by Brett Hilton | Ventura Breeze
It was a gray, chilly Saturday at the Portside Clubhouse when Ventura City Councilmember Alex Mangone sat down for a straight-talking conversation about the city’s future. No stage. No script. Just an honest exchange about housing, budgets, and the crossroads Ventura now faces.
Mangone represents District 7, but he’s also one of us. Born and raised here, educated in our public schools, and the owner of a local machining business, he brings a hands-on, no-nonsense approach to his new role. After years of attending council meetings as a citizen, he was sworn in this January and quickly got to work.
“It’s like you’re expected to be an expert the day you get sworn in,” he said. But Mangone already understood the system and came prepared.
He dove right into the city’s new two-year plan, which focuses on five key priorities: economic vitality, homelessness, infrastructure, public safety, and environmental stewardship. Every staff decision is now expected to support at least one of these goals.
Still, plans don’t pay for themselves. Mangone was candid about Ventura’s financial picture. The city’s general fund is mostly tied up in salaries, and with limited revenue from property and sales taxes, he says we’re facing a serious funding gap. “We don’t have a spending problem. We have a revenue problem.”
Housing remains at the heart of Ventura’s future. Mangone noted that most people agree we need more homes, but not everyone agrees on how to build them. State laws now allow developers to build more densely if they include a small number of “affordable” units. But affordable doesn’t always mean accessible, and these high-density projects are going up in already packed neighborhoods.
Seaward Avenue, for example, could soon see hundreds of new units, yet there’s no concrete plan to support that growth with better infrastructure or safe access near places like Vista Del Mar. “Staff doesn’t do anything they haven’t been told to do,” he reminded the group, highlighting how council direction drives action.
Mangone also spotlighted a rare chance for economic growth through the long-discussed Johnson Drive extension. It would include a levee to unlock over 40 acres behind the auto center, opening doors for local businesses and jobs. The $50 million public-private project could be one of Ventura’s last big commercial opportunities.
Over on the Westside, surplus school district land is drawing attention too. One large parcel near Stanley Avenue may require a master plan, while others, like the old Washington School site, are already on the radar of housing authorities and developers.
And then there’s Main Street Moves. Mangone voted against making it permanent, but now that it’s moving forward, he’s focused on helping it succeed. “If we don’t make real improvements soon, it’s going to fail,” he said. He believes better communication with downtown property owners, along with pre-approved parklet designs, could help breathe new life into the project.
Tensions remain, especially when the city’s role as a property owner intersects with its policy decisions. But Mangone’s focus is practical and people-centered.
“I’m not here to block progress,” he said. “I’m here to make sure it happens the right way.”
