Ventura County Examines Two Options for Residents with Mental Disabilities
Ventura County supervisors tomorrow will examine two proposals for housing people with mental illnesses, including a "scaled-down plan" for at least 51 people, the Los Angeles Times reports. The scaled-down plan, proposed by County Executive Office Johnny Johnston, would build a county-owned subsidized housing site near Camarillo that would also house up to 32 youths "emancipated from the foster care system." A second, "broader" plan, supported by the county's Behavioral Health Department and mental health advocates, would build 200 "low-cost" apartments and townhomes. Geoffrey Gilbert, a consultant on the project, said a majority of the units "would be occupied by people with varying degrees of mental illness, with medical supervision available" for those residents with the most severe mental disabilities. However, Johnston stressed the need for a "more conservative approach," saying, "These are all important, well-meaning things. But we have to be measured in the actions we take." Gilbert, addressing Johnston's concerns about the $33.3 million, 200-unit project, said a "combination" of tax credits and government housing grants would cover the cost. Gilbert added, "It's not cheap. But it's affordable and doable" (Saillant, Los Angeles Times, 12/3).
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