Assessor’s assistance
I am the senior sales manager for the Vista Urbana Development in Riverpark. Vista Urbana is a low- to moderate-income ownership development that comprises 156 condominium homes.
We were successful in our efforts to help Oxnard and Ventura County families achieve the American Dream of homeownership through an array of local, state and federal down-payment assistance programs. Many of these programs were layered in different formats to help decrease monthly mortgages and increase affordability.
Under the leadership of Dan Goodwin, the Assessor’s Office provided assistance to all of the Vista Urbana families. The Assessor’s Office allowed the value of the property to be based on the total face value of the loan amount after down-payment assistance, versus the general value of the home. This subsidy formed the base on which all other down-payment assistance was applied.
This face value estimate positively affected the lives of 156 families, who otherwise would have never dreamt of owning a home. Through the efforts of the Assessor’s Office, the city of Oxnard and other state and federal programs, 103 families are now homeowners while another 53 are well on their way.
On behalf of Vista Urbana families and our staff, we would like to sincerely thank Mr. Goodwin and the Assessor’s Office for their commitment to affordable housing.
- Henry Casillas,
Oxnard
Read more: http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/may/06/assessors-assistance/#ixzz310T8T7b7
- vcstar.com
I am the senior sales manager for the Vista Urbana Development in Riverpark. Vista Urbana is a low- to moderate-income ownership development that comprises 156 condominium homes.
We were successful in our efforts to help Oxnard and Ventura County families achieve the American Dream of homeownership through an array of local, state and federal down-payment assistance programs. Many of these programs were layered in different formats to help decrease monthly mortgages and increase affordability.
Under the leadership of Dan Goodwin, the Assessor’s Office provided assistance to all of the Vista Urbana families. The Assessor’s Office allowed the value of the property to be based on the total face value of the loan amount after down-payment assistance, versus the general value of the home. This subsidy formed the base on which all other down-payment assistance was applied.
This face value estimate positively affected the lives of 156 families, who otherwise would have never dreamt of owning a home. Through the efforts of the Assessor’s Office, the city of Oxnard and other state and federal programs, 103 families are now homeowners while another 53 are well on their way.
On behalf of Vista Urbana families and our staff, we would like to sincerely thank Mr. Goodwin and the Assessor’s Office for their commitment to affordable housing.
- Henry Casillas,
Oxnard
carthomas7 writes:
Read more: http://www.vcstar.com/comments/post/#ixzz310Sp4xr8
- vcstar.com
So many of us who live here, and shop at the Westlake Plaza every day are truly incredulous that this was allowed to happen in of all places Thousand Oaks! Now, they tell us they are milling our beautiful heritage Valley Oaks into chairs and benches so we can enjoy sitting on them. Oh please!
Do not be fooled by the silence of the chain saws we are now experiencing. The truth is that there are still 50 or 60 trees yet to cut down. Regency, the corporation that now owns the plaza, is just waiting for the outrage to blow over. Here is what I have gleaned from the city:
Vons and CVS - All remaining trees are to be cut down except the small oaks.
Gelsons - From three to nine trees will be cut.
Agoura Rosd - All the eucalyptus trees, several liquid ambers and an Ash tree are scheduled to be cut.
Westlake Boulevard - Two large pines near Citi-Bank, as well as several trees near the main entrance to the plaza, are scheduled to be cut down.
The Thousand Oaks City Council will vote May 13 on restoring the tree protection law that has served us well for the past 50 years. This law was changed in 2010, and now I hope the council will change it back to the way it was. Claudia Bill de-la Pena and Al Adam were the only two council members who voted against changing that law. It was not perfect, but it was better than what's happening now.
We need people to show up and show they care about the trees now, before more are lost across the Conejo Valley. The meeting starts at 6 p.m. May 13.
- Joan Edwards,
Westlake Village
Read more: http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/may/06/tree-removal/?opinion=1#ixzz310Tk3MmJ
- vcstar.com
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
This was the INTENTION of the change in the oak tree ord as home owners were constantly being dragged, charged for meetings / permits
Claudia & Al were not heroes but taking advantage of the situation to grand stand. Unfortunately staff dropped the ball on the Westlake approval. Don't be fooled by hypocritical politicians!!!
Let me ask a question. If you were landscaping your home or a commercial building, which type of trees would you plant?
What if I told you that if you planted an oak tree, you would need a city permit just to trim it and a vote of the City Council if you wanted to remove it because it was sick or damaging your building? With that added information would you even consider planting an oak tree? Oak trees, just like any living organism, get old, and with age comes disease, someday every one of the existing oak trees will be gone.
Then what will happen if no one ever plants another oak tree, what will happen to our city's namesake?
I grew up in the city of Orange; at that time there were orange groves throughout the city. Now there is one small memorial orange grove at the city park. I don't want the same thing to happen to Thousand Oaks, but if we restrict what people can do with the landscaping on their own property, no one will ever plant another oak tree.
The City Council needs to pass rules that encourage people to plant oak trees, not discourage them. The city should provide incentives to people who plant oak trees, maybe some sort of landscaping grant, not pass restrictive rules punishing people who have an oak tree that needs to be replaced because it has become old or dangerous.
If you want to keep our city beautiful, trust that the landscapers have the best interest of our community in mind. After all, everyone wants to work and live in a beautiful city.
- Dennis Lane,
Thousand Oaks
Read more: http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/may/06/oak-tree-removal/#ixzz310VczblH
- vcstar.com
We need a change; Is this a PR letter for his campaign??