Landlord Engagement Program houses 188 total people, including 45 veterans
John W.. Courtesy photo.
VENTURA — United Way of Ventura County’s Landlord Engagement Program has officially provided permanent housing for 110 local households with a 96% retention rate. This means 188 individuals, including 45 veterans, now have a place to call home in the Ventura County community.
Homelessness and housing challenges have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and limited affordable housing supply, extremely low vacancy rates, and rising rents make the situation increasingly challenging. UWVC’s Landlord Engagement Program advocates for and supports those prioritized for housing vouchers and housing subsidies provided by local jurisdictions and community partners.
The LEP focuses on increasing the rental housing stock available for utilization of housing vouchers through collaboration with landlords willing to help prevent and end homelessness. The program encourages landlord participation by addressing their key needs and concerns, such as responsive customer service, timely rental payments, assistance with inspection processes attached to housing voucher programs, loss of income during move-in lag time and more.
One newly housed member, John W., recalls the hardships he faced when a string of events left him without a home, and the positive impact LEP has had in his life.
“Twelve years ago, I had the rug of my life yanked out from under me,” John said. “A divorce, no retirement account, no serious savings. With only social security, and no family to fall back on, I began a search for a place I could settle down in and then proceeded to burn through the money I had on hand. And then the pandemic hit. I now had no home and proceeded to live in my car. United Way made me feel like I had new hope and real possibilities for finding a place. Once I found a place, they helped with furniture, bedding, dishes and utensils. The compassion and care they showed gave me confidence that things would work out. I eventually found a long-term senior apartment complex. I feel blessed because of their efforts.”
“In today’s competitive housing market, many people are struggling to find affordable places to live,” said Mitchel Sloan, president and CEO of UWVC. “Our Landlord Engagement Program is helping provide a safe place to call home for our community’s most vulnerable individuals, families, seniors and veterans.”
So far, the program has provided 38 housing placements in Oxnard, 35 in Ventura, nine in Port Hueneme, eight in Camarillo, seven in Simi Valley, four in unincorporated areas, three in Thousand Oaks, four in Fillmore and two in Santa Paula. Of those housed, 50 are between the ages of 0-18, 11 are young adults between the ages of 19-24, 89 are adults between the ages of 25-64, and 38 are ages 65 plus.
If you are a landlord interested in becoming a member of the Landlord Engagement Program, please email Carie.Bristow@vcunitedway.org. To learn more about UWVC and its programs, visit www.vcunitedway.org.
About United Way of Ventura County — Since 1945, United Way of Ventura County has advanced the common good by creating opportunities for a better life for all. United Way identifies the root causes of poverty and works strategically to solve them by building alliances across all sectors, funding targeted programs and advocating for change. When we work together in common purpose, we LIVE UNITED. For more information about United Way of Ventura County, visit www.vcunitedway.org