The city of Ventura is expected to contribute around $3.2 million to Veterans Springs, an affordable housing project for veterans. (Photo: Kristina D.C. Hoeppner)

A groundbreaking ceremony was held on June 15 for Ventura Springs, a new affordable veterans housing project in Ventura County, the Ventura County Star reported.  

The project is co-sponsored by nonprofit A Community of Friends and veterans service organization U.S. Vets, and is intended to house 120 low-income veterans, their families, and two property managers.

More specifically, and according to U.S. Vets’ website, Ventura Springs will offer 78 one-bedroom units, 33 two-bedroom units, and 11 three-bedroom units. Additionally, Ventura Springs will offer supportive services, a community center, picnic areas, playgrounds, a computer lab, and more. 

U.S. Vets says Ventura Springs is intended to “promote community integration with the surrounding area, giving its residents a sense of home and a neighborhood feel. Its therapeutic residential setting will also encourage health and engagement through its many community amenities and outdoor spaces.”

Ventura Springs is expected to be completed sometime in 2024 with a current cost of $69 million, up nearly $10 million as construction costs have increased in the COVID-19 era and delays have pushed the grand opening back. Funding is provided by both private and public sources, including nearly $3.2 million from the city of Ventura. 

According to the most recent U.S. Census data, about 38,000 veterans live in Ventura County. Current estimates of the number of homeless veterans living in the county are conflicting, with most sources suggesting less than a 100. However, Gold Coast Veterans Foundation—which is currently building Veterans’ Village in Ventura County, another affordable housing development—says the number is likely closer to 150, with as many as “1,000 to 1,300 potential homeless.” 

In recent months, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has made Southern California, particularly Los Angeles, the focal point of its efforts to end veterans homelessness in the United States.

Author: Christian Southards

Coming from a family with a proud military background and wanting to contribute his writing skills to a worthy cause, Christian began writing for the California American Legion in August of 2020. His father is a 25-year Army Veteran and his grandfather served in the Navy during Vietnam.