LAKEPORT >> A proposed veteran housing project in Clearlake may be closer to becoming reality after the Lake County Board of Supervisors discuss an exclusive negotiating with the Veterans Housing Development Corporation (VHDC) today.
The project was originally considered by the board in August of last year before being presented to the Clearlake City Council in January. Both the board and council unanimously approved the project in concept.
According to Deputy County Administrative Officer Jennifer DeHaan, the contract will enable “the VHDC to continue moving forward with the planning process and begin to pursue funding sources.”
The 16-acre property is located on 18th Avenue, between Phillips and Irving avenues in Clearlake. If approved, the agreement will establish a negotiating period of one year to allow discussion regarding transferring the property to the VHDC, land disposition, price, project design, development schedule and financing.
Although the agreement would prohibit the county from disposing of the property during the negotiating period, there is no obligation to transfer these properties.
District 4 Supervisor Anthony Farrington requested the discussion, after having brought two requests to approve donation of county-owned property to build an emergency or homeless shelter. At the time of the earlier requests the board didn’t think such a project would be financially feasible.
With the passage of California Proposition 41, which is known as the California Veterans Housing and Homeless Prevention Bond Act, during the June 3 primary election, Farrington said he thinks the project is financially feasible. County authorities believe a housing project is critical, particularly for Clearlake. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau indicates that 1,705 veterans live in Clearlake, out of a population of 14,985. In Lake County as a whole, there are 7,165 veterans. Percentage-wise, 11.3 percent of Clearlake’s population served in the military.
The city also reports a fraction over 36 percent of its population living below the poverty live, compared to 23.7 percent countywide.
The property in question is located near county health department offices, St. Helena Hospital, Yuba College, the Veterans Affairs clinic and the Clearlake Courthouse.
Contact J. W. Burch, IV at 900-2022.
