Homeless individuals and previously homeless families will be prioritized as tenants of an affordable housing project set to open at Ventura’s Westview Village.

The project is located in west Ventura between Olive and Riverside streets along Barnett, Warner, Flint, and Vince streets. Of the 320 affordable units, 20 will be set aside for previously homeless families and five for homeless individuals.

The plan for Westview Village called for the demolition of the public housing complex built in 1952 and the construction of new apartments, which began in 2017.

The demolition displaced 72 families who were provided housing elsewhere. Of those, 66 families wanted to return once the new complex was built, according to Karen Flock, San Buenaventura Housing Authority’s deputy director of real estate.

With the former residents accounted for, the project provides enough room to accommodate homeless families and individuals, which wasn’t part of the plan when the project was first approved.

The Housing Authority of the City of San Buenaventura determined there was a need to fill in the community. The authority co-developed the complex with San Francisco-based nonprofit developer BRIDGE Housing Corp. The authority is the property manager and service coordinator for the complex.

“It’s so clear that it’s important to provide shelter for homeless, and it’s great we have a shelter in Ventura, but then, where do people go?” Flock said. “That’s really the way to address homelessness is to provide housing for people.”

Recently, developers broke ground on some of the apartments aimed for homeless individuals….

To read the full article, click here!