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11/3/23: Oxnard Hosts Veterans Day Ceremony on Nov. 11, 2023

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 3, 2023

 

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View PDF: Oxnard Police Department Potential Scam Alert Flyer

The City of Oxnard has been notified by community members that a group not affiliated with the City has been distributing misleading information regarding Oxnard Water quality and asking for entry to a person’s home for water quality testing. 

The City is not conducting in-home water quality tests. We would like to remind the community to be aware of potential scams by people who may present themselves as acting on behalf of the City and asking for access to your home or personal information.

Oxnard Water is safe to drink, and our water meets or exceeds all of the exacting standards set by the State and Federal governments. You can read more about Oxnard’s water quality testing results in the latest Drinking Water Consumer Confidence Report, available here. 

If you have questions or concerns regarding water quality issues — such as taste, odor or appearance — please contact Richard Maria, Regulatory Compliance Coordinator at richard.maria@oxnard.org or (805) 200-5374.

The only third-party vendors working with the Oxnard Water Division are Badger Meters and its vendor, Professional Meters Inc. (PMI) to install new Water Meters, and AquaTech Services Inc. to provide backflow testing and repairs. The City’s vendors will not request entry into your home, nor will they be asking for any personal or account information. 

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PDF available here:

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 11, 2023

NEWS MEDIA CONTACT:
Katie Casey, Communications Manager

(805) 816-4330 | katie.casey@oxnard.org

Oxnard City Manager Alexander Nguyen Releases Statement on Del Sol High School Lacking Safety Requirements for Opening

OXNARD, Calif. – While the Oxnard Union High School District (School District) Board of Trustees and Superintendent claim the City of Oxnard is responsible for the potential delayed opening of Del Sol High School by refusing to provide access to water, the fact is it’s about much more than water.

The School District leadership has failed to meet its own construction deadlines and is now pressuring the City to approve plans that would not provide safe access to Del Sol High School via sidewalks, properly marked crosswalk intersections, working traffic signals and other street safety improvements, thus allowing the opening of the new school before the necessary safety improvements are completed.

The City has worked diligently with the School District, even amending the School District’s agreement for the development of key components of Del Sol High School when their construction schedule fell behind. We trusted the School District to at least meet the public safety conditions required in their agreement. Clearly, that was a mistake. 

The School District’s development of the new high school requires safe streets and sidewalks for students, teachers, and the surrounding public to use. The School District has not completed these requirements and instead the School District‘s leadership have been pressuring the City to sign off on the project prior to completion. 

I will not bend to political pressure and force our licensed city engineer to sign off on a project that is lacking critical safety elements.

Inserting a new high school into an existing neighborhood automatically increases pedestrian, bicycle and vehicle traffic. Until the necessary construction of sidewalks, crosswalks, intersections, traffic signals and other street improvements are completed, the project does not meet safety standards and should not be certified by the State. Simply put, Del Sol High School in its current construction is not yet safe for either students, teachers, staff or the general public.

While I am disappointed that the School District tried to unfairly blame its delays on other parties, our staff remains dedicated to working with them so that Del Sol High School will be built to the standards that were agreed upon by the School District (available here). The City looks forward to welcoming a safe, well-constructed Del Sol High School. 

California schools are inspected and certified by the Division of the State Architect (DSA), which provides design and construction oversight for K-12 schools. As of Aug. 11, 2023 at 10 a.m., the State website shows that Del Sol High School (project application number 119965) shows no inspection sign offs and no certifications.

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The City of Oxnard, The Nature Conservancy and the Coastal Conservancy invite you to learn more about the Ormond Beach Restoration and Public Access Project (OBRAP) on Monday, April 24, 2023, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Attend in-person:
📍South Oxnard Center, 200 E. Bard Rd, Oxnard, CA 93033

Attend virtually via Zoom:
🖥️ Zoom ID: 824 2253 9945
🔑 Passcode: 556153
📞 Phone-in: 888 475 4499

For questions or to request accommodations to participate in the meeting, please contact Anne Jensen at anne.jensen@oxnard.org by April 17.

 

Download flyer here: English | Spanish

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PDF Available here: English | Español

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 16, 2023

NEWS MEDIA CONTACT:
Katie Casey, Communications Manager
(805) 816-4330 | katie.casey@oxnard.org

OXNARD ANNOUNCES MAY 2023 PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER PROPOSED RATE ADJUSTMENTS FOR WATER SERVICES

OXNARD, Calif. – Regular reviews of utility rates are an industry-wide best practice and are typically conducted every 3-5 years. Since Oxnard’s Water Division has not raised rates since 2017, the City engaged an independent consultant to create a Water Rate Study (Water Cost of Service Study). 

Based upon the study’s findings, the City is considering proposed rate increases starting in 2023 to keep pace with the rising costs of providing safe, reliable water and to continue making investments in the City’s water infrastructure. The Oxnard City Council will conduct a Public Hearing on Tuesday, May 2, 2023, to consider proposed rates for water services.

The City Council will hear and consider oral testimony and written materials submitted regarding proposed rate increases at the Public Hearing in the Oxnard City Council Chambers, 305 W. Third Street. The City Council will consider protests and comments prior to adjusting or adopting the proposed rate increases.

In compliance with California Proposition 218, the City mailed an official Notice to inform Oxnard property owners and water customers that proposed rate increases are being considered at a Public Hearing on May 2 and of their right to participate and to protest rate increases. The public is encouraged to read the Notice that begins arriving in the mail as early as March 14, or access the digital copy and related information at www.Oxnardwater.org. The public can also request information via email at water.inquiry@oxnard.org or by calling (805) 385-8390. 

The rates that customers pay fund a complex water supply and delivery system, including:

  • Purchasing, treating and pumping of limited local and imported water sources
  • Maintaining more than 500 miles of water pipelines 
  • Maintaining and repairing critical infrastructure to ensure reliable water delivery
  • Replacing aging infrastructure 
  • Conducting weekly and monthly certified laboratory water quality testing 

(About 3,700 annual water samples are collected for about 300 different constituents)

  • Maintaining and reading nearly 43,000 water meters
  • Hiring and retaining highly skilled, qualified, and licensed staff to operate the water system 24/7

With expertise provided by an independent consultant, a Water Rate Study (Water Cost of Service) was conducted to assess the revenue increases needed to fund operation and maintenance costs, water purchase costs from two water wholesalers (Calleguas Municipal Water District and United Water Conservation District), capital project costs, and establish debt coverage ratios required by bondholders. 

Following three community meetings to seek public feedback, and staff presentations to the City Council, Public Works and Transportation Committee, and the Inter-Neighborhood Council Organization (INCO), rate recommendations were presented to the Oxnard City Council during a public rates workshop on Saturday, February 11, 2023.  

Sample Bill of Proposed Water Rates
Based on an average single family residence with a ¾” meter using 900 cubic feet of water per month, the increase for the first year of the proposed changes to the monthly fixed water meter rate and water usage charge totals $12.26 per month, or roughly 40 cents per day.

How to Protest Water Rate Increases
You have the right to protest the proposed rate increase. Each written protest must (1) state the name of the identified property owner or ratepayer; (2) provide the location of the identified property (by street address or assessor’s parcel number); (3) include an original signature of the submitting property owner or ratepayer.

Written protests may be submitted by mail or in person during the public hearing or prior to the conclusion of the public hearing on Tuesday, May 2, 2023 to: Oxnard City Clerk’s Office, 300 West Third Street, 4th Floor, Oxnard, CA 93030.

At the Public Hearing, the City Council will accept written protests and hear all oral comments on the proposed rate changes. Oral comments will not be counted as protests unless accompanied by a written protest. At the conclusion of the Public Hearing, the City Council will consider adoption of the proposed changes as follows:

(1) If the City receives less than a majority of validated protests from property owners or ratepayers, the City Council will consider adopting a new ordinance increasing water rates, effective July 1, 2023.

(2) If a majority of affected property owners or ratepayers file validated written protests against the increase before the conclusion of a required public hearing, the City is prohibited by law from increasing water rates.

Written protests must be received by the City Clerk prior to the conclusion of the Public Hearing on May 2, 2023. The Clerk will not accept or consider any protest received after the conclusion of the Hearing. Only one written protest per affected property will be counted. Telephone, e-mail, and fax protests will not be accepted. For more information about the process, refer to Oxnard Resolution No. 14,877 “Procedures for Establishing and Increasing Fees and Charges Under Proposition 218,” available at www.OxnardWater.org. 

Current water rates and the Water Rate Study (Water Cost of Service Study) are also available on the website. For City Council meeting information, go to http://www.oxnard.org/city-meetings/.

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PARA PUBLICACIÓN INMEDIATA: 16 de marzo de 2023

CONTACTO CON LOS MEDIOS:
Katie Casey, Gerente de Comunicaciones
(805) 816-4330 | katie.casey@oxnard.org

OXNARD ANUNCIA AUDIENCIA PÚBLICA EN MAYO DE 2023 PARA CONSIDERAR LOS AJUSTES DE TARIFAS PROPUESTAS PARA LOS SERVICIOS DE AGUA

OXNARD, Calif. – Las revisiones periódicas de las tarifas de los servicios públicos son una de las mejores prácticas de toda la industria y, por lo general, se realizan cada 3 a 5 años. Debido a que la División de Agua de Oxnard no ha aumentado las tarifas desde 2017, la ciudad contrató a un consultor independiente para crear un Estudio de tarifa de agua (Estudio de costo de servicio de agua).

Según los hallazgos del estudio, la ciudad está considerando una propuesta de aumento de las tarifas del agua en 2023 para mantenerse al día con los crecientes costos de proporcionar agua segura y confiable y para continuar realizando inversiones en la infraestructura de agua de la ciudad. El Concejo Municipal de Oxnard llevará a cabo una audiencia pública el martes 2 de mayo de 2023 para considerar las tarifas propuestas para los servicios de agua.

El Concejo Municipal escuchará y considerará el testimonio oral y los materiales escritos presentados con respecto a la propuesta de aumento de las tarifas del agua en la audiencia pública en las cámaras del Concejo Municipal de Oxnard, ubicado en 305 W. Third St. El Concejo Municipal considerará las protestas y los comentarios antes de ajustar o adoptar los aumentos de tarifas propuestos.

De conformidad con la Proposición 218 de California, la ciudad envió por correo un aviso oficial para informar a los propietarios y clientes de agua de Oxnard que la propuesta de aumento de las tarifas del agua se están considerando en una audiencia pública el 2 de mayo y de su derecho a participar y protestar por los aumentos de tarifas. Se alienta al público a leer el aviso que comienza a llegar por correo a partir del 14 de marzo, o acceder a la copia digital y la información relacionada en www.Oxnardwater.org. El público también puede solicitar información por correo electrónico a water.inquiry@oxnard.org o llamando al (805) 385-8390.

Las tarifas que pagan los clientes financian un complejo sistema de suministro y distribución de agua, que incluye:

  • Compra, tratamiento y bombeo de fuentes de agua locales e importadas limitadas
  • Mantenimiento de más de 500 millas de tuberías de agua 
  • Mantenimiento y reparación de infraestructura crítica para garantizar un suministro de agua confiable
  • Reemplazo de la infraestructura obsoleta
  • Realización de pruebas de calidad del agua de laboratorio certificadas semanales y mensuales. (Alrededor de 3,700 muestras de agua anuales se recolectan para alrededor de 300 componentes diferentes)
  • Mantenimiento y lectura de cerca de 43,000 contadores de agua
  • Contratar y retener personal altamente capacitado, calificado y con licencia para operar el sistema de agua las 24 horas del día, los 7 días de la semana.

Con la experiencia proporcionada por un consultor independiente, se realizó un estudio de costos de servicio/tarifas de agua para evaluar los aumentos de ingresos necesarios para financiar los costos de operación y mantenimiento, los costos de compra de agua de dos proveedores de agua (Calleguas Municipal Water District y United Water Conservation District), costos de proyectos de capital y establecer los índices de cobertura de deuda requeridos por los tenedores de bonos.

Luego de tres reuniones comunitarias para obtener comentarios públicos y presentaciones del personal ante el Concejo Municipal, el Comité de Transporte y Obras Públicas y la Organización del Concejo Intervecinal (INCO, por sus siglas en inglés), se presentaron recomendaciones de tarifas al Concejo Municipal de Oxnard durante un taller de tarifas públicas el sábado, 11 de febrero de 2023.

Ejemplo de factura de tarifas de agua propuestas
Basado en una residencia unifamiliar promedia con un medidor de ¾” que usa 900 pies cúbicos de agua por mes, el aumento para el primer año de los cambios propuestos a la tarifa fija mensual del medidor de agua y el cargo por uso de agua totaliza $12.26 por mes, o aproximadamente 40 centavos por día.

Cómo protestar por los aumentos en las tarifas de agua
Tiene derecho a protestar por el aumento de tarifa propuesto. Cada protesta por escrito debe (1) indicar el nombre del propietario de la propiedad o del contribuyente; (2) proporcionar la ubicación de la propiedad identificada (por dirección postal o número de parcela del tasador); (3) incluir una firma original del propietario de la propiedad o del contribuyente que presenta la solicitud.

Las protestas por escrito se pueden enviar por correo o entregar en persona durante la audiencia pública o antes de la conclusión de la audiencia pública el martes 2 de mayo de 2023 a: Oficina del secretario de la Ciudad de Oxnard, 300 W. Third St., 4th Floor, Oxnard, CA 93030.

En la audiencia pública, el Concejo Municipal aceptará protestas por escrito y escuchará todos los comentarios orales sobre los cambios propuestos en las tarifas. Los comentarios orales no se contarán como protestas a menos que vayan acompañados de una protesta por escrito. Al concluir la audiencia pública, el Concejo Municipal considerará la adopción de los cambios propuestos de la siguiente manera:

(1) Si la ciudad recibe menos de la mayoría de las protestas validadas de los propietarios o los contribuyentes, el Concejo Municipal considerará adoptar una nueva ordenanza que aumente las tarifas de agua, a partir del 1 de julio de 2023.

(2) Si la mayoría de los propietarios o contribuyentes afectados presentan protestas por escrito validadas contra el aumento antes de la conclusión de una audiencia pública requerida, la ciudad tiene prohibido por ley aumentar las tarifas de agua.

La secretaria municipal debe recibir las protestas por escrito antes de la conclusión de la audiencia pública el 2 de mayo de 2023. La secretaria no aceptará ni considerará ninguna protesta recibida después de la conclusión de la audiencia. Solo se contará una protesta por escrito por una propiedad afectada. No se aceptarán protestas por teléfono, correo electrónico y fax. Para obtener más información sobre el proceso, consulte la Resolución de Oxnard No. 14,877 “Procedimientos para establecer y aumentar las tarifas y cargos bajo la Proposición 218”, disponible en www.OxnardWater.org. 

Las tarifas actuales de agua y el estudio de Costo del Servicio también están disponibles en el sitio web. Para obtener información sobre la reunión del Concejo Municipal, vaya a http://www.oxnard.org/city-meetings/.

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PDF Available here: English | Spanish

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 12, 2023

NEWS MEDIA CONTACT: 

Katie Casey, Communications Manager

(805) 816-4330 | katie.casey@oxnard.org

Oxnard’s Chief Financial Officer Retires from Public Service;
Former City of Phoenix CFO Denise Olson Named Interim

OXNARD, Calif. – City Manager Alexander Nguyen announced today that Oxnard’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Betsy George announced her retirement from the public sector, effective Jan. 19.

Former City of Phoenix CFO Denise Olson has been appointed by Nguyen to serve as Oxnard’s Interim CFO until a permanent replacement is found.

“We thank Betsy for her public service and the great work that she, and the Finance team, have done to strengthen Oxnard’s financial standing,” said Nguyen. “We’re also grateful to have Denise join our City in the interim. I’m confident that her leadership managing the finances for the fifth largest city in the nation will be an asset to Oxnard.”

George joined the City in June 2021 as an Assistant CFO, having previously served as CFO for the Ventura County Human Services Agency (VCHSA) and as Assistant Superintendent, Business Services, and Director of Budget and Finance for the Ventura Unified School District. George was appointed Oxnard’s CFO in August 2021.

During her time leading the Finance Department, George continued to address the final audit findings, which have decreased from 186 accumulated since 2014 to three. Additionally, the City has steadily improved its Standard and Poor’s Global Ratings (S&P), receiving five credit rating upgrades in just the past year. George also oversaw the implementation of the department’s Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Core Financials System, which modernized the City’s financial software.  

As she departs from a career in public service, George highlights the strength and dedication of the City’s Finance team and the incredible progress they have made in improving Oxnard’s finances and modernizing the City’s financial technology. 

“Oxnard is a great City and I am thankful to have had the opportunity to serve the community and participate towards achieving Council priorities,” said George.

Interim CFO Olson served as the City of Phoenix’s CFO from 2015 to 2021, leading a department of 215 employees with a $20 million budget and managing $2.3 billion in cash, tax collection, risk, and debt management. Her leadership helped maintain Phoenix’s AAA bond rating while issuing more than $10 billion in bonds that supported funding critical infrastructure and restoration projects in one of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S.

The City will begin the process of recruiting for a new CFO.

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PARA PUBLICACIÓN INMEDIATA: 12 de enero de 2023

CONTACTO CON LOS MEDIOS: 

Katie Casey, Gerente de Comunicaciones

(805) 816-4330 | katie.casey@oxnard.org

La directora financiera de Oxnard se retira del servicio público; la directora financiera anterior de la ciudad de Phoenix, Denise Olson, nombrada directora interina

OXNARD, Calif. – El administrador de la ciudad, Alexander Nguyen, anunció hoy que la directora financiera (CFO, por sus siglas en inglés) de Oxnard, Betsy George, anunció su retiro del sector público a partir del 19 de enero.

Nguyen nombró a la directora financiera anterior de la ciudad de Phoenix, Denise Olson, para que se desempeñe como directora financiera interina de Oxnard hasta que se encuentre un reemplazo permanente.

“Agradecemos a Betsy por su servicio público y el gran trabajo que ella y el equipo de finanzas han realizado para fortalecer la posición financiera de Oxnard”, dijo Nguyen. “También estamos agradecidos de que Denise se una a nuestra ciudad en el ínterin. Confío en que su liderazgo en la gestión de las finanzas de la quinta ciudad más grande del país será una ventaja para Oxnard”.

George se unió a la ciudad en junio de 2021 como subdirectora financiera, y anteriormente se desempeñó como directora financiera de la Agencia de Servicios Humanos del Condado de Ventura (VCHSA, por sus siglas en inglés) y como subsuperintendente de servicios comerciales y directora de presupuesto y finanzas del distrito escolar unificado de Ventura. George fue nombrada directora financiera de Oxnard en agosto de 2021.

Durante su tiempo como líder del departamento de finanzas, George continuó abordando los hallazgos finales de la auditoría, que se redujeron de 186 acumulados desde 2014 a tres. Además, la ciudad ha mejorado constantemente sus calificaciones globales de Standard and Poor’s (S&P, por sus siglas en inglés), recibiendo cinco mejoras de calificación crediticia en el último año. George también supervisó la implementación del sistema financiero central de planificación de recursos empresariales (ERP, por sus siglas en inglés) del departamento, que modernizó la tecnología financiera de la ciudad.  

Mientras deja una carrera en el servicio público, George destaca la fuerza y la dedicación del equipo de finanzas de la ciudad y el increíble progreso que han logrado para mejorar las finanzas de Oxnard y modernizar la tecnología financiera de la ciudad.

“Oxnard es una gran ciudad y estoy agradecido de haber tenido la oportunidad de servir a la comunidad y participar para lograr las prioridades del concejo”, dijo George.

La directora financiera interina Olson se desempeñó como directora financiera de la ciudad de Phoenix de 2015 a 2021, lideró un departamento de 215 empleados con un presupuesto de $20 millones y administró $2,300 millones en efectivo, recaudación de impuestos, gestión de riesgo y deuda. Su liderazgo ayudó a mantener la calificación de bonos AAA de Phoenix mientras emitía más de $10 mil millones en bonos que apoyaron la financiación de infraestructura crítica y proyectos de restauración en una de las ciudades de más rápido crecimiento en los EE.UU.

La ciudad comenzará el proceso de contratación de un/a nuevo/a director/a financiero/a.

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Starting February 1, 2023

Oxnard’s alarm users are now able to conveniently purchase and maintain their annual permits online at: https://fams.wincitex.com/City/oxnard

Alarm Permits are Required

Alarm users are responsible for having a valid security alarm permit (Oxnard City Code 11-69)

The annual permit fee is $25.00 (Oxnard City Code 11-70.1(c))

CUSTOMER SUPPORT:

Call: 866-450-2524
Email: support_fams@phxgis.com

 

Download flyer here: English | Spanish

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Join us for the 37th Annual Ventura County Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration on Monday, January 16, 2023.

𝟖:𝟎𝟎 𝐚.𝐦. | 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐨𝐦 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡
From: Plaza Park at 5th and C Street
Oxnard, CA 93030

To: Oxnard Performing Arts Center
800 Hobson Way, Oxnard, CA 93030

𝟗:𝟎𝟎 𝐚.𝐦. | 𝐎𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦
Oxnard Performing Arts Center
800 Hobson Way, Oxnard, CA 93030

For more information, please visit MLKevent.com 

Download event flyer: 37th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Flyer

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PDF available here: Casa de Carmen and the Oxnard Navigation Center break new ground in the region’s approach to homelessness

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact: Lisa Scholin, 503-320-9379
lisa@noble-communications.com

Casa de Carmen and the Oxnard Navigation Center break new ground in the region’s approach to homelessness

By combining emergency shelter with permanent supportive housing, the future downtown campus at 2nd & B streets aims to move people from crisis to stability 

OXNARD, Calif., December 19, 2022 — The Oxnard City Council, County of Ventura, and their nonprofit and private partners are breaking new ground, literally and figuratively, in their response to homelessness. Casa de Carmen and the Oxnard Navigation Center are now taking shape in downtown Oxnard and will combine 56 permanent supportive housing units (including one manager unit) and a 110-bed, 24-hour emergency shelter. The facilities are expected to open early 2024.

Co-developed by Mercy House, a nonprofit housing services organization that has operated the current Oxnard shelter since 2019, and Community Development Partners (CDP), a mission-driven affordable housing developer, the campus will use a relatively new and ambitious shelter-with-housing model to provide a realistic path out of homelessness — one that starts next door to City Hall and is designed to move people from crisis to stability with efficiency, dignity and compassion.

“After a long process and community input, we have the first major site for our homeless,” shared Mayor John C. Zaragoza. “As a community, we must not neglect the human side of homelessness. These are our neighbors, mothers, fathers, sons and daughters who’ve lost the hope, comfort and dignity of having a guaranteed place to rest their heads at night.” 

“In Oxnard, we only have a homeless shelter right now — not a full service navigation center,” said Alexander Nguyen, Oxnard City Manager. “It’s really important to have a proper facility to serve homeless individuals and families humanely and respectfully. We could not have done this without great partners, like Mercy House and Community Development Partners. We are so grateful.”

The “shelter-with-housing” model is an innovative, new concept — and a first for Oxnard and Ventura County. The $42.6 million project leverages funding from multiple local, state and federal sources, requiring the City of Oxnard to contribute only $1.5 million and a parcel of city-owned land.

“Casa de Carmen and the Oxnard Navigation Center will be more than a homeless shelter, more than new housing. It’s a promising, powerful combination of both,” said Larry Haynes, CEO, Mercy House. “What makes the campus innovative and ambitious is that it will provide immediate relief to unhoused people in Oxnard and give them a path to achieving long-term stability — all in the same location.”

Over the past decade, CDP and Mercy House have collaborated to create several permanent supportive housing developments throughout southern California, but the new Oxnard facility is the first time they are combining a shelter with housing on the same site.

“It was important for Mercy House as the service provider to be deeply involved in the building and site design,” Kyle Paine, president, Community Development Partners. “We took a vacant, boarded-up building and are replacing it with a beautiful, colorful, hopeful place. We are creating something that everyone — shelter guests, supportive housing residents, and neighbors who live and work nearby — can embrace and be proud of.” 

CDP and Mercy House co-designed the new facility to be responsive, innovative, dignified and attractive, encouraging a healthy flow of people from outside into the ground-floor shelter and ultimately (depending on their eligibility) to the supportive housing units on the upper floors:

  • The shelter provides beds, bathrooms, showers and a kitchen to serve 110 adults.
  • Four upper floors contain 56 supportive housing units (including one manager unit); community room with kitchen; computer workstations; and office spaces where residents can receive private case management and services. 
  • Pets are welcome; shelter beds were designed with pet sleeping space underneath.
  • Guests and residents share access to a rooftop deck with BBQ and pet exercise areas. 
  • The 22,000-square-foot building will feature a large mural on the exterior and will inject color and beauty into Oxnard’s downtown, replacing an unused city building.

Mercy House will operate the shelter and provide residential services for people in the supportive housing units. Wrap-around case management services will be provided by Ventura County Behavioral Health. 

“Supportive housing is really a game changer,” said Dr. Sevet Johnson, County Executive Officer for the County of Ventura. “Not only are people housed and have a roof over their heads, but they are also receiving the full continuum of services and care. It’s this link to services that helps people maintain their housing.”

“We are thrilled to be part of this project,” said Scott Gilman, Director of Ventura County Behavioral Health. “We know for some individuals simply placing them in a room without support services doesn’t work. Having treatment and support available at the Navigation Center will significantly improve long term housing success.”

The name of the supportive housing section, “Casa de Carmen,” honors Carmen Ramírez, former chair of the County of Ventura Board of Supervisors and longtime Oxnard City Council member, who died in August 2022. Ramírez was beloved for her devoted service to Oxnard, especially its most vulnerable members. She continuously fought for the underserved prior to her untimely death at age 73, when she was struck by a car and killed while crossing a street in downtown Oxnard.

“Carmen always supported Housing First initiatives, and she was passionate about this project in Oxnard,” shared Roy Prince, Carmen’s husband. “I am grateful for Carmen to be honored by this project that provides affordable housing in Downtown Oxnard. This is a model for providing our community with pathways out of homelessness, and inspiring innovative housing solutions throughout Ventura County.”

Funding for Casa de Carmen and the Oxnard Navigation Center is supported by a 4% Low Income Tax Credits (LIHTC) allocation with a $17M equity investment by Red Stone, $7.2M of No Place Like Home program funds from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), a $1.5M investment from the City of Oxnard, a $1M investment from the County of Ventura, and a Section 8 contract for 55 project-based vouchers administered by the Housing Authority of the City of Oxnard. Construction financing and permanent financing is being provided by Citi. The project was designed by Architecture Design Collaborative and is being built by Walton Construction. FPI Management will be the property manager. 

 

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City of Oxnard

As Ventura County’s most populous city, Oxnard is home to more than 200,000 community members that celebrate the city’s vibrant multicultural heritage. Since its incorporation in 1903, Oxnard has operated as a full-service city. The local government is responsible for providing many services necessary to daily life, ranging from public safety, trash, water and sewer, to planning and building, parks, libraries, youth and senior recreation programs, housing authority, and maintaining the city’s streets, sidewalks, and public parks. 

 

About Mercy House

For over 25 years, Mercy House has provided supportive services and comprehensive resident services to families, individuals, homeless, chronically homeless, and disabled individuals in California. Their mission is to be a leader in ending homelessness by providing a unique system of dignified housing opportunities, programs and supportive services. Mercy House staff has extensive knowledge of needs and barriers faced by the families and chronically homeless in our community, and they utilize a variety of resources and service coordination partnerships imperative to their success.

 

About Community Development Partners

Founded in 2011, Community Development Partners develops and operates sustainable, life-enhancing affordable housing with a focus on long-term community engagement and innovative design. As a mission-driven, forward-thinking organization, CDP is focused exclusively on creating vibrant affordable housing communities that incorporate art, public parks, gardens, fresh food, and cultural and social programming. Today, CDP has successfully built or preserved 44 unique projects comprising over 3,500 units throughout Oregon, California, Nevada and Arizona.

 

Ventura County Behavioral Health

Ventura County Behavioral Health (VCBH) envisions a community where their diverse residents are respected and empowered so those impacted by mental health and substance use can heal, thrive, and lead a healthy, engaged life. VCBH is committed to reducing stigma and discrimination. They promote wellness through a whole-person care approach where clients and families are empowered by appropriate, accessible, timely, culturally sensitive, and collaborative behavioral health services.

 

VCBH plays an important role as an integrated component of the Ventura County Health Care Agency. The Crisis and Referral Line is the entry point for access to all Ventura County Behavioral Health services. VCBH is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and provides support for individuals and families who are in crisis, people considering suicide, and those struggling with mental illness, substance use, or both. 

 

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PDV available here: English | Spanish

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Nov. 29, 2022

NEWS MEDIA CONTACT: 
Katie Casey, Communications Manager
(805) 816-4330 | katie.casey@oxnard.org

Oxnard Announces Community Meeting Dates for Customers to Learn About Water Supply, Operational Costs, Rate Adjustments and Long-Term Reliability

OXNARD, Calif – The City of Oxnard is hosting a series of public meetings and City Council meetings for the community to learn more about local water supplies, the cost of water, rate adjustments and long-term water reliability needs. The meetings will review the City’s water supplies, water operations and long term needs to ensure water rates keep pace with increasing costs to provide safe, reliable water.

Oxnard’s water utility is funded through its water rates, which it invests into operations, supplies, maintenance, repairs, infrastructure, and its long-term capital improvement program (CIP) projects.

It is a common industry-standard to perform comprehensive utility rate studies every three to five years. Oxnard’s last water rate study was conducted in 2017. To ensure best business practices, the City hired Raftelis Inc., a consulting firm with extensive experience developing long-range financial plans for water service, to conduct a comprehensive water rate study that will consider key factors that affect future operations and reliability. Some of these key factors include the impact of drought and pandemic-induced economic conditions.

As part of the water rate study, City staff and Raftelis, their consultant, will provide information on the operational requirements of the water system and solicit customer feedback on their water needs. Community feedback will help ensure the water rates that customers pay for are:

  • Fair, equitable, and aligned with community values and priorities, i.e. water conservation

  • Sufficient to ensure the continued financial viability of the City’s water utility

  • Sufficient to enable critical maintenance and infrastructure investment that upholds high service levels while complying with ever more stringent regulatory requirements

  • Aligned with best practices and in accordance with state law

The public is encouraged to attend one of the upcoming community meetings listed below, address the City Council during general public comment, or send questions and comments to water.inquiry@oxnard.org or call the Public Works Department at (805) 385-8390.  Additional information is also available at www.oxnardwater.org. 

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PARA PUBLICACIÓN INMEDIATA: 29 de noviembre de 2022

CONTACTO CON LOS MEDIOS: 
Katie Casey, Gerente de Comunicaciones
(805) 816-4330 | katie.casey@oxnard.org

Oxnard anuncia fechas de reuniones comunitarias para que los clientes aprendan sobre el suministro de agua, los costos operativo, los ajustes de tarifas y la confiabilidad a largo plazo

OXNARD, Calif – La Ciudad de Oxnard está organizando una serie de reuniones públicas y reuniones del Concejo Municipal para que la comunidad aprenda más sobre los suministros de agua locales, el costo del agua, los ajustes de tarifas y las necesidades de confiabilidad del agua a largo plazo. Las reuniones revisarán los suministros de agua de la ciudad, las operaciones de agua y las necesidades a largo plazo para garantizar que las tarifas de agua se mantengan al día con los costos crecientes para proporcionar agua segura y confiable. 

El servicio de agua de Oxnard se financia a través de sus tarifas de agua, que invierte en operaciones, suministros, mantenimiento, reparaciones, infraestructura y sus proyectos del programa de mejoras de capital (CIP, por sus siglas en inglés) a largo plazo.

Es un estándar común de la industria realizar estudios completos de tarifas de servicios públicos cada tres a cinco años. El último estudio de tarifas de agua de Oxnard se realizó en 2017. Para garantizar las mejores prácticas comerciales, la ciudad contrató a Raftelis Inc., una firma consultora con amplia experiencia en el desarrollo de planes financieros a largo plazo para el servicio de agua, para realizar un estudio integral de tarifas de agua que considerará factores importantes que afectan las operaciones futuras y la confiabilidad. Algunos de estos factores importantes incluyen el impacto de la sequía y las condiciones económicas inducidas por la pandemia.

Como parte del estudio de tarifas de agua, el personal de la ciudad y Raftelis, su consultor, brindarán información sobre los requisitos operativos del sistema de agua y solicitarán comentarios de los clientes sobre sus necesidades de agua. Los comentarios de la comunidad ayudarán a garantizar que las tarifas de agua que pagan los clientes sean:

  • justas, equitativas y estén alineadas con los valores y prioridades de la comunidad, por ejemplo, la conservación del agua

  • suficientes para garantizar la viabilidad financiera continua de los servicios públicos de agua de la ciudad

  • suficientes para permitir el mantenimiento crítico y la inversión en infraestructura que mantiene altos niveles de servicio y cumple con los requisitos reglamentarios cada vez más estrictos

  • alineadas con las mejores prácticas y de acuerdo con la ley estatal

Se alienta al público a asistir a una de las próximas reuniones comunitarias que se enumeran a continuación, dirigirse al Concejo Municipal durante los comentarios del público en general o enviar preguntas y comentarios a water.inquiry@oxnard.org o llamar al Departamento de Obras Públicas al (805) 385-8390.  También hay información adicional disponible en www.oxnardwater.org. 

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