Loan for Theater Project Hits Snag
The city’s request for an $11-million loan to fund its downtown theater project could be rejected because officials didn’t meet federal public disclosure requirements, two project critics said Monday.
Former downtown development manager Peter Apanel and longtime local government critic and City Council candidate Martin Jones said Oxnard failed to prepare and publish their loan application for public review, an error that could jeopardize its approval.
Apanel has been in contact with federal Department of Housing and Urban Development officials Wayne Itoga and Salim Rahemtulla about the project, and said he is awaiting HUD’s written response.
“The signal I’m getting from [Rahemtulla] is that they realize I’m correct . . . but they still have to” hear Oxnard’s explanation, Apanel said.
HUD officials declined to comment on the status of Oxnard’s application.
City officials on Monday denied the loan request was in trouble.
“It wouldn’t make any sense to us if the loan was in any kind of trouble,” said Curtis Cannon of the Oxnard Housing Department.
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