Committee backs in‑lieu loan and corrections to documents for 58‑unit Dolores Huerta Gardens affordable housing

The Community Services, Public Safety, Housing and Development Committee voted to recommend that the City Council authorize a loan agreement in lieu of CDBG funds for the Dolores Huerta Gardens Apartments, a 58‑unit affordable rental project at 2161 Edding Road, and to approve related budget appropriations.

Bridal Lopez of the Housing Department explained that the recommendations themselves did not change but staff discovered administrative errors in attachments to the staff report that required corrections before finalization. Staff said the requested financial amounts remained $268,074 and $631,900 (as shown in the staff materials) and that the attachments were edited to correct transposed digits, page‑numbering and missing zeros in funding lines. Among the corrected entries staff cited: a Joe Serna Fund amount to read $5,000,000 (added a zero) and County of Ventura funding to read $380,000 (added a zero). Staff also standardized wording and fixed footer page counts.

Committee members praised staff for identifying and correcting the administrative errors. Committee member Mr. Pavel said the corrections "speak highly to the professionalism of this department and the staff." Public comment included a caller identifying herself as Barbara Macri, who said she supported the project and thanked staff for securing multiple funding sources. Macri noted developer Cabrillo's long‑standing commitment to farmworker and veteran housing and said an opening is planned for June.

Lopez and staff detailed unit eligibility and set‑asides: the 58 units include 57 resident units and one manager unit; 42 of the resident units must meet farmworker eligibility (at least one household member must meet the project’s farmworker definition and income limits); and 15 units are reserved for veterans (10 for disabled veterans and five for chronically homeless veterans). Staff confirmed that if a household no longer met the farmworker requirement, they would not remain eligible for the farmworker‑restricted units and would need to seek other housing solutions.

Committee Member Perrau moved the recommendation and it was seconded; the clerk recorded Committee Member Perez: yes; Committee Member Perrau: yes; Chair McArthur: yes. The motion carried 3–0.

Votes at a glance Dolores Huerta Gardens — Motion to recommend City Council adopt a resolution authorizing the housing director or designee to execute an in‑lieu loan agreement and related documents for construction of a 58‑unit affordable rental project at 2161 Edding Road and to approve appropriations as described in the staff report. Vote: 3–0.