San Benito County new County Programs Housing Coordinator, Chris Valenzuela, 29, of Hollister, started on May 12 and will be creating and structuring affordable housing and obtaining federal state grant money for project funding.
Valenzuela received a bachelor’s degree from Menlo College in business management and an Associates of Applied Science degree at Heald College. He is a graduate of San Benito High School, he said.
Valenzuela said he works with business partners, regional agencies, the City of Hollister and nonprofit agencies for projects.
“The cool thing about it is it’s not just me. It’s teamwork,” Valenzuela said. “(It’s a ) collaboration of businesses and the community.”
Valenzuela said his first two weeks had been focused on learning the compliance in San Benito County and seeing which organizations with which he’ll be working. He is taking a look at the current landscape and how he can update the affordable housing standards, Valenzuela said.
“(There’s) always going to be obstacles,” Valenzuela said.
Valenzuela said the No. 1 obstacle is funding and figuring out how the department will get the funding for projects.
Valenzuela has seven years experience in mortgage banking. He said he has worked at Washington Mutual and Countrywide Bank as a county consultant.
“I have a lot of financial background,” Valenzuela said.
Valenzuela said he brings to the job the ability of problem solving and making affordable housing a reality.
