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July 29, 2005
Affordable housing not really so
I am a resident of Seneca Highlands, a complex of 57 townhomes off North Ventura Avenue in west Ventura.
These homes have been arbitrarily designated as affordable housing under the auspices of the city of Ventura — not the Housing Authority, only the city itself.
It is important to note I never qualified by income to purchase this unit, nor did many of my neighbors qualify. We also did not know at the time of purchase that our homes were covered by the intense restrictions of affordable housing. Furthermore, there are affordable housing units here that belong to a doctor from Santa Barbara and are rental/income property.
For those first-time homebuyers and potential qualifiers for the city’s affordable housing program, know that many units are being occupied by people who did not and do not qualify and that some units are being used as investment property. The rents for those townhomes by no means reflect affordability standards.
Is this true, you ask? Does the city of Ventura know about this? Yes, it is, and yes, they do.
— Kathleen M. Garcia, Ventura
Comments
I lived in The Seneca Garden condos. from 2000-5/01/07. I was never told this was low income housing and at the time my ex-husband and I moved in made 80k a year. There is no way we would have been approved. I have had 3 refinances and 3 equity loans. Since my divorce I can no longer afford the payments. I cant sell the condo. to not be upside down on the loan. I have no choice but to foreclose and at the end of the year I will be taxed on the difference for 100k they are losing. Wow..talk about kicking someone when they have already lost everything- house, marriage, credit for 10 yrs and now $1000's to pay in taxes in 2008 when I have no money as it is. Thanks City of Ventura.
Posted by: Maureen Ruz at June 7, 2007 09:00 PM
City of Ventura How could you do this.
I couldn't believe it when I first heard about it. Imagine if you had saved for a down payment on your first home purchase. You buy a nice condo and pay full price. Oh goodie, I'm invested in the housing market, I'm a home owner. Then you see the price of homes skyrocket the first year. Thank goodness you got in in time. Then one day one of your neighbors goes to sell and then you find out. YOU CAN'T SELL YOUR CONDO FOR MARKET PRICE. The City of Ventura has decided that your condo will be a low income condo. After you paid full price, now it's low income designation for you. Now you can't sell and buy something different. You've been left behind by about $100,000.00 and that's just the first year. Now 4 years later, you'll never be able to sell your place to buy anothor. How can the city(people?)council of Ventura be so cold to struggling working people. They know, each and every one of them, that by not lifting the low income designation, they are cheating innocent fellow human beings. I will remember every name on city council so I can fight against them being public servants. What's the matter with them? They might get in a little trouble for fouling up in the first place. Meanwhile alot of little people are depressed and feeling cheated by the Big Bad City Counsel of Ventura. Come on people, Admit your mistake and undo your sneeking low income designation.
Concerned Citizen,
Posted by: Steve Brandt at August 1, 2005 05:01 PMSteve Brandt