Oxnard-- The Ventura County Housing Reimagined Conference continues with Thousand Oaks City Manager Andrew Powers saying there are challenges across the entire spectrum between those who are unhoused and those who are trying to get a leg up and into affordable housing and those trying to purchase their first home.
“Investments are needed at all ends of the spectrum because, in that triangle of jobs, housing, and the economy, that’s really quality of life in the middle,” he said. “When you’re balanced out on that, it’s really what helps us.”
He remains optimistic about where they are but notes that challenges lie ahead.
“Planning at the local level is where it starts,” he said. “There’s a lot of noise about Sacramento and the challenges being put on us as local cities, but the best way to address that is to focus on good quality local planning and investment.”
CityofSantaPaulaPlanning Manager Jeff Mitchum said as a recent transplant from Portland, Oregon; he feels warmer and drier.
“I sold a home and drove in the wrong direction with respect to housing affordability,” he said. “I should have driven far north of Portland, Oregon to afford the equity tradeoff between what we sold…
