bring myself to say any one of these neighborhoods should bring this project on.”

Whitman added that he wanted to talk to Ventura County about possible sites outside of the city and additional funding before making a decision.

Harvey, the city manager, said he would get rough cost estimates, identify challenges and report back to the council.

Councilmember Rachel Lang was present via Zoom for the meeting but wasn’t able to vote. City staff didn’t get Lang’s address in time for the agenda because she was traveling, Harvey said.

He said the staff made the mistake, not Lang.