Visit Ventura is proud to announce it is a finalist for the Place Brand of the Year category of the City Nation Place Awards 2023 for the organization’s involvement and leadership in hosting the X Games 2023 in Ventura. Visit Ventura is the only USA finalist in this category.

The City Nation Place Awards celebrate and benchmark the very best in strategic and effective thinking for place branding and marketing. As the only specialist global awards designed to showcase the best approaches to building and managing the reputation of destinations, the City Nation Place Awards attract entries from across the world. Winners of the awards serve as best-practice case studies for reference and inspiration for cities and destinations around the globe.

“Being announced as a finalist feels like we’re already a winner!” said Marlyss Auster, President and CEO of Visit Ventura. “Our whole team is beaming with pride knowing that our hometown is receiving international recognition with this award. We succeeded in hosting a big-time event while also staying true to our roots. I am so proud of what we achieved this past summer as a community. We made history.”

The Place Brand of the Year category awards destinations that demonstrate a committed approach to support the long-term goal of promoting the place brand by capitalizing on an event or implementing a project. Visit Ventura’s entry titled “A Small-Town Story of a Big-Time Event: the Journey of X Games 2023 Coming to Ventura,” outlined ways we leveraged regional partner and stakeholder collaboration, community involvement, local business engagement, and sustainability to ensure the X Games was a success in our hometown. By hosting an event that not only is internationally acclaimed as the world’s largest extreme sports competition but one that also matches Ventura’s ethos and love for the outdoors, Visit Ventura elevated our destination to world recognition.

An international panel of judges determined Visit Ventura’s entry as a finalist for the category alongside entries from New Zealand, Brussels, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Lithuania. City Nation Place Awards winners will be announced at City Nation Place Global 2023 in London on November 9.

Comprehensive energy program will leverage Federal funding to implement integrated solutions at all 27 school sites and capture an expected $106 million in net energy savings

Ventura Unified School District (VUSD) recently approved a contract with ENGIE North America (ENGIE) for comprehensive solar, LED building lighting, customized sports facility LED lighting, and an integrated STEM internship and student engagement program. As the first K-12 school district along the Central Coast to leverage Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding, VUSD will also utilize bond funding to help pay for the project and expand its technical scope which will positively improve sustainability outcomes across the District.

Serving approximately 15,000 students across 27 school and campus facility sites, VUSD leadership and the supporting community have long prioritized the design of a financially-viable energy program to capture energy savings and align with local and state climate action goals. ENGIE worked with the District to lock in favorable Net Energy Metering 2.0 rates for the next 20 years. VUSD is also committed to delivering sustainable solutions across all school sites – many of which are located in economically underserved parts of the city.

This project is financially attractive for the District and will reduce its overall electricity costs by 70 percent over 30 years. This work will be done across schools with a Southern California-based team of ENGIE project engineers. The combined project scope will include:

• 4,708 kW solar PV scope across 25 sites and parking canopy solar structures;

• Interior/exterior LED lighting and occupancy sensor controls at nine sites;

• Sports Field LED lighting at Buena High School and Ventura High School, reusing existing lighting infrastructure poles to minimize extended construction impact on the fields; and

• Integrated STEM offerings aligned with real-time project data production, including professional development for teachers, hands-on engineering design learning for students, and six dedicated summer intern opportunities for local students.

The VUSD program is expected to save $133 million in energy costs over the lifetime of the project. The District should be eligible for $14 million in IRA federal funding dollars that will go directly to it after the project is completely constructed.

“As thoughtful stewards of our community’s resources, Ventura Unified has been interested in solar energy and high-efficiency LED lighting systems for many years. Unfortunately, making those changes was cost-prohibitive until recently,” stated Board President, Sabrena Rodriguez. “Thanks to the generosity of our community by passing Measure E, a general obligation bond to update our schools, we can now make these changes a reality. These changes are not only a positive step towards sustainability and resilience for the District, but they will also provide opportunities for our students and staff to learn about how green technologies can be good for the financial bottom line — creating a win-win for the community and our schools.”

“The IRA is a true gamechanger for our ENGIE customers – now that we are seeing local leaders like VUSD start to directly build out projects that leverage potential IRA funding, it is clear what a win-win this is for energy communities across the U.S.,” said Jean-Francois Chartrain, Managing Director, Energy Solutions Americas at ENGIE. “We are excited to help VUSD expedite their plan for long-term sustainability that will enhance and elevate the District’s financial and environmental impact through our range of comprehensive solutions.”

by Carol Leish, MA

A Mid-Year Adjustment was completed for the current 3-year plan for the Mental Health Services Act. The plan outlines what Ventura County Behavioral Health plans to spend its Mental Health Services Act dollars on from 2023-2026. The mid-year adjustment was needed after a onetime payment was received from the state in August of 2023. To make these updates in partnership with stakeholders, a community program planning process (CPPP) was convened in October, 2023. Areas covered included: 1) What is happening now? & 2) What is the onetime adjustment of money? Focusing on what Proposition 1 will cover, if passed next year, is also an integral part of the component to enhance the programs within the Ventura County Behavioral Health Care system.

The 3-year plan for the county outlines the department’s needs, goals, and program plans, along with the expenditures for 2023-2026. The 2023-2026 Plan was finalized in June, 2023. Also happening this year has been a one-time allocation of money that was received in August 2023. The midyear adjustment process needed to include use of the one-time funds of $30 million dollars within the 3-year plan.

The mid-year adjustment process has included: 1) Building upon the current 3-year plan within the community planning process.; along with, 2) Presentation of changes to the plan. This has included: 1) Community feedback; and, 2) A public hearing for input from the public. Then, the Ventura County Board of Supervisors will need to approve the plan.

Proposition 1-SB236 will be on the March 2024 ballot, along with the bond measure contained within AB531. The proposition will repurpose the use of funding and enable the establishment of a new 30% housing component with a housing first requirement. It will also establish the Behavioral Health Services Act as a new source of funding for the substance use disorder (SUD) services, along with creating a new and comprehensive source of planning, data gathering and reporting. This will overhaul the adult and children’s system of care statutes. In anticipation of the proposition, Ventura County Behavioral Health has included some money to prepare for the transition.

The top categories of solutions from the last needs assessment for the one-time funding of over 30 million dollars, fall into different categories: 1) Housing; 2) Expansion of services and treatment types; 3) Access; 4) Outreach and education; and, 5) Alternative to Ventura County Behavioral Health. High priorities for large dollar adjustment infrastructure include: 1) Building a mental health rehabilitation center with 120 beds; and, 2) Providing residential care for the elderly with 60 beds.

Other highlights for the large dollar adjustment include focusing on high intensity outpatient programs categorized as Full-Service Partnership programs and include: 1) Transitional age youth programs for 18–25-year-olds; 2) Having integrative community services (EPICS) program for adults ages 18-60 years old; and, 3) Having an older adults’ program for those 60+ years old. Additional goals include: 1) Staffing for short-term treatment teams; and, 2) Improved (timelier and clinically appropriate), access which will require additional staffing; 3) Increasing the amount planned for keeping or establishing board and care units, and, 4) Increasing the contracted-out salary related (COSR) Accounts.

Additional priorities include: 1) Increasing the amount planned for keeping or establishing board and care units; and, 2) Expanding upon the number of permanent supportive units, along with adding to the housing staff, which is also important.

Updates to this plan will be made yearly through additional community program planning process meetings and the Annual Update report published each spring.

Jurors Available for Speaking Events

The Ventura County Grand Jury seeks opportunities to speak to community organizations,
non-profit organizations, and similar groups as part of its education outreach program.
The Grand Jury investigates matters affecting aspects of government in Ventura County.
The Jury comprises 19 citizens who are impaneled by the Presiding Judge of the Superior
Court and serve as a “voice and conscience” of Ventura County residents concerning their
local governments.

The impaneled Grand Jury does not pursue criminal cases or hear evidence in
courtrooms. It serves as an independent investigatory panel on behalf of the citizens of
Ventura County. It investigates complaints from the public, writes reports, and makes
recommendations to local governments and agencies such as city councils, school
districts, hospitals, harbors, and water districts. Investigative areas include alleged
government violations of city and county codes, disaster preparedness, contracting
procedures, and health and safety matters among others.
Reports and governmental responses from investigated departments and agencies can be
found on the Grand Jury website https://www.ventura.org/grand-jury/.

To learn more about the Grand Jury and how it serves the community, how to become a
juror, or request speakers to meet with your group or class, you may contact the Grand
Jury at (805) 477-1600 or complete a speaker request form available on the Grand Jury
website at https://www.ventura.org/grand-jury/forms/.

Housing Trust Fund Ventura County has been awarded $5,000,000 from the Local Housing Trust Fund (LHTF) program by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). This is a result of the nonprofit’s ability to raise $5M in local funding to receive this 100% match from the California State Prop 1 matching grant program. This brings Housing Trust Fund Ventura County’s Prop 1 award total to just over $14M, which, through the development of safe and affordable housing, will positively impact the lives of farmworkers, veterans, low-income seniors, cognitively impaired individuals, people experiencing homelessness, transitional age foster youth, and extremely-low and low-income individuals and families.

The Housing Programs and Veterans’ Loans Bond, also known as California’s Proposition 1, includes the 1:1 fund matching Local Housing Trust Fund (LHTF) program, providing funding to Housing Trust Funds for the development of rental housing with a focus on low to extremely low-income housing units. This program affords the opportunity for applicant agencies to apply for up to $5 million per year for five years totaling a potential of $25 million. Housing Trust Fund Ventura County has now received $14,019,387 from this program which began in 2020.

“Prop 1 continues to be an invaluable resource to provide the affordable housing Ventura County residents need,” commented Linda Braunschweiger, CEO of Housing Trust Fund Ventura County. “We’re committed to making housing affordable for more residents and we worked hard to earn the Prop 1 match as part of that commitment.” The award is eligible for use within Camarillo, Moorpark, Port Hueneme, Oxnard, and unincorporated areas of Ventura County only.

Housing Trust Fund Ventura County successfully raised this round’s $5 million local match through support of sponsors, donors, grants, loan repayments and its record-setting Compassion Campaign fundraising event. The nonprofit’s successful investment vehicle – Everyone Deserves a Home Community Impact Note, has also attracted investors from both the public and private sectors.

“Affordable housing is an ongoing fight, but we are very proud of the work we do each year,” commented Housing Trust Fund Ventura County Board Chair Tracy McAulay. “These funds will be used to build apartments and houses throughout the county, giving many of our neighbors the new, safe, quality homes they deserve.” This year Housing Trust Fund Ventura County was eligible for a match in the full amount of $5 million. The organization is now looking to 2024 to ensure that the $5 million Prop 1 funds are fully matched through the program’s sunset next year.

In anticipation of the program’s end and with the continued need for affordable housing, Linda Braunschweiger has coordinated with other local housing trust funds in California to advocate for extending Prop. 1 programs, including the Local Housing Trust Fund Match program, through Assembly Bill 1657. To contribute your own support for our community of essential farmworkers, veterans, low-income seniors and more with affordable housing in Ventura County go to, www.housingtrustfundvc.org/donate-now.

Developers interested in receiving a loan may visit www.housingtrustfundvc.org/funding-programs and review the Program and Loan Underwriting Guidelines. A list of projects that have received first phase approval are also available on the website at www.housingtrustfundvc.org/housing