Homes for all income levels is an achievable goal

A proposed Simi Valley project converting the old Doctors Hospital property into 79 townhomes, including affordable units, begs the question--why aren't municipalities all over Ventura County following this formula?

Could this be the perfect use for the power of eminent domain?

There is such a great need for affordable housing. So many inequities could be corrected through a focused approach in renovating available properties all over the county in exactly the same manner as the Simi hospital proposal.

If out-of-date structures such as the old Simi hospital can be turned into beautifully restored housing, it doesn't take a great deal of imagination to see how other properties in Simi Valley, Moorpark, Thousand Oaks, Camarillo and beyond could be used to help equalize the playing field in today's expensive housing market.

Not everybody is pulling down a six-figure income in Ventura County. Where does the cafeteria worker, retail clerk, school nurse or mid-level manager live? These people all need a decent roof over their family's collective heads. It can't all be about the rich who can afford the million-dollar properties. Someone has to cook, care for the landscaping, fix the fevers and scrapes, put out the fires, keep the streets safe and teach the children. These are the people who work hard to keep the cities' social structure and economies working.

Is it too much to ask the cities to step up to the plate for the common people, like the project currently being considered? Give it back to the people.