Camarillo adopts revised homelessness strategic plan with 5–0 vote

The Camarillo City Council voted unanimously Jan. 28 to adopt a revised Homelessness Strategic Plan that sets a phased framework for reducing homelessness and ties program rollout to available funding.

Colleen Murphy of Lazar Development Consultants told the council the plan remains phase-based: Phase 1 will create conditions for success (seeking external funding, reducing barriers to housing development, and expanding staff capacity), and Phase 2 will focus on implementation over the next three years with a mix of permanent affordable and supportive units, interim motel-based shelter and supports for residents living in vehicles. "This core outcome seeks to secure a two-thirds reduction in Camarillo residents experiencing homelessness by year 5," Murphy said.

The plan’s revisions, Murphy said, emphasize alignment with the city’s general plan and housing element, prioritize external state, federal and regional funding sources, and add explicit conditional language requiring grant funding and feasibility assessments before launching programs. The update also augments trauma-informed care language and calls for transparency tools such as dashboards and regular council updates.

Councilmembers praised the revisions as responsive to prior feedback and supportive of careful implementation. Councilmember Tremblay moved to adopt the plan; another councilmember seconded the motion. "The revisions are excellent," Tremblay said during discussion. The motion passed 5–0.

Council requested two administrative changes prior to finalization: updating the listed name of the Autism Society to the Autism Society of Ventura County and removing the word "aspirational" from the cover page; staff agreed these edits would be made. Councilmembers also emphasized the plan’s funding contingency language and asked for periodic progress updates to show what is and is not working.

Votes at a glance: the consent calendar (items D–P) passed earlier in the meeting by a 5–0 vote; the homelessness strategic plan was adopted 5–0.

Next steps: staff will incorporate the requested edits, proceed with implementation planning that is contingent on funding availability, and return periodic updates to the council as the city pursues external grants and other resources.