The Oxnard City Council approved Avalon Homes, a 56-unit housing project on the city’s west end with a requirement to include six affordable units.
The City Council voted unanimously on May 19 to require low-income housing at the Oxnard Dunes LLC-owned site at the northeast corner of Beachcomber Street and Harbor Boulevard. The property is bounded by West Fifth Street, Harbor Boulevard, Catamaran Street and the Edison Canal.
“I think this will give an opportunity for six families to essentially get into these homes,” Mayor Luis Mc Arthur said at the meeting.
The developer had proposed paying at least $2.4 million in fees in lieu of constructing the affordable units. The fees would be used for other affordable housing projects elsewhere in the city.
“We are pleased that the project was unanimously approved by City Council and look forward to next steps,” project representative Tanner Shelton said in a June 1 email.
The six affordable units will be reserved for low-income residents earning 30% to 80% of the area median income and will be marketed exclusively to Oxnard residents for 90 days, Shelton said.
In Ventura County, the area median income is $135,600 for a family of four, according to state figures.
Oxnard’s inclusionary housing ordinance requires developers to either set aside 10% of units as affordable or pay an in-lieu fee, according to a May 19 staff report.
The Oxnard Planning Commission voted March 5 to approve zoning, permits and a tentative map for the project while recommending the City Council require affordable housing.
The development is 8.75 acres with 39.5 acres of the dedicated preserved open space. The 56 single-family homes will have a private street, community park and parking. The rest of the property will feature a parking lot, an Americans with Disabilities Act walking path, other walking paths and a protected restoration area.
At the May 19 City Council meeting, a majority of seven speakers supported the project’s inclusion of affordable units, citing local housing needs.
Senior Planner Jamie Peltier said in an email on June 1 that there is no construction timeline or completion date. The property owner is seeking a builder, which would determine a project schedule.
Wes Woods II covers West County for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at wesley.woodsii@vcstar.com, 805-437-0262 or @JournoWes.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Oxnard opts for affordable units at 56-home project in dunes area
Reporting by Wes Woods II, Ventura County Star / Ventura County Star
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