I was outraged that the Thousand Oaks City Council voted to overturn a Planning Commission decision and allow Centex homes to pay $1 million instead of building four very-low-income units.
What kind of living unit can a family buy for $250,000 in this city?
Once again the city’s bloated bureaucracy thinks it is going to manage precious very-low-cost housing funds. Frankly, the city’s record in developing low-cost housing in a city whose population is fast approaching 130,000 is abominable. We need low-cost housing and very-low-cost housing now.
Despite all the doom and gloom about housing, the costs are still going up, and who knows when the million dollars will see the light of day as actual housing units? When will the city come to the realization that it must take up with conviction and sincerity the thorny issue of housing for our very-low-income families and a living wage for its citizens?
Our city is becoming more and more a city providing service jobs, not manufacturing, research and development or construction; therefore a living wage is a must. Service employees cannot afford to live here.
Our city government should follow Sacramento’s lead by raising the minimum wage and by not selling out the very-low-income families that make our lives so comfortable.
— Ruth Fritkin, Thousand Oaks
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