The Consolidated Plan for Camarillo utilizes $479,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds. Program income from repayment of rehabilitation loans generates $1,771 and interest income accrues $240.
The Camarillo citizen participation plan encouraged participation by all citizens, including minorities, non-English-speaking persons, and persons with mobility, visual, or hearing impairments. Specifically, the plan is designed to encourage participation in the development of the Consolidated Plan by low- and extremely low-income persons, especially in blighted areas and areas proposed to receive CDBG-funded programs.
As the lead agency in the preparation of the Consolidated Plan, the city of Camarillo participated in a countywide consortium of city and county agencies that included joint meetings, public forums, and informal consultation. Camarillo administrators also met with nine officials from Ventura County and neighboring cities to identify common regional housing and community development needs.
Citizen participation was enlisted through a countywide forum, a public hearing, and a public meeting, all of which included input from government agencies, private nonprofit organizations, public institutions, and community residents. Notifications of the meetings were made through countywide newspapers, radio stations, and written materials.
Located in the Pleasant Valley portion of the agricultural Oxnard Plain in southern California, Camarillo had a population of 57,172 in 1994. Since 1980 the white population in Camarillo has increased 31 percent. During the same period, the African-American population increased by 95 percent; the Hispanic population increased by 66 percent; and the Native-American population increased by 54 percent. The greatest increase in the minority population was in the Asian American and Pacific Islander group, which increased by 126 percent.
Camarillo's 1990 median family income (MFI) was $53,295. Of the city's total households, 15 percent were extremely low-income (0-30 percent of MFI), and an additional 10 percent were low-income (31-50 percent of MFI). Most residents (67 percent) were above the moderate-income level (81-95 percent of MFI).
Employment in Camarillo has been concentrated in the managerial, technical, health services, and public administration fields. Because almost 40 percent of the population worked in Camarillo and another 45 percent worked in the county, the average commuting time for workers was only 20 minutes. With so many workers living close to their workplaces, community character and community activities have flourished.
Because the median construction year for housing in Camarillo is 1976, most of the units are adequate and do not need rehabilitation, with the exception of targeted areas in the city, such as the Barry Street neighborhood. The city estimated that housing units that required rehabilitation comprised 1 percent of the total dwellings in the city.
Camarillo has a large elderly population: 17 percent of its residents were older than 65. Additionally, the city has a disproportionate share (14 percent) of the county's nursing homes.
Camarillo's main objective is to provide affordable housing for its residents. As a result, the city has added 45 low-cost family rental units (27 completed, 13 under construction, and 5 approved for development). Using CDBG funds the city has ensured the construction of the 27-unit Ellis Terrace rental apartment building and has assisted 16 elderly families to purchase lots in the Rancho Adolfo Mobile Home Park. Additionally, the city acquired 4 lots on Barry Street where the Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation has constructed 13 rental units. The city of Camarillo also purchased three lots in the Raemere Street neighborhood, one of which was approved with a duplex. This property was conveyed to the Area Housing Authority of the County of Ventura, which has approval to construct five large-family rental units.
Camarillo has identified a need for additional rental units for small families paying in excess of 50 percent of their income for housing. Because the city cannot rely on conventional means for expanding the supply of affordable housing, Camarillo will acquire additional sites to construct rental housing.
The 1990 census estimated that Camarillo had 18,109 housing units, a 26-percent increase from 1980. During this same period, vacant units decreased from 855 to 618, of which 105 were rentals and 301 were for sale.
Most residents in Camarillo (72 percent) owned their homes. Almost 1,600 of the 13,612 owner-occupied housing units were held by minorities. In 1990 the median home value was $249,500 and the median monthly rent was $845. Although Camarillo's median income was 24 percent higher than that of the State, its median monthly rent was 44 percent higher than the State's. Of the 4,870 total renter-occupied households, 118 were African-American households and 621 were Hispanic households.
The Consolidated Plan for Camarillo identified the provision of affordable rental housing, primarily for small families, as its major priority. Approximately 5.1 percent of the residences were overcrowded and most minority households in Camarillo experienced some housing problems.
To address this problem, Camarillo has been increasing affordable housing opportunities. Since 1989 more than 500 units of affordable housing have been constructed and an additional 43 are approved for construction. More recently, the Rancho Adolfo Mobile Home Park was converted from a rental to an owner-occupied park for low- and moderate-income residents.
Studies and surveys by nonprofit organizations and government agencies indicated that homelessness is not pervasive in Camarillo. Estimates indicated that, at any given time, eight persons may require shelter. There are no shelters in Camarillo; however, Interface, a service provider based in Camarillo, provides counseling and operates a shelter outside the city for residents.
Since city efforts have expanded affordable housing opportunities, alleviating concerns regarding homelessness, fewer families have been at risk for homelessness. Instead, Camarillo's efforts focused on creating transitional housing opportunities and supporting the mentally ill homeless population. The Ventura County Mental Health Department provides emergency shelter for mentally ill residents who become homeless, and the Ventura County Public Social Services Agency and The Turning Point Foundation offer transitional housing.
AIDS service providers in the county indicate that, on most days, about 12 clients already in case management require either short- or long-term emergency housing.
Camarillo, along with five other cities and the county, is a member of the Area Housing Authority of the County of Ventura. The Camarillo City Council appoints two members to the housing authority board of directors which manages the organization.
The Area Housing Authority of the County of Ventura, the public housing provider for Camarillo, operates two local housing projects, the 27-unit Ellis Terrace Development on Temple Avenue and a duplex located on Raemere Street. Additionally, there is a privately owned, federally funded, 90-unit senior citizen apartment complex called Ponderosa Village. In 1995, 215 families received Section 8 housing assistance.
In 1995 the waiting list for public housing included 2,236 families, 201 elderly, and 353 persons with disabilities. This list, as well as the waiting list for housing assistance, has been closed for 2 years.
The Area Housing Authority obtained HOPE I training funds to assist Ellis Terrace residents in establishing a resident council to investigate the possibility of homeownership. Training funds were used to provide startup costs for the resident council, to establish bylaws and meeting schedules, to secure legal services, and to provide educational seminars on management training skills.
The Consolidated Plan for Camarillo identified the following barriers to affordable housing:
Camarillo provides fair housing services as part of the CDBG-funded activities. In 1995 the city allocated $3,000 in CDBG funds for this purpose.
According to the Ventura County Public Health Department, 40 cases of lead poisoning were reported countywide in 1994. In Camarillo, where 3,165 housing units were built prior to 1979, it was estimated that 774 extremely low-income households and 926 low-income households may have lead-based paint in their homes.
Three agencies work together to address lead-based paint problems in Camarillo. The Camarillo Housing Rehabilitation Program is responsible for the testing and remediation of lead-based paint in any residence being rehabilitated. Ventura County Public Health Services coordinate the county and city staff to identify areas of high lead-poisoning probability and target those areas with outreach education programs. The Public Health Services also identifies additional sources of lead poisoning.
The Public Health Services received a grant from the State Department of Health Services for the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program for case management for childhood lead poisoning. The program proposes to:
Camarillo continues to assess any home to be rehabilitated or purchased with CDBG funds for the presence of lead-based paint.
Community development needs relate to activities that improve public facilities, repair or construct the physical infrastructure of the community, provide needed public services, improve accessibility, and expand economic development activities. Camarillo's Consolidated Plan focuses on infrastructure improvements and social service activities.
Although many CDBG funds are devoted to housing and infrastructure activities, the city of Camarillo regards public services as the lifeblood of the plan because residents are most visibly and immediately affected by these services. The city will spend 15 percent of its funds on public services.
Camarillo identifies the following housing priorities:
Camarillo identifies the following community development priorities:
Camarillo's antipoverty strategy continues to encourage the construction of affordable housing, not only for renters and owners, but also for small and large families. As a result of this strategy, more than 500 units of affordable housing have been completed in the past 5 years.
The city intends to continue acquiring sites for additional low-income housing with CDBG funds. Presently, 13 low-income, large-family apartment units are under construction, and 5 units were recently approved on sites acquired with CDBG funds. Without direct subsidy from the city, a 160-unit moderate-income housing development has been approved, with 38 units designated for moderate-income, first-time homebuyers. All these affordable housing activities assist in preventing homelessness and poverty by ensuring the availability of an adequate and affordable housing supply.
The only Federal resources available in Camarillo are CDBG funds. However, the city will continue to encourage homebuilders to include low- and moderate-income housing in their developments. The Camarillo City Council provides incentives in the form of development allotment exemptions, density bonuses, and reductions in development standards for affordable residential developments.
Ventura County departments -- such as the Family Housing Council, Mental Health Department, and Alcohol and Drug Services -- offer housing and community development resources for Consolidated Plan activities.
Both for-profit and nonprofit organizations also offer support and services necessary to this plan. These organizations include: the Camarillo Health Care District, Senior Nutrition, Palmer Drug and Alcohol Abuse Program, Wellness Community, Food Share, Community Foundation, Association for Retarded Citizens (ARC), Candelaria Indian Council, AIDS CARE, International House Sober Living Environment, El Centrito del la Colonia, Independent Living Resource Center, Job Training Policy Council, Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation, Habitat for Humanity, Commission on Human Concerns, Project Understanding, Samaritan Center, the Ventura County Community Foundation, and Many Mansions.
The city of Camarillo, as the lead agency, developed new relationships with government agencies, social service agencies, and community foundations as a result of preparing the Consolidated Plan. It reviewed public service requests with the Camarillo Health Care District to avoid duplicating services and programs. Similarly, it met with the Ventura County Community Foundation to identify how the city and the county could fulfill the unmet needs of residents. These two examples show the expanded coordination cultivated during the development of the plan, which will continue in the future. Monitoring is conducted through quarterly reports, client intake forms, and an overview of accomplished activities.
The Consolidated Plan for Camarillo included the following key projects:
CDBG funds serve the residents of the city. The only area-specific activities are the residential rehabilitation program and the community infrastructure project. The public service activities benefit the entire community. Although eligibility requirements must be met, specific neighborhoods or locations are not targeted.
MAP 1 depicts points of interest in the jurisdiction.
MAP 2 depicts points of interest and low-moderate income areas.
MAP 3 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, and minority concentration levels.
MAP 4 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, and unemployment levels.
MAP 5 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, unemployment levels, and proposed HUD funded projects.
MAP 6 is a map, sectioned by neighborhood, which depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, unemployment levels, and proposed HUD funded projects.
MAP 7 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, unemployment levels, and proposed HUD funded projects within one of the four neighborhoods indicated in MAP 6.
MAP 8 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, unemployment levels, and proposed HUD funded projects within another of the four neighborhoods indicated in MAP 6.
MAP 9 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, unemployment levels, and proposed HUD funded project(s) from a street level vantage point; as well as, provides a table with information about the project(s).
Matthew A. Boden
Director
Planning and Community Development
601 Carmen Drive
Camarillo, California 93010
805-388-5360
