Southern California is experiencing acute levels of homelessness and lack of affordable housing. To help meet the need in the Fillmore community, Many Mansions and the Area Housing Authority of the County of Ventura built Mountain View.

On Tuesday, September 27th, over 200 guests gathered to celebrate Mountain View’s Grand Opening. The 77-unit community consists of apartments reserved for extremely and very low-income households, with 8 units designated for those who have suffered homelessness. It is a culmination of a 6-year development process that transformed an essentially vacant and underdeveloped site into a beautiful, well-managed complex.

In attendance at this week’s festivities were residents and community leaders. State Assembly member Steve Bennett, County Supervisor Kelly Long, Fillmore Mayor Pro Tem Lynn Edmonds, California Housing & Community Development Department representative Hector Leyva, and Joseph Alexander, a representative for Mountain View residents spoke compellingly about the need for more affordable housing, and about the collaborative effort that made Mountain View possible.

Indeed, at its inception, the proposed project received enthusiastic response from over 3,000 Fillmore community members, embracing affordable housing and positioning Mountain View to be a welcome addition to the city. With design elements that recognize and celebrate Fillmore’s history and setting, such as a wall mural painted by a local artist and playgrounds inspired by agricultural equipment, Mountain View is a Fillmore community asset.

Mountain View residents are part of the Fillmore community and stories such as a 76-year-old 5th generation Fillmore resident who could not afford her home after her husband passed away in 2013, are representative of those who found a home in Mountain View.

To further support residents, on-site services and programs such as case management, life-skills workshops, and children’s after-school programs are available at no cost to all residents. These programs are run at on-site amenities designed to support community building and wellbeing, such as a community room, a pocket park, playgrounds, and courtyards. They are facilitated by Many Mansions and partnering organizations such as the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley.

Many Mansions is a leading provider of affordable housing and life-changing services in Ventura County. With the belief that everyone deserves a place to call home, we house and serve close to 1,500 individuals, with a focus on working families in the very low-income brackets, seniors, veterans, persons with disabilities, and individuals and families who have experienced homelessness.

The Area Housing Authority of the County of Ventura is an independent, nonprofit agency serving the residents of Camarillo, Fillmore, Moorpark, Ojai, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, and the unincorporated areas of Ventura County. It is a leader providing opportunities and assistance to people in need of affordable housing through development, acquisitions, and partnerships.