REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) & REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ)
Please click here to see the City’s current list of RFP’s and RFQ’s
October 2018, 2nd update
VENTURA COUNTY EMPLOYMENT REPORT – SEPTEMBER 2018
The California Labor Market Information Division released its September 2018 report earlier today, showing an improvement in the Ventura County unemployment rate, from 3.9% in August to 3.7% in September, driven by the addition of 5,400 jobs in Farm and 1,900 jobs in education. On the downside, looking at all other Non-farm private sectors, Ventura County lost 2,200 jobs in September.
Ventura County’s current unemployment rate, at 3.7%, places in the middle of the pack among California’s 58 counties, at 27th, down five slots from a month ago, at 22nd. While extraordinarily low, the County lags just behind the U.S. as a whole, at 3.6% unadjusted, and just ahead of California, at 3.9%.
October 2018
VENTURA COUNTY EMPLOYMENT REPORT – AUGUST 2018
The California Labor Market report revealed that Ventura County’s August 2018 unemployment rate of 3.9% was unchanged from a revised 3.9% in July of 2018.
A total of 3,600 non-farm jobs were gained in August of 2018; however, 200 jobs were added, for a net gain of 3,400 jobs. The loss in jobs includes 100 in trade, transportation and utilities and 100 in services. The gain in jobs includes 900 in government, 900 in educational and health services, 700 in professional and business services, 400 in construction, 300 in leisure and hospitality, 200 in manufacturing, and 200 in financial services.
August 2018
VENTURA COUNTY EMPLOYMENT REPORT – JULY 2018
The unemployment rate in Ventura County was 3.9 percent in July 2018, down from a revised 4.0 percent in June 2018, and below the year-ago estimate of 4.8 percent. This compares with an unadjusted unemployment rate of 4.4 percent for California and 4.1 percent for the nation during the same period.
July 2018
2018 HERITAGE SQUARE SUMMER CONCERT SERIES
The Community & Economic Development Department is proud to announce the City’s 26th annual Heritage Square Summer Concert Series 2018!
The concert series will run from June 15 through September 14, 2018. Music lovers can enjoy 12 family-friendly performances every Friday from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at 715 S. A St. Each night will feature a live performance by a band representing a genre ranging from old school to classic rock to Latin jazz to rhythm and blues and more. The schedule and lineup are listed below:
June 15 – The Blue Breeze Band
June 22 – Decadent Decades
June 29 – Shari Puorto Band
July 6 – The Impulse Band
July 13 – Aquarius Band
July 20 – Caliente 805 Band
August 3 – Juano & Friends Band
August 10 – Ignition Band
August 17 – Rick Whitfield Band
August 24 – Brandon Ragan Project
August 31 – Road Brothers
September 14 – Sound Effect
For additional questions, please contact Sal Fuentes at (805) 483-7960
July 24, 2018
VENTURA COUNTY EMPLOYMENT REPORT – JUNE 2018
With the release of the latest jobs numbers from the California Labor Market Information Division, it was reported that the unemployment rate in the Ventura County was 4.0 percent in June 2018, up from a revised 3.2 percent in May 2018, and below the year-ago estimate of 4.4 percent. This compares with an unadjusted unemployment rate of 4.5 percent for California and 4.2 percent for the nation during the same period.
While our unemployment number jumped up to 4.0 percent, from 3.1 percent in May, Ventura County is still outpacing both the state and the nation as a whole. Our current unemployment rate of 4.0% places us at 18th among California’s 58 counties, down from 14th a month ago.
For an interactive view of May’s employment numbers, please click here
June 18, 2018
VENTURA COUNTY EMPLOYMENT REPORT – MAY 2018
Things continue to look well with the employment picture in Ventura County during the month of May, outpacing both the state of California and the nation. The unemployment rate in Ventura County was 3.1 percent in May 2018, down from a revised 3.3 percent in April 2018, and below the year-ago estimate of 3.9 percent. This compares with an unadjusted unemployment rate of 3.7 percent for California and 3.6 percent for the nation during the same period.
With May’s reported unemployment numbers, Ventura County has now set all-time lows in unemployment three months in a row.
For an interactive view of May’s employment numbers, please click here
* data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics
June 13, 2018
NEW GIS MAP OF OXNARD OPPORTUNITY ZONES
For a detailed look at Opportunity Zones in Oxnard, please click here for an interactive map:
Interactive GIS Map of Oxnard Opportunity Zones
May 14, 2018
OXNARD DESIGNATED AS AN OPPORTUNITY ZONE
The federal tax bill passed at the end of December 2017 allows the Governor to designate census tracts as Opportunity Zones.
Investments made by individuals through special funds in these zones would be allowed to defer or eliminate federal taxes on capital gains. The Governor can designate up to 25 percent of census tracts that either have poverty rates of at least 20 percent or median family incomes of no more than 80 percent of statewide or metropolitan area family income. There are 3,516 census tracts in 54 California counties that would qualify under one or both of the mandatory criteria, allowing the Governor to designate up to 879 tracts. As census tracts are designed to capture geographic areas of around 4,000 people, more than 3 million Californians would potentially be located in one of these areas.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury has certified California’s nominated eligible census tracts and has designated all 879 nominated tracts as Qualified Opportunity Zones under Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 1400Z-1(b)(1)(B).
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR OXNARD?
The program is intended to attract long-term investments to disadvantaged areas, as measured by poverty and median income.
U.S. investors currently hold trillions of dollars in unrealized capital gains in stocks and mutual funds alone— a significant untapped resource for economic development. Opportunity Funds provide investors the chance to put that money to work rebuilding the nation’s left-behind communities. The fund model will enable a broad array of investors to pool their resources in Opportunity Zones, increasing the scale of investments going to underserved areas, including areas within Oxnard.
Oxnard designated census tracts:
• Rose Park, located within the boundaries of 101 Freeway (North); Oxnard City Limit (East); Fifth St. (South); Rose Ave. (West); Camino Del Sol (North); Graves Ave. (West); E. Gonzales Rd. (South); N. Rose Ave. (East).
• Colonia, located within the boundaries of Juanita Ave. (East); E. Third St. (South); S. Oxnard Blvd. (West); E. Colonia Rd. (North).
• 5 Points Northeast Census Tract, located within the boundaries of Rose Ave. (East); Oxnard Blvd. (West and South); Colonia Rd. (North); Juanita Ave. (East); W. Third St. (South).
Want to know more? For a link to frequently asked questions on Opportunity Zones, please click here
VENTURA COUNTY EMPLOYMENT REPORT – APRIL 2018
The unemployment rate in Ventura County was 3.2 percent in April 2018, down from a revised 3.6 percent in March 2018, and below the year-ago estimate of 4.2 percent. This compares with an unadjusted unemployment rate of 3.8 percent for California and 3.7 percent for the nation during the same period.
This latest report signals that the Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura Metropolitan Statistical Area’s job market is improving. With our unemployment rate at 3.2 percent, Ventura County ranks 14th place among California’s 58 counties.
On the state level, California’s unemployment rate fell to 4.2 percent in April – a new record low in a series dating back to the beginning of 1976 – and the state’s employers added 39,300 nonfarm payroll jobs, according to data released today by the California Employment Development Department (EDD) from two surveys. California has also now gained a total of 2,908,100 jobs since the economic expansion began in February 2010.
* data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics
VENTURA COUNTY EMPLOYMENT REPORT – MARCH 2018
The California Labor Market report revealed that Ventura County’s March 2018 unemployment rate of 3.6 % was down from a revised 4.0% in January 2018. The 3.6% unemployment was the lowest since 2000.
A total of 1,200 non-farm jobs were added in March 2018, however; 100 jobs were lost, for a net gain of 1,100 jobs.
The loss in jobs includes 100 in construction. The gain in jobs includes 300 in professional and business services, 200 in leisure and hospitality, 200 in financial services, 200 in trade, transportation and utilities, 100 in manufacturing, 100 in educational and health services, and 100 in government.
* data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics
ACCOMPLISHMENTS – FY 2016-2017
Economic Development
• Oversaw the development of the Economic Development Business Strategic Priority Plan and presented
the Plan for City Council’s approval.
• Created a Request for Proposal seeking assistance from economic development companies to assist with
the development of an economic development plan to address issues specific to the Oxnard economy.
• Agreement in place between City and RiverPark developer to begin construction on or before December
31, 2018 of a high quality, select service hotel. The developer also agreed to develop a second hotel
consisting of approximately 100-150 rooms by December 31, 2024.
• In conjunction with the Sixth Amendment to the RiverPark Owner Participation Agreement, the
Developer provided City with $20,000 to be used towards a feasibility study for a trolley service, or to
support a Downtown Arts program.
• Commenced developing a webpage to include a list of commercial, industrial, and retail vacancies
citywide to aid companies searching for new locations within the city.
• Working with the Economic Development Collaborative of Ventura County (EDC-VC) and the Chamber
of Commerce to promote existing mentoring/consulting programs for small businesses.
• Met with Aldi Grocery store to support their desire to bring the grocery chain to the City of Oxnard.
• Economic Development Director is working with Governor’s office on the “GoBiz” program in recruiting
manufacturing industries to Oxnard.
Downtown Revitalization
• In January 2016, a meeting lead by the Congress for the New Urbanism (“CNU”), and coordinated by
Staff, to help craft a vision for Downtown.
• May 2016 oversaw the development of CNU’s Downtown Vision Plan as a blueprint for revitalizing
Downtown Oxnard.
• In July 2016, hosted a Downtown Vision Plan Community Meeting.
• Downtown Capital Improvement Projects (“CIP”) Survey was presented and opened to the public.
• Staff presented the CNU Downtown Vision Plan (“Plan”) for City Council Consideration. The Plan was
approved by the City Council in October 2016.
• City Council approved of the Three-Year Implementation Plan for the Downtown Vision Plan in
December 2016. The Three-Year Implementation Plan provides direction on revitalization activities and
priorities.
• On January 31, 2017, City Council received a report on Downtown Capital Improvement Projects which
laid out an implementation strategy for the programming of $6.15 million dollars in Settlement Funds to
benefit the downtown.
Redevelopment Dissolution
• Received approval from the State Department of Finance for the transfer of 38 government-use
properties, from the Successor Agency to the City. All parcels were successful transferred including the
Historic Church and the visitor’s center at Heritage Square.
• Real estate proposals were sent out for the disposition of two Successor Agency-owned properties at 720
South B Street and 740 South B Street in the historic Heritage Square. The City Council approved the
proposals.
• Created a current list of City and Successor Agency assets available for disposition or for disposition and
development.
• Approximately 13.06 acres of Successor Agency owned land in Ormond Beach was sold to the Nature
Conservancy.
Heritage Square
• Successfully hosted the City’s 24th Annual Summer Concert Series generating on average 400 attendees
per concert.
• Booked over 100 events at the Square, including concerts, weddings, receptions and other events.
• Showcased the Square to several media outlet to gain exposure to the Square’s unique venue potential.
• Celebrated the Squares 25 Year history with the Docent program.
• Began the preparations for the Summer Concerts 25th year at the Square.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
• Resolution CDC R-155 Adopting a 3rd Amended Enforceable Obligation Payment Schedule 1-31-2012
• CDC Resolution No. 152 and Preliminary Draft of Recognized Obligation Payment Schedule 9-27-11
• City of Oxnard Community Development Commission’s Adopted Enforceable Obligation Payment Schedule