Mayor Calls Inn’s Proposal ‘Disgrace, Embarrassment’
Friday, August 31, 2012
By Tiobe Barron
Ojai Mayor Betsy Clapp wasn’t shy about letting her feelings toward the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa’s proposed “employee” housing plan.
“When I first read this, I was shocked. I couldn’t believe it got this far,” said Clapp at the Ojai City Council Tuesday night meeting. “I’m shocked and disappointed that this proposal is even before us. This is a betrayal to our citizens … This is a disgrace and an embarrassment.”
When the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa sought the city’s approval to expand and renovate in 2003, the city conditioned the project on the Inn’s ability to offset the resulting increase in traffic to the valley by building a minimum of 10 units of housing for Inn employees.
According to city staff reports, approximately 250 Inn employees commute to Ojai from Oxnard and Ventura.
The original contract, signed July 26, 2005 by Ojai Valley Inn & Spa President A. Steven Crown requires that the units be built at the sole expense of the Inn. Further, the agreement says the project “shall not be subject to Federal, State, or local affordable housing laws,” must be occupied by Inn employees only and must be completed by July 2010.
The Inn came before Ojai City Council last Tuesday to request modifications to its original agreement. Teaming with the Area Housing Authority of the County of Ventura, the Inn proposed a 24-unit project that would be funded in part by a tax credit. The Inn also sought to move the project to the corner of Hermosa Road and Highway 33, across the street from the original location.
Housing associated with a federal or state tax credit cannot legally stipulate that residents be Inn employees.
“It’s very interesting that the AHA even got involved,” said Councilwoman Carol Smith.
The new plan includes units with two and three bedrooms, prompting Smith to say that several factors perhaps counterbalance the shortcomings of the proposal, such as the demand for affordable housing and the need for more children to combat declining enrollment in the Ojai Unified School District.
“It seems like we’re mixing apples and oranges here,” Blatz countered. “Well, we need kids in our schools, so we’re not going to hold anybody to the environmental impact mitigating factor when the Inn was developed? I don’t buy that rationale.”
“We believe that building 10 units is not feasible — it’s what we’d call unsuitable — because of economic reasons,” Peter Ells, managing director of the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa said Thursday. “In lieu of that, we’d be able to lease or purchase 10 units somewhere in the city of Ojai, so Ojai won’t get any new units.
“Many of the Inn employees at the hourly level are our clients. We see Inn employees both episodically homeless and low-income and in danger of becoming homeless on a monthly basis,” said HELP of Ojai’s Terri Wolfe. “While the Area Housing Authority does a fabulous job in providing low-income housing and managing that in the county, the fact (is) that they cannot guarantee that the Inn employees, or Ojai Valley (residents) in general, are the people who move into these housing units — I think that’s the fundamental issue.”
“The initial proposal was not for affordable housing,” added Ojai resident Leonard Klaif. “It was not titled ‘affordable housing.’ It was employee housing. And the intent was to take people who are working at the Inn and live in Ventura, Oxnard, move them to Ojai to reduce traffic.”
“We had a chance to build what I thought would be 24 really high-quality low-income housing units that would benefit the city and certainly benefit us and the community as a whole,” Ells added. “Before we could get out of the gate, we were shut down.”
The council took no action Tuesday and no date was set to revist the issue.
The next Ojai City Council meeting is set for Sept. 25 at 7 p.m. at 402 Ventura Ave.
I’ve lived here for over 30 years and I don’t see this negative side a couple of you speak of, but then again, I don’t join any clubs or try to be friends with some of the wealthy that have moved in here from elsewhere, if I did I would probably feel that outcast feeling, so I don’t. I just enjoy the pink moment and walking around at night without worry that I’m going to be robbed. Yes, if Ojai was as full of gangs, crime, drugs that you speak of I wouldn’t be wandering around at night without a care. I do though and have had no problems. I don’t feel the heart of Ojai is necessarily its people but more its natural surroundings which is why I don’t want to see it get filled in with mcmansions , office buildings and huge condominium complexes. Also why I think all those Bryant st. storage units they put in because obscenely rich people need a place to store their extra stuff is an ugly footprint in the middle of the valley, its so big it probably can be seen from space. Mistakes have definetly been made but it’s still beautiful here and most houses rent for under $2,500.00 for a 3 bed 2 bath .
I agree with Another Homeowner. I’ve lived here over 20 years and feel the same way. I’m sure that the old timers still love it here and see the good, but step back and take a fresh look at the increase in crime, drugs, gangs, rents (sky high…who can afford $3000 a month to rent a house?), the change in leadership and their priorities and honestly it’s really not so great. It’s a pretty place, but the heart has left Ojai, and the money moved in…but not enough money to help the local economy, only people who HAVE money, their money. The Inn caters to the money and does not prioritize hiring locals. I agree that it’s hard to break in here, and yes, some people are very nice but many more are just like anywhere in LA. “Affordable” housing for Inn employees is an interesting idea, but really who do you think will profit from this project? I’d read the fine print as to who “qualifies” for the units.
@ Another Home Owner…. You are right. Been here since ’85.
engj, Ojai Home Owner,
Thank you for the comments,I to am a local that has been in Ojai longer then bother of you( 3 generations) I have seen nothing but Pain and anger come from the Inn all my life,and have never to my knowledge placed any support into our town. They never pay their employee’s the correct standards and I doubt that they will actually follow the housing rules and use them as “Private Condo’s” for the rich. YOu keep using the referrence of when the Inn closed down for renovations. Have you ever stopped to think of the cash flow this provided for all of the other inns in the area? The Inns got a monopily on this town and Im glad to see that this is being looked into.
With a wink and a nod, the city ought to waive the 10 unit requirement. Aren’t we better off just bussing those people up here? Do we really want 24 units being built? It seems all that is going to do is bring crime and filth.
For all the newcomers, if you don’t feel welcome, maybe you should leave.
For the Mayor to say the Inn has betrayed its citizens is unprofessional! I am involved in several non profit organizations in our city and the Inn has graciously donated to nearly all on an annual basis. They are good people and have always been good to the citizens of this town.
The ban on plastic bags is a disgrace and embarrassment, as is the city council.
Please build 2400 units. Make it a tower. Bring the
horde from Colonia (Oxnard) and Santa Paula. They are
poor and need jobs. Tell them to bring all their
family from Mexico too. Ojai is a stupid white boy
town and we need change. Maybe the AHA will bring in
somebody new and different and diversify Ojai? By the
way, please make a Burger King and 24 Hour CVS
Pharmacy as part of this 10-story project. Thank you.
You are a crack-up, ESSE…
This economic depression hits everyone, including the Inn. Is that why they have sought funding and presented this revised project? Is it financially possible to create 10 units and see them always filled with employees only?
Their’s is a difficult mandate to fill. Are these employees single or do they have families? The Inn can’t find itself with empty units that are either too big or too small and empty. Could the Inn comply by building only 10 units with the City allowing a small percentage to be rented to non-employees? Thereby giving a bit of leeway to the Inn to be sure to fill them?
[Aside. It is understandable that the demand surprised the Mayor, but I believe it is more reassuring to the public if that kind of vocal reaction be refrained from, even if it was justifiable.]
I moved to Ojai Valley from Ventura in 1967. I left for two years moving back to Ventura returning to Ojai. I left again from 1991 to 1996 living in Kennebunkport, Maine. While in Maine, a woman that was born in New York and moved to Maine at 2 years old died at the age of 90 in Portland, Maine. The headlines read; “New York woman dies in Portland.”
Ojai isn’t the only town where people never feel they fit in. I suppose we should define “fit in” to know if we don’t?
I believe the “leaders” in Ojai need to realize they “lead” by governed consent and that long term residents or newcomers have a choice in the future of this town. Unfortunately, most people don’t care enough to have their voice heard or to draw the line in the sand.
We need every business in town to succeed, if possible. We can no longer sit back and let circumstances “run its course.” Check out what the Mondragon have accomplished in Spain. It’s all about liberty, freedom and an open market.
By the way, mitigating circumstances my alter an agreement even if it appears to be in breach.
The modification and/or enforcement is 2 years late. Missing a deadline makes people anxious but it doesn’t change our current reality.
- the goal of the agreement was to have the Inn contribute to the city infrastructure monetarily as an offset to the increased use.
- there are many people who need affordable housing. Whether the Inn or any other local merchant pays a living wage was never part of the original deal and is a much bigger question in our society.
So here’s my 2 cents…
- if the Inn’s new proposal does not create safety concerns at the intersection that cannot be mitigated effectively.
- if the Inn’s new proposal requires the same amount of investment on their part.
- if the new proposal is indeed “low income”.
THEN all the other issues are mute. We need more housing in good repair in this city.
- the Valley already has more traffic than it did in 2010, 2006 or whatever benchmark you choose. The key is good planning.
- no one can say if the Inn employees would live in the housing originally proposed or in the new proposal.
- if tax credits need to be part of the plan, they MUST be capped either in dollar terms or in duration.
~fool
Sorry, I am a homeowner with kids who go to public school and I am going to have to agree with Engj. I have lived here for 8 years and am still trying to see why everyone thinks this place is so wonderful. Some of the people ARE nice. But when push comes to shove – either you are part of the high-school-esque Ojai Clique or you’re not. If you’re not, you are on your own.
A bit tardy, but YOU, “Another Home Owner,” are CORRRRRECT! I was saying exactly what you’re saying about Ojai when I, too, had “only” lived here/owned a home here 8 years (I’ve now lived here 24 years—yuck; can’t get the old man to move—and it is JUST as “high-school-clique-ish,” if not MORE so, as it was when I first started “complaining”) All I can say is: Perhaps it’s more a CALIFORNIA thing than an Ojai thing? (I’m a native, incidentally… terminally disgusted w/my State, but a native, nonetheless)
Golly. Did anybody ever think about hiring local
citizens that need a job? Many of us own a home or
have rented in Ojai for more than twenty years.
Ojai Home Owner, I too wonder why the article did not address the obvious, why was the project not completed by 2010, per the agreement the Inn made when their expansion project was approved.
I would like to know. OVN, can this question please be answered?
Thank you.
Ojai is beautiful with or without the Inn and would stay that way…for about six months. The decline of our city without the essential revenue from the Inn would be swift and irreversible. To ignore or deny this is simply irresponsible. It doesn’t mean we should be bullied or taken advantage of, but in all the years that I’ve lived here, we never have been to my knowledge. The Inn has always been generous to our community and gracious in their support of local business. We should honor this fact and opt for a more respectful and reasonable approach absent insulting tirades.
The reality of the situation is that the AHA has a track record of 96% of the units they build are occupied by families that live and work in the city the units are built in. Most if not all of these units would be filled with local and Inn employee families with children that would help fill our schools. This could have been a good thing for Ojai.
Really….thank you for the link.
Dear Home Owner,
I am a home owner as well. The Inn provides a large source of revenue for the community. As I said….remember how difficult it was for the community to “make a buck” when the Inn closed for renovations? Drive through town during the week and see how slow business is. We need the Inn’s ability to attract tourists.
When I was a newcomer….I was an outsider and did not feel all that welcome. Where were those open arms? I came from a small town and found this small town very “small minded” and unwilling to change its ways.
To engj:
You are entitled to your opinion…but to others here, there is much more that Ojai offers than just the Ojai Valley Inn.
I’ve been here almost 20 years and I believe the Inn is a minor attribute. Our Community, the Beauty of our Land, the National Forest, the Weather, the OPENMINDEDNESS of our Community, the Open-arms with which Newcomers are Welcomed…..these are the attributes that truly count here. Not a hotel.
http://www.ci.ojai.ca.us/vertical/sites/%7B6CAA84A0-9B68-4637-964F-ED4B5D8E7542%7D/uploads/Item_4_-_Ojai_Valley_Inn_Agreement_Modification_Request.pdf
Why weren’t they being watched and made to comply with the agreement that the units be built by July, 2010?
The agreement is the agreement….you are either performing or in default. If in default, what is the City’s recourse? Let’s see the agreement and let’s make sure that the correct authority makes sure that 10 employee units are built as agreed upon.
Is the Inn and the Crown family in charge of the City of Ojai? Or do our elected officials still have the ability to lead, oversee and impose the correct and applicable fines?
http://www.ojairesort.com/ojai-hotel-team.php Nice team of management running the Inn .
Pete Ells was named Managing Director of Ojai Valley Inn & Spa in January 2012. As Managing Director, Mr. Ells’ current responsibilities focus on the Inn’s daily operations.
From 2008 to December 2011, Mr. Ells was responsible for the day-to-day management of Royal Palms Resort and Spa in Phoenix, Arizona. Under Mr. Ells’ tutelage, the 119-room luxury resort located in the Phoenix/Scottsdale corridor received numerous awards, accolades, and top media recognition. Prior to Ojai Valley Inn & Spa, Mr. Ells served as General Manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay, and The Ritz-Carlton, Phoenix, Arizona. He was also the Area General Manager for Renaissance Parc 55 Hotel in San Francisco. Prior to these roles, he spent 13 years with Marriott Hotels and Resorts in various Director and Manager roles.p
Mr. Ells holds a BS in Hotel/Restaurant Management from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia and was a member of the James Madison Men’s Golf Team. Mr. Ells received the 2012 Hotelier of the Year for the State of Arizona from the Arizona Hotel and Lodging Association, and several Guest Service Awards from past properties.
“Many of the Inn employees at the hourly level are our clients. We see Inn employees both episodically homeless and low-income and in danger of becoming homeless on a monthly basis,” Maybe if the Inn paid its employees a fair wage they would not be homeless. This whole situation is SICKENING.
This is going to cause a lot of traffic problems at that corner. What next! another light that we don’t need, please! think people! that is the worse spot on that whole stretch of the 33 to have more in and out of cars, it already is a nightmare, let’s not add to it…..
Anyone who lives in Ojai knows that the Inn is about the ONLY reason anyone would come to this closed minded community. Adding more place to live only helps the employees AND keeps the largest piece of the city tax base going. Remember what happened to the city when the Inn closed for renovations?….I do.
Once again the city officials refuse to move ahead. Will they ever learn.