Housing Trust Fund Ventura County (Housing Trust Fund VC) donated a Lending Library bearing a message of inspiration, “Today a reader, tomorrow a leader,” to Mesa at a special ceremony on October 31st. The Ojai Valley Library Friends & Foundation (OVLFF) were a collaborating partner providing an assortment of books. The ceremony included remarks from Dan Parziale, Executive Director of Mesa; Linda Braunschweiger, Chief Executive Officer, Housing Trust Fund VC and Kris Humphries, OVLFF Board member. Visitors were also given a tour of the property where residents have built a community together. The Lending Library was installed at the entrance to Mesa to be accessible to the community and is now part of OVLFF’s network of Little Free Libraries, which aims to increase access to books and promote literacy across the Ojai Valley. This is the second Lending Library that Housing Trust Fund VC has shared with a community it has funded, believing that literacy as a vital part of building brighter futures for residents.

"At Housing Trust Fund VC, our support extends beyond funding, we’re deeply invested in fostering communities that nurture growth and resilience,” said Linda Braunschweiger, Chief Executive Officer of Housing Trust Fund Ventura County, “We’re honored to partner with Mesa to help create a space where young people can find stability, support, and the resources to build a brighter future."
 
The first Lending Library was donated in the summer of 2024 to the Central Terrace development in Oxnard. As of October 2024, Housing Trust Fund VC has committed to investing $40 million through its Revolving Loan Fund, creating 1,669 affordable apartments and homes for very-low, low- and middle-income employees, transitional age youth, veterans, farm workers, and the homeless. Housing Trust Fund VC provided Mesa with a $2,506,749 acquisition loan and a $499,500 bridge construction loan to bring this development to life for local Transitional Age Youth (TAY).
 
“We purchased this property just two and a half years ago with the help of Housing Trust Fund VC. In a few short, but very busy years, we have transformed a citrus orchard into a fully built out property with 10 tiny homes and a main farmhouse that includes two additional private bedrooms, space for a live-in House Manager, and staff offices to provide additional supportive services. Beyond the physical structures, we are also building a community of young adults creating their own sense of home,” says Mesa founder Dan Parziale. “This first group of participants and our community of partners are integral to shaping what Mesa is and who we will become.”
 
Mesa is a nonprofit providing housing and services to transitional-age youth facing homelessness by fostering a community-centered environment where its residents can advance personally and professionally through a program tailored to their individual needs. Mesa focuses on employment, housing, education, community connections, nutrition, mental health, and healthcare. Residents are encouraged to build a culture of wellness with access to safe housing and unique amenities like a community building, health programs, and vocational training.

 [lc1]very factual … needs warm fuzzy… incorporate quote from placard on library.