Ventura Housing, in partnership with the City of Ventura and the County of Ventura, has announced the grand opening and full occupancy of Valentine Road Apartments, a permanent supportive housing community created through the conversion of a former La Quinta Inn.
Made possible by a $32 million Homekey grant from the State of California, the development includes 134 housing units and represents the largest Homekey project completed in Ventura County. The project is a major component of local and statewide efforts to address homelessness through permanent supportive housing.
According to the Ventura County Continuum of Care’s 2026 Point-in-Time Count, homelessness in Ventura County declined 11.8% from 2025 and 28% since 2023. The report credits part of that decline to the expansion of permanent supportive housing, including the units created at Valentine Road Apartments.
“This milestone represents years of partnership, persistence, and a shared belief that housing changes lives,” said Ventura Mayor Dr. Jeannette Sánchez Palacios. “Valentine Road is now home to 151 residents and stands as a powerful example of how cities, counties, nonprofits, and state partners can work together to create meaningful, lasting solutions to homelessness.”
Residents, community members, and project partners gathered May 21 to celebrate the completion of the project, which took three years to develop.
“This is all about our community working together,” said Ventura Housing CEO Jeffrey Lambert. “There is still a significant unhoused population in Ventura, and the work is far from over. But I know the heart of this community will keep driving us forward.”
The celebration included a Health and Wellness Fair connecting residents with community resources and services, including health organizations, haircuts, free shoes and socks, a pet clinic, mobile pet grooming, and a newly unveiled community library.
“This is not just a community,” said resident Patrick Gear. “This is now my extended family. We started from the river bottom, and we are now here.”
The 134 apartments currently house 151 residents, including one toddler. Of those residents, 54 were identified as literally homeless and 64 as chronically homeless when they were housed, exceeding the project’s original goals. Most residents previously lived in Ventura and are now able to remain in the community.
Each apartment is fully furnished through ATLAS’s Road Home Campaign, an initiative of Ventura Housing’s nonprofit affiliate, with support from Yardi Systems and other community partners.
The project was funded through a combination of state, local, and private investments. In addition to Homekey funding from the California Department of Housing and Community Development, the City of Ventura contributed $6 million, while the County of Ventura committed $15.5 million in permanent funding, including support from Ventura County Behavioral Health. The County also provided a $5 million construction loan. Additional financing came from Enterprise Community Partners, J.P. Morgan, Housing Trust Fund Ventura County, the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee, and Ventura Housing. McCarthy Companies completed the conversion on time and under budget.
“The opening of the Valentine Road Apartments marks a major milestone in our commitment to addressing homelessness through long-term, compassionate solutions,” said Ventura County Supervisor Matt LaVere. “Permanent supportive housing is one of the most effective tools we have to help people on the journey out of homelessness and strengthen the health of our entire community.”
Residents receive on-site support services through a partnership with Ventura County Behavioral Health, including case management, mental health care, and employment assistance designed to help maintain long-term housing stability.
Additional community amenities include a community garden, art programming through Vita Art Center, a community library gifted by Housing Trust Fund Ventura County, and a partnership with the Humane Society of Ventura County that provides mobile veterinary services for residents’ pets. A mural created by Last Place Arts Club, visible from Victoria Avenue, further reflects the community’s commitment to creating a welcoming and lasting neighborhood.
“This grand opening represents far more than the completion of a housing project,” said Ventura County Executive Officer Dr. Sevet Johnson. “It reflects what is possible when local and state partners come together with urgency, compassion, and a shared commitment to ending homelessness.”
