header image

[Sign Up Now] to Receive Our FREE Daily SCVTV-SCVNews Digest by E-Mail

Inside
Weather


 
Calendar
Today in
S.C.V. History
June 23
1946, 11:20pm: William S. Hart, 81, dies at L.A.'s California Lutheran Hospital, leaving his Newhall estate and his (now West) Hollywood home to the public [story]
Hart dies


The Habitat for Humanity people will have to dig some holes in the ground first – but at a discounted cost of less than $5,000, that’s not a big deal when you’re talking about building 87 affordable homes for returning military veterans and their families.

The Santa Clarita Planning Commission voted unanimously Tuesday to approve the SCV Habitat for Heroes project, a community of 11 one-story houses and 76 duplex units to be built on Center Pointe Parkway next to Bowman High School.

The broadly supported development project will go to the City Council for final approval. But first, the  soil will be tested because the property abuts the Whittaker-Bermite site, where munitions were manufactured there from the 1930s to the 1980s – leaving contaminants behind in some areas.

Commissioner Chuck Heffernan called for the soils test after Lynne Plambeck and Cam Noltemeyer of SCOPE (Santa Clarita Organization for Planning and the Environment) noted that the only environmental work done on the property was a review of paperwork.

The review, called a Phase-1 environmental study, showed there was no history of contamination on the Habitat property. Had the Phase-1 study showed any possibility of contamination, a Phase-2 study – actual digging and testing – would have been done.

B.J. Atkins, the environmental scientist who performed the Phase-1 study (and coincidentally, a fellow Newhall County Water Board member with Plambeck) said six, 3-foot-deep holes could be dug and the soils tested for less than $5,000 – even though he didn’t think it necessary. (Market rate would be $15,000 to $25,000, he later explained, but it’s for charity.)

“Ten years from now when somebody asks the question,” said Commissioner Tim Burkhart, “it’ll be the best $5,000 ever spent.”

Atkins said he’d complete the work before the project goes to the City Council. In the unlikely event any contaminants showed up, they would be properly removed.

More than a year in the making, the SCV Habitat for Heroes project is one of two veterans housing projects being pursued simultaneously by Habitat for Humanity of SFV/SCV. A second project in Sylmar has already been green-lighted by the city of Los Angeles, Habitat CEO Donna Deutschman said.

Deutschman’s group, which has been building affordable homes – not just for veterans – since 1990, recently completed a 61-unit housing project in Pacoima.

Carl Goldman of KHTS radio, who organized a large advisory group for the Santa Clarita project, recently visited the Pacoima development.

Noting that it’s a gated community in the middle of “one of the roughest, toughest barrios,” Goldman likened it to “Dorothy leaving Kansas and entering Oz.”

“It’s become the neighborhood village (like) we used to see in America 100 years ago,” Goldman said.

More than just housing, Deutchman described an “enriched neighborhood environment” with an array of services brought together by Habitat for Humanity – educational, health and social services that are designed to help the ex-military residents attain self-sufficiency.

Thirty percent of young veterans are unemployed and 25 percent of unemployed Americans are vets, she said.

Numbering more than 10,000 today, Santa Clarita has “an inordinate amount of veterans,” Deutschman said, making it a sensible place for a veterans housing project.

And more are on the way. J.D. Kennedy, commander of American Legion Post 507, noted that 700-plus active vets are returning from tours in the Middle East.

“Our servicemen and -women deserve the best welcome home possible,” he said.

Many of them will need “self-sufficiency skills,” Deutschman said. “Many have not gotten a college degree, (and) many have young families.”

Even if the housing project hasn’t yet received its final approval, eight veterans have already been pre-approved to move in, Deutschman said.

To qualify, she said, a veteran must have been honorably discharged, have reasonably good credit, a household income between $45,000 and $83,000, and they can’t show up on the Megan’s Law list of sex offenders.

And when they sign on the dotted line, they agree to put in 500 hours’ worth of sweat equity and take the enrichment classes.

Comment On This Story
COMMENT POLICY: We welcome comments from individuals and businesses. All comments are moderated. Comments are subject to rejection if they are vulgar, combative, or in poor taste.
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.

0 Comments

You can be the first one to leave a comment.

Leave a Comment


SCV NewsBreak
LOCAL NEWS HEADLINES
Friday, Jun 20, 2025
June 28: Amateur Ham Radio National Field Day at Acton Park
Amateur Ham Radio National Field Day will be held Saturday, June 28, at Acton Park, noon to 9 p.m.
Thursday, Jun 19, 2025
Pioneer Oil Refinery Park Opens to the Public in Newhall
The Pioneer Oil Refinery off of Pine Street in Newhall was built in 1877 by California Star Oil works, forming the foundation for the West Coast oil industry. Benzene and kerosene were the main products made in the refinery and were later sold locally in Ventura and Santa Barbara.
Thursday, Jun 19, 2025
Santa Clarita Hiring for Positions at Hart Park
Love the outdoors? Passionate about community programs? The city of Santa Clarita is hiring part-time Recreation Leaders to help bring events, camps and nature programs to life at William S. Hart Park.
Keep Up With Our Facebook

Latest Additions to SCVNews.com
1946, 11:20pm: William S. Hart, 81, dies at L.A.'s California Lutheran Hospital, leaving his Newhall estate and his (now West) Hollywood home to the public [story]
Hart dies
1972 - Vasquez Rocks added to National Register of Historic Places [list]
Vasquez Rocks
The Agua Dulce Women's Club Community Blood Drive will be held Wednesday, June 25, 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. at 33201 Agua Dulce Canyon Road, Agua Dulce, CA 91390.
June 25: Agua Dulce Women’s Club Community Blood Drive
The regular meeting of the Saugus Union School District Governing Board of Trustees will be held Tuesday, June 24 beginning at 6:40 p.m. The board will first meet in closed session at 5:30 p.m.
June 24: Saugus Union School District Board Regular Meeting
1941 - Ernie Hickson buys out Trem Carr's interest in their Monogram movie ranch, renames it "Placeritos" (later called Melody) [story]
Ernie Hickson
The Santa Clarita Community College District Board of Trustees will hold a meeting Wednesday, June 25, beginning with a closed session at 2:30 p.m. The open session begins at 5 p.m.
June 25: COC Board to Conduct Self-Evaluation Retreat
The Santa Clarita Valley Food Pantry, the longest-running and largest food assistance organization in the SCV, has been selected by Albertsons Companies to receive a $30,000 makeover grant.
SCV Food Pantry to Receive $30K ‘Makeover’ from Albertsons
The Samuel Dixon Family Health Center invites the community to the Third Annual Cornhole Tournament on Saturday, June 21 at 11 a.m. at Lucky Luke Brewing Company.
June 21: Sam Dixon Cornhole Tournament at Lucky Luke Brewing
Calling all Los Angeles County artists and performers. If you're part of a dance, music, vocal, musical theater or circus group, you are encouraged to apply to be part of the 66th Annual L.A. County Holiday Celebration.
Performers Sought for Annual L.A. County Holiday Celebration
The Castaic Union School District Governing Board will hold its regular meeting Thursday, June 26 at 6 p.m. The board will first meet in closed session at 5 p.m.
June 26: CUSD Board of Trustees Regular Meeting
Amateur Ham Radio National Field Day will be held Saturday, June 28, at Acton Park, noon to 9 p.m.
June 28: Amateur Ham Radio National Field Day at Acton Park
For one weekend only, Matchbox Theatre Co. is bringing its inaugural production of Johnna Adams’ "World Builders" to The MAIN.
June 27-29: Matchbox Theatre to Present ‘World Builders’ at The MAIN
Vasquez Rocks Natural Area will host its "Pride Outside," event 4-7 p.m. Sunday, June 29.
June 29: Pride Outside at Vasquez Rocks
Caltrans has announced overnight lane reductions are scheduled on northbound and southbound Interstate 5 (I-5) south of Templin Highway starting Monday, June 23 for pavement rehabilitation.
June 23-27: Castaic Area I-5 Lane Closures
2002 - "Legacy: Santa Clarita's Living History" series debuts on SCVTV with "Placerita Gold" episode [watch]
Legacy
The Pioneer Oil Refinery off of Pine Street in Newhall was built in 1877 by California Star Oil works, forming the foundation for the West Coast oil industry. Benzene and kerosene were the main products made in the refinery and were later sold locally in Ventura and Santa Barbara.
Pioneer Oil Refinery Park Opens to the Public in Newhall
Old Town Newhall will host a "Sip into Summer" Bar Crawl, 8 p.m. Saturday, June 21 on Main Street.
June 21: Sip into Summer Bar Crawl On Main Street
I wanted to share a quick legislative update from Sacramento. We recently reached the deadline to send bills from the Senate to the Assembly in order to continue moving them through the legislative process this session.
Suzette Martinez Valladares | Report from the State Senate
The city of Santa Clarita is seeking Youth Basketball Coaches for the 2025 summer season.
Santa Clarita Volunteer Youth Basketball Coaches Needed
Love the outdoors? Passionate about community programs? The city of Santa Clarita is hiring part-time Recreation Leaders to help bring events, camps and nature programs to life at William S. Hart Park.
Santa Clarita Hiring for Positions at Hart Park
Harley-Davidson Santa Clarita will host a performance suspension workshop, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, June 28 with a Q and A with experts from OHLINS Factory.
June 28: Harley-Davidson Santa Clarita Suspension Workshop
California Institute of the Arts was recently named in The Hollywood Reporter’s inaugural Top Animation Schools list for 2025.
CalArts Named One of ‘The Hollywood Reporter’s’ Top Animation Schools for 2025
ARTree Community Arts Center in collaboration with Santa Clarita Public Library are seeking teen volunteers to help create a bottle cap mural.
ARTree, Santa Clarita Library Seeks Volunteers for Bottle Cap Mural
SCVNews.com