Click here for the entire e-newsletter President’s Message Dear Friends, Less than a year removed from the devastation of the Thomas Fire, the Hill and Woolsey Fires feel all too familiar. The fires and the tragic Borderline mass shooting in…
SACRAMENTO – Governor Jerry Brown today signed legislation by State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) to help homeowners pay for repairs that will make their homes more fire resilient. SB 465, the Wildfire Safety Finance Act, allows local governments to expand their Property…
SANTA BARBARA — With nearly 40 percent of the County’s senior population being economically insecure, Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara (HACSB) broke ground July 30 on The Gardens on Hope, a 90-unit development for frail, low-income seniors. Project partners…
SOLVANG — Since launching in fall 2017, the Solvang 50 Home Challenge provided residents with education and opportunities to reduce wasted resources and make home energy efficiency updates more affordable. The community outreach activities have ended, however a selection of…
CENTRAL COAST — As part of its third annual Contractor Recognition Awards, emPower Central Coast is pleased to recognize six local contractors for their commitment to helping homeowners throughout the Central Coast make energy efficient upgrades to their living spaces.…
SANTA BARBARA — The Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara (HACSB) is pleased to announce its purchase of Garden Court on De La Vina, preserving the affordability of 97 studio units for low-income seniors in Santa Barbara. Located…
SANTA BARBARA — Two affordable housing projects being developed by the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara have been allocated $21.3 million in tax credit financing to create 107 affordable rental units for veterans and seniors. The Housing…
By the Ventura County News Channel VENTURA — On the six-month anniversary of the start of the Thomas Fire, the County of Ventura has published a review of its recovery efforts to date. The report, in English and Spanish, can be…
CENTRAL COAST — As homeowners are competing to sell their homes quicker and for a higher price, sellers and agents continue to turn to home staging techniques and storage solutions like PODS to declutter rooms and allow buyers to envision…
SANTA BARBARA — The Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara (HACSB) honored New Beginnings Counseling Center as its 2017 Outstanding Community Partner of the Year at a recent ceremony. New Beginnings provides short-term case management services to HACSB…
SANTA BARBARA — The Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara (HACSB) has received a $203,425 grant from the U.S. Department of Urban Development (HUD) to help low-income residents become self-sufficient through its Family Self-Sufficiency Program. HACSB developed the…
SACRAMENTO — Legislation by State Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara), to help Montecito and other California homeowners whose homes have been damaged or destroyed by fire-induced mudslides, passed off the Senate Floor today on a 25 to 11 vote. Senate Bill 917 clarifies…
OXNARD — Two finalists were selected during the semi-finals round of the California Strawberry Festival 35th Anniversary Celebration’s “Berry Blast Off” Recipe Contest.” The finalists will now compete for top honors on Saturday, May 19 during the festival taking place…
SANTA BARBARA — As families vowed to rebuild their homes following the horrific Montecito mudslides, many were met with another tragedy: finding themselves under insured. Volunteers, community organizations and donors from around the globe have stepped in to help meet…
SANTA BARBARA — On June 9th, PATH Santa Barbara hosts its 2nd annual Making It Home Tour, in support of ending homelessness. This unique event features a guided tour through luxury area homes aboard a historic Santa Barbara trolley, including…
VENTURA — In partnership with the City of Ventura, the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, and the California Department of Business Oversight, Ventura County Community Development Corporation (VCCDC) is hosting its 6th Annual Homeownership & Community Resource Fair on Saturday,…
CAMARILLO — Thousands of letters have been sent to homeowners and property managers reminding them to clear 100 feet of brush away from properties near open land where wildfires may occur. More than 16,660 parcels will receive Fire Hazard Reduction Program…
WESTLAKE VILLAGE — Homeowners who are planning spring and summer projects around their house can talk with professionals for ideas and advice at the 44th Conejo Valley Home Remodeling Show. The spring show is Saturday and Sunday, April 14 and…
VENTURA COUNTY – The Ventura County Community Development Corporation (VCCDC) will be hosting a free Fair Housing online workshop in collaboration with the Housing Rights Center on Tuesday, April 24th at 6pm via a free live online workshop. This is a…
Local homeowners encouraged to apply now; limited supply SANTA BARBARA — Utility rebates that have assisted many homeowners in replacing old, inefficient heaters, install proper insulation and other overlooked, home energy efficiency projects are once again available for 2018. Santa…
Livable Communities Newsletter Vol. 12, No. 45 February 2018 Quick Links – See the Current State of the Region Report – Last Quarter’s Newsletter Join us at the Ventura County Civic Alliance! Welcome to Our Winter 2018 Livable Communities Newsletter! As…
Editor’s note: Amigos805 welcomes local guest columns, letters to the editor and other submissions from our readers. All opinions expressed in submitted material are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the viewpoint of Amigos805. By Javier Saucedo • emPower…
VENTURA COUNTY — As the first month of 2018 draws to a close, many residents are working to stick to their resolutions. According to Statistic Brain, only 58.4% of resolutions make it past the first month. To help their customers maintain…
SACRAMENTO – To help residents whose homes were devastated or destroyed in the recent Montecito mudslides, State Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) has just introduced a bill to ensure that fire insurance policies cover losses incurred from fire-induced mudslides. Senate Bill 917 clarifies…
OXNARD — The start of the New Year is the time to turn attention back to gardening. There is a surprisingly large number of activities for serious gardeners in January, says Agromin, an Oxnard-based manufacturer of earth-friendly compost products made…
OXNARD — Ventura County Community Development Corporation (VCCDC) in Oxnard is hosting a free class for the community. This HUD-approved Homebuyer Education Workshop is taught in their Oxnard office in a group setting by certified Homeownership Specialists who are trained to…
Meet up with friends and neighbors to hear how the 50 Home Challenge is improving homes and communities through energy efficiency! The County of Santa Barbara’s emPower program along with CHERP (Community Home Energy Retrofit Program) will be on hand…
SANTA MARIA — Peoples’ Self-Help Housing (PSHH) has been hard at work this summer renovating Valentine Court Apartments, and now residents are coming home in time for the holiday season. Located on East Newlove Drive in Santa Maria, the 35-unit affordable…
VENTURA COUNTY — Under a federal law not widely known to consumers, the State of California must seek repayment from the estates of certain Medi-Cal members after they die. What does this mean for homeowners receiving Medi-Cal benefits? Ventura County Community…
Livable Communities Newsletter Vol. 11, No. 44 November 2017 Quick Links – See the Current State of the Region Report – Last Quarter’s Newsletter Join us at the Ventura County Civic Alliance! Welcome to Our Fall 2017 Livable Communities Newsletter! This…
Next Home Buying Fair on Saturday, Oct. 28 in Ventura VENTURA COUNTY — With the median price of Ventura County homes at nearly $650,000 and expected to increase, home ownership seemed like a lofty goal for Denise Noguera, a social…
VENTURA — Local employees have the opportunity to get started on their path to home ownership on Saturday, October 28, when nonprofit Coastal Housing Partnership will host a Home Buying Fair at the Ventura Beach Marriott, 2055 Harbor Boulevard, from…
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY — Coastal Housing Partnership is hosting a Home Buying Fair designed to help local employees on their path to home ownership. Whether you are ready to buy a home, getting back into the market, or simply dreaming…
Ventura County’s Medi-Cal Plan to Celebrate 5-Year Anniversary CAMARILLO — Gold Coast Health Plan (GCHP) is celebrating its five-year anniversary on Friday, July 29 with a fun event that will recognize the contributions of the Plan’s employees. GCHP went live on July…
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY — It’s peak citrus season in Santa Barbara and that means there’s lots of excess healthy — and delicious — fruit to harvest and distribute to those in need. Backyard Bounty, a volunteer program of the Foodbank of…
CAMARILLO — One of the final Day of the Dead events will occur this weekend when the 2015 Día de los Muertos Celebration will be held from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7 at Conejo Mountain Funeral Home, Memorial Park and…
OXNARD — Clinicas del Camino Real Inc. will present a health fair / feria de salud from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 9 at Parque del Sol, 1800 Camino del Sol, Oxnard. The event will feature blood pressure,…
OXNARD — The Ventura County Community Development Corporation will present its 3rd annual “Homeownership Fair — A Dream Within Your Reach,” from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 6 at 2231 Sturgis Road, Suite A, Oxnard. Held in collaboration…
ATASCADERO — Twelve families who worked together to build the majority of their brand new homes under the supervision of Peoples’ Self-Help Housing (PSHH) received the keys to their homes during a ceremony held on Dec. 4, the organization reported this…
By Metro Editorial Services (MS) “No one is so poor that he can’t give a smile, nor so rich that he doesn’t need it.” — Anonymous Holidays are exciting — family visits and special once-a-year meals, celebrating traditions together…
CAMARILLO — The Ventura County Community Foundation and the Ventura County Housing Trust Fund have teamed up to create the first permanent revolving fund in Ventura County dedicated to building farmworker housing, the organizations reported Tuesday in media release. The $100,000…
SANTA BARBARA — ¡Viva el Arte de Santa Bárbara! will present Plena Libre in free concerts at 7 p.m. Friday, March 21 at Isla Vista School, 6875 El Colegio Road, Goleta (805-893-5037); 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 22 at Guadalupe City…
By Metro Editorial Services (MS) According to the Home Safety Council, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing home injuries, half of the children who die before their first birthday die from choking or suffocation. Many times such tragedies can be…
By Metro Editorial Services (MS) After flatlining during the economic downturn that began around 2008, housing markets in many regions of the United States and Canada have shown signs of recovery. Those in the market to buy and sell may…
