Camarillo City Council
AGENDA REPORT
Date: March 11, 2026
To: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
From: Greg Ramirez, City Manager
Submitted by: Bradley Calvert, Director of Community Development Subject: Barry Street and Arneill Road Affordable Housing Projects (Entitled as CUP-400) – Authorization to Solicit Bids for Construction of Arneill Road Project
BACKGROUND
Like many cities throughout the United States, Camarillo faces significant housing affordability pressures including a shortage of affordable rental housing and an increase in homelessness. To address these pressures, the City Council made solid strides in adopting its 2021-2029 Housing Element and Homelessness Strategic Plan. Both documents outline programs, projects and strategies to reduce homelessness and relieve the strain on low- and very low-income households. One such strategy is to develop housing specifically designed to address this population. To that end, the City of Camarillo is in the process of developing two affordable housing projects intended to move residents from homelessness to independent living. The Barry Street and Arneill Road projects introduce safe and attractive units to our community to provide more housing stability, benefiting the entire Camarillo community.
The City acquired the Arneill Road Property in 2017 using legacy Redevelopment Funds with the ultimate purpose of developing a 9-unit affordable housing project. Once approved by the Planning Commission in 2023, efforts began in earnest to secure grant funding for actual construction.
In late December 2024, the City was awarded an Encampment Resolution Fund (ERF) grant by the state Department of Housing & Community Development totaling $7,305,292 with $6,346,492 available to fund construction. Since then, the City Council awarded a contract with S.L. Leonard to provide construction management, inspection services and materials testing for the project.
Minor site preparation has taken place, including the removal of old concrete foundations and vegetation. Following a constructability analysis of the existing plans, areas for minor improvement or clarification were identified to prevent confusion by contractors and
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potential change orders. The plans were revised in response to the constructability analysis and are currently in the process of being re-reviewed and approved. The action for this item includes the approval of plans and specifications and authorization to solicit bids to build the units.
In August 2023, the City Council approved the purchase of the tax default property located at 2361 Barry Street for affordable housing purposes using tax exempt bond proceeds.
In July of 2024, the City released an RFP soliciting bids to construct and/or install six (6) individual housing units and prepare the site inclusive of all utility connections and landscaping. In March 2025, the Council awarded a professional services agreement to Azure Printed Homes Inc. for the Barry Street Affordable Housing Project.
Azure is an innovative creator of attractive ADU-style manufactured units, utilizing a blend of environmentally friendly recycled polymers (non-toxic and VOC-free plastic), fiberglass, and concrete. The units are in the process of being manufactured off-site, at Azure’s facility located in Gardena, CA, and will be delivered to the site fully assembled.
Azure will prepare the site with water, sewer, and electricity services ahead of the delivery and installation. All six units will be equipped with an efficiency kitchen and sanitary facilities. The project is grant funded, using Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds. The project plans are currently in the final stages of review by the Fire Department and permits are expected to be issued in April. Depictions of the units are included in Attachment 4.
DISCUSSION
The ERF grant presented a critical and timely opportunity for the City of Camarillo to comprehensively address the persistent challenges of vehicle-based homelessness within the community. As the encampment along the 2000 block of Pleasant Valley Road and Calle San Pablo has grown increasingly complex over two years, becoming a source of environmental, health, and safety concerns, the ERF grant offered a unique funding mechanism to implement a holistic intervention strategy. Unlike traditional homeless support programs, this grant specifically enables the City to not only provide immediate temporary housing and support but also develop permanent affordable housing opportunities, offering a sustainable solution to long-term housing instability.
The two projects work in tandem providing safe and attractive progressive housing opportunities consistent with specific population needs. The Barry Street Project will provide housing for residents for around six to eight months while they gain the skills and resources consistent with living in more permanent housing. The nearby Arneill Road Affordable Housing Project will provide permanent housing for those that demonstrate long-term self-sustainability. Both projects will provide professional assistance services to help residents maintain conditions for housing stability.
Neither of the projects are homeless shelters and participants referred to both projects will be long-term residents of the City of Camarillo who are experiencing chronic homelessness within the community. Additionally, participants will have a demonstrated CUP-400 - Authority to Solicit Bids
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history of engagement with Project H.O.P.E. and will be actively working toward self- sufficiency through employment, service participation, and individualized case planning.
Individuals selected for this program have been identified as having a strong likelihood of achieving housing stability and long-term self-sustainability. Both projects will be subject to City oversight, are grant-funded, professionally managed and maintained, and will have multiple avenues available for residents to share any concerns directly with the City. It is the intent of both projects that they fit into the existing style of our neighborhoods and maintain standards of maintenance and residency expected of all homes and neighborhoods in our community.
Project plans and specifications for the construction of the Arneill Road Project (Attachment 2) are complete, with minor changes being reviewed as a result of the constructability analysis. Staff is requesting authorization to solicit bids for construction in advance of final plan approval and authorization for the City Manager to make any non- substantive changes as a result of final plan check. If the final review results in the necessity for substantive changes, staff will return to Council for final approval; however, that is not anticipated. Staff will review all bids submitted and return to the City Council with a recommendation to award a construction contract for the Project.
The projects present a remarkable opportunity to meet the City Council’s commitment to addressing homelessness and housing insecurity. While the projects provide direct opportunities to improve the quality of life for its residents, they also provide housing stability which in turn benefits the entire community. Because of the interest to the entire Camarillo community, staff have developed a communications plan to let the community know about project progress and invite supporters and contributors to join in partnership to ensure long-lasting success in combating area homelessness and housing. We will be utilizing various means of communication to provide information including a webpage dedicated to the projects, social media, direct mailers to residents and businesses in close proximity outlining project phasing and project management contact information, as well as periodic updates to the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact to the actions recommended tonight. Both projects have been awarded significant grant funding and should not have an impact on the City’s General Fund. Funds for the construction of the Arneill Road Project are included in the Capital Improvement Projects, Capital Projects budget, Account No. 410-8510-485.92-41 and Project HP5157.
CITY COUNCIL STRATEGIC PLAN FY 2025/26
This recommendation supports the City Council’s Strategic Plan in the following ways:
Public Safety and Emergency Resilience Objective 1.c: Maintain the City’s partnership with the VC Sheriff’s Department, and VC Health Care Agency, and expand CUP-400 - Authority to Solicit Bids
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collaboration with other county, private, and non-profit agencies for assistance, as appropriate, in the City’s response to homelessness and mental health issues. The release of the NIB is consistent with this objective because the purpose of the NIB is to select a contractor to construct affordable housing which will be administered in cooperation with the VC Sheriff’s Department through Project Hope, which also includes a representative from VC Health Care Agency.
Land Use, Transportation, Transit and Community Development Objective 6:
Develop alternate methods to move forward with housing and non-housing projects without traditional redevelopment property tax increment and evaluate financing opportunities for instituting such projects.
The NIB is consistent with this objective because the purpose of the NIB is to select a contractor to facilitate the construction of an ERF grant funded affordable housing project.
Land Use, Transportation and Community Development Objective 10: Encourage the development of appropriate infill housing projects that include affordable housing opportunities to help address the housing crisis in our area with a focus on creating supportive housing solutions for homeless and vulnerable individuals through collaborative, integrated approaches that promote community resilience. The NIB is consistent with this objective because the purpose of NIB is to select a contractor to facilitate the development of a permanent supportive affordable housing project and because the project is an infill project.
HOUSING ELEMENT CONSISTENCY
Housing Element Program 18
The Arneill Road Project and its construction will further the implementation of Program 18 of the City’s adopted Housing Element “City-Initiated Affordable Housing Projects”, in that the project is an entitled City-initiated affordable housing project specifically referenced in Program 18.
CEQA DETERMINATIONS
On April 12, 2023, the City Council approved Negative Declaration 2023-1 for the Arneill Road Project. Pursuant to CEQA Guideline section 15162(a) no subsequent CEQA review is required because there are no substantial changes to the project or the circumstances under which the project is being undertaken, and no new information of substantial importance regarding the project has come to light triggering the need for a subsequent EIR for the project.
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RECOMMENDATION
1. Find that Negative Declaration 2023-1 for CUP-400 was previously approved by the City Council and no further CEQA review is required pursuant to CEQA Guideline 15162.
2. Adopt a Resolution approving the solicitation of bids for the construction of the Arneill Road Project - Project No. CUP-400, including the plans, specifications, notice inviting bids, and authorizing staff to invite bids.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Resolution
2. Arneill Project Plans and Specifications
3. Location Map
4. Arneill Road and Barry Street Renderings
REFERENCE MATERIALS – AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW AT CITY HALL None