City council appoints two to Paso Robles Housing Authority

Posted: 3:58 pm, March 20, 2015 by Reporter Heather Young

This is a recently completed project by the Paso Robles Housing Authority in Oak Park.

Beatriz Espinoza, Wes Willhoit to serve four-year terms

The Paso Robles City Council appointed Beatriz Espinoza and Wes Willhoit to serve four-year terms on the Paso Robles Housing Authority in early March. The Housing Authority’s mission statement is “provide quality, affordable housing that promotes quality of life through a healthy community.”

Executive Director Dave Cooke said the nonprofit currently operates on 25 acres in Oak Park in north Paso Robles. The current project is replacing old apartments that were originally built as military housing for those stationed at Camp Roberts.

“Recently we’ve untaken tearing down the old apartment buildings and putting up new ones,” Cooke said, adding that those are primarily designated for farm workers and their families. He said that affordable housing is targeted to those whose household income is 60 percent of the median based on family size. Some projects are for those at 30 percent of the median income.

According to the county, those at 30 percent of the median are considered extremely low-income and a family of four would have an annual income of $22,600 or less; for a family of two, the max income is $18,100. The county does not give numbers for 60 percent, but those at 50 percent of the county median are considered lower income and a family of four cannot earn more than $60,300 per year; for a family of two, the max income is $48,250.

The county’s median incomes:

Family of 1: $53,900
Family of 2: $61,600
Family of 3: $69,300
Family of 4: $77,000
Family of 5: $83,150
Family of 6: $89,300
Family of 7: $95,500
Family of 8: $101,650

In addition to providing affordable housing, the Housing Authority also has a Youth Works program and ACORN after-school programs. “[We do] more than just housing,” Cooke said.

Beatriz Espinoza

Espinoza has lived in Paso Robles since the late 1980s, attending Flamson Middle School and Paso Robles High School. Her husband is also a graduate of Paso Robles High School and they have three sons who attend local schools. Espinoza was led to the housing authority through her job as a real estate agent for Berkshire Hathaway Homeservices Hallmark Realty and as a member of the Hispanic Business Association.

She applied for the seat on the housing authority a year ago when one opened up. Because the seat she was appointed to was three years through its four-year term, she had to reapply for the position. “It’s very humbling to see so many people before me put this into motion and see it come true,” Espinoza said.

Wes Willhoit

Willhoit is senior vice president at Estrella Associates, where he has done project management, planning and scheduling, budgeting, contract negotiations, facility management and more. He served as president of the Home Builders Association of the Central Coast from January 2013 through December 2014, and has been on SLO Green Build Board of Directors since March 2011.

“I’m excited for the opportunity to serve on the Paso Robles Housing Authority and look forward to supporting the staff and other commissioners in the [commission’s] mission,” Willhoit said.

Board of Commissioners