Yolo County Housing Authority’s 75 years of service recognized by Woodland City Council – Daily Democrat

Earlier this week, the Woodland City Council passed a proclamation to celebrate the Yolo County Housing Authority’s 75 years of service, for its dedication to providing vital and supportive resources for Yolo County residents that help families achieve stability and self-sufficiency.

The Yolo County Housing Authority (YCH) was established in 1950 and has provided 75 years of dedicated service in “delivering safe, affordable housing and fostering community development for low-income families, seniors, people with disabilities, and migrant agricultural workers throughout Yolo County.”

According to the proclamation presented by Mayor Rich Lansburgh during the Tuesday, Oct 21 city council meeting, the YCH’s first public housing developments opened in 1951, the Yolano Village in Woodland with 60 units and El Rio Villa I in Winters with 30 units. In 1952, they established a 16-unit development in Esparto, and in 1953, Yolito established a 10-unit development. Later in 1961, the YCH added the Donnely Circle in Woodland and El Rio Villa II in Winters.

“During the 1980s YCH added Riverbend (63 affordable public housing units) in West Sacramento and El Rio Villas III (50 affordable public housing units) in Winters; with El Rio Villas IV (18 affordable units) completed in 1991; and through a land swap in 2001, acquired Las Casitas (76 affordable units) in West Sacramento, bringing the total number of public housing units to 431, currently serving approximately 920 residents throughout Yolo County,” the proclamation states.

In 1974, the YCH later implemented Section 8 programs following the Housing Act amendments, which turned into the Housing Choice Voucher program in the 1990s.

“YCH is currently authorized to administer 2,005 vouchers, serving approximately 3,000 participants throughout Yolo County, including 1,727 Housing Choice Vouchers, 87 Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) vouchers, 79 Mainstream vouchers, 26 Family Unification Program (FUP) vouchers, 19 Fair Share vouchers, and 67 Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHV), which provide assistance to very low-income individuals and families to enable them to afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private rental market,” according to the proclamation.

Additionally, the YCH operates three migrant centers that provide seasonal housing for agricultural workers and their families. The Dixon Migrant Center was built in 1940 and expanded in 1997; the Madison Migrant Center, built in 1993 with U.S. Rural Development funding and managed in partnership with the State of California’s Office of Migrant Services; and the Davis Migrant Center, with 232 units of seasonal housing to about 831 people.

In 1999, the YCH established the New Hope Community Development Corporation (New Hope CDC), a nonprofit that focused on expanding community development initiatives and increasing access to affordable housing resources. In 2002, New Hope CDC established Cottonwood Meadows, a 47-unit community in Woodland.

“YCH and New Hope CDC provide ownership, operation, and management support for multiple affordable housing communities in Yolo County that collectively serve approximately 450 individuals, including Crosswood Apartments, Helen Thomson A Home, West Beamer Place, IGT House, Rochdale Grange in Woodland; Eleanor Roosevelt, Cesar Chavez Plaza, Pine Tree Garden East and West, Davis Agricultural Homes in Davis, and 1801 West Capitol, Helen Thomson B Home, Merkley Apartments in West Sacramento,” according to the proclamation.

“YCH continues to serve as a vital resource for Yolo County residents, providing not only housing assistance but also supportive services that help families achieve stability and self-sufficiency.”

Ian Evans, YCH executive director, alongside Anisa Vallejo, housing program manager, and Jim Gillette, financial director, accepted the proclamation.

“Housing is foundational. It’s foundational to health, education, economic opportunity, and community well-being. We currently have over 500 vouchers leased up in Woodland today, with an average per-unit cost of $1,100 per voucher,” Evans said. “Most importantly, we’re ensuring those 500 families that are receiving vouchers have a household with a roof over their head. But we’re also supporting Woodland landlords to the tune of $550,000 monthly, so we’re investing funding right here in Yolo County.”

Evans shares that they currently have 132 public housing units in Woodland at the Yolano Donelly property and also operate and support another 225 units, managing more than 850 households.

“We’re excited for the Freeman Gardens Project to open next year, for which all 12 units were awarded project-based vouchers from Yolo County Housing,” Evans said. “We’re incredibly excited about our Choice Neighborhood project focusing on the Yolano Donnelly neighborhood, including the first phase housing project in the area, which we’re grateful to the city for their support, both in terms of staff time and expertise and financial commitment.”

“Without our staff, none of what we would do would be possible. They’ve helped us succeed these past 75 years and will ensure our success for the next 75 years. So on behalf of Yolo County Housing and our whole team, thank you again to the city council and the city for this resolution, for your support, and for your collaboration,” Evans adds.

Lansburgh recognized the efforts the YCH has made over the past 75 years.

“It really gives me a lot of pleasure to recognize the Housing Authority, which has now provided 75 years of dedicated service, delivering safe, affordable housing, fostering community development for low-income families, seniors, people with disabilities, and migrant agricultural workers throughout Yolo County,” he said.

“Throughout the years, the Housing Authority has grown to where it now has a total of 431 public housing units serving about 920 residents throughout Yolo County. But the housing authority does not stop there. In addition to what they do with public housing, they also administer Section eight programs, started in 1974, this is evolved into the housing choice voucher program in the 1990s,” he said. “Currently, Yolo County has authorized 2005 vouchers. It seems like a lot, but we need another couple of 1,000 just to get people out of substandard housing, or into reasonable housing.”

“The 2005 vouchers that we have in Yolo County serve about 3000 residents. This includes 87 vouchers for veterans, 79 vouchers for mainstream, 26 founder of unification. 19 fair share, and 67 emergency. So you see that the Housing Authority is quite busy providing assistance to a lot of different folks and helping families afford a decent, safe, sanitary housing in the private rental market.”

“I’m very proud to have also served on the Yolo Housing Authority Board for seven years and it’s been a great seven years, seeing the progress that’s been made,” he added. “I’m very happy with the work that the housing authority does here in Woodland is such a vital resource for our residents.”