Housing & Homelessness Committee

Housing & Homelessness Committee

Housing & Homelessness
Join Our Mission!  Meetings are 2nd Sunday of the month, 4:00pm on Zoom

Contact: lwvvc.info [at] gmail.com (subject: LWVVC%20Housing%20and%20Homelessness%20Committee) (Kay Wilson-Bolton) 

The Housing & Homeless Committee invites you to join us at our meetings. We welcome fresh ideas on how we can support housing initiatives of all types, as well as prevention programs and essential services for our community.

Recent Activities

The committee met on January 11 at 4 pm via Zoom to hear from Ventura City Council Member and home builder, Bill McReynolds. He shared the challenges of building related to zoning, financing, and construction costs, specifically the cost of lumber.

We discussed the value of, and barriers to, efficient building, and the impact of design review. The potential sale price of the homes determines what a builder can pay for land, and he believes there will always be a shortage of land due to lack of political will.

He encouraged us to read "Abundance" by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson, published by Avid Reader Press in March 2025. This book examines the reasons behind the lack of progress on ambitious projects in the United States, including those related to affordable housing, infrastructure, and climate change - it is on the New York Times Bestseller list.

Bill believes "It is socially irresponsible to sell homes to people on the low-income spectrum due to the cost and difficulty of maintaining the homes."

This Past Year's Accomplishments

During the past year, we have:

  • Hosted engaging speakers on housing and homelessness issues
  • Developed productive contacts with our state representatives
  • Held a successful joint meeting with the Santa Barbara LWV chapter

We plan to continue collaborating with the Santa Barbara Chapter when exploring shared issues. It's always helpful to gain different perspectives and learn from their experiences.

Looking Ahead

We are currently in the process of:

  • Deciding which issues to emphasize in the coming year
  • Exploring new ways to educate the public on housing matters
  • Identifying appropriate advocacy actions for our League
  • Continuing to monitor housing and treatment issues that affect our community

Join Us!

Come join our Committee and bring your ideas and enthusiasm! Together, we can make a meaningful difference in addressing housing challenges in Ventura County.

Contact: lwvvc.info [at] gmail.com (subject: LWVVC%20Housing%20and%20Homelessness%20Committee) (Kay Wilson-Bolton)