City Commended for Policy Toward Laborers

Thousand Oaks has been recognized by the Ventura County Grand Jury for how it handles its day laborers after turning a city-owned greenbelt into a site where contractors and others can solicit workers.

The city “has done a commendable job in helping to solve the problem,” said the jury report, issued in response to a citizen’s complaint.

The greenbelt lured scores of itinerant workers away from a nearby intersection where they often blocked neighborhood traffic.

The grand jury recommends that the city put in a permanent toilet, study traffic to determine if parking restrictions are warranted and install signs designating the site as a place to find workers.