Special Anniversary Edition

November, 2021

Welcome to our “20^th Anniversary Celebration” Special Edition Newsletter. We are very excited to celebrate our 20^th year acknowledging our accomplishments and honoring community leaders who embody the organization’s vision, helping us move forward together.

Incorporated in 2001, VCCDC has assisted underserved families with building financial capacity through education, counseling, and affordable loans. VCCDC grew quickly, developing culturally-competent services, particularly important during the 2008 housing/mortgage crisis when thousands risked losing their homes. As the market recovered, the dream of homeownership again became a possibility for working families who before could not afford to purchase homes. However, wages not keeping pace with rising housing costs, limited inventory of affordable homes as well as investor competition makes home purchase ever more challenging for low- and moderate-income families. Against this backdrop, VCCDC’s board and staff work together to offer homeowner education, lending products for low- and moderate-income homebuyers, and realty services to strengthen communities, create homeowners empowered with financial resiliency, and help build family wealth.

Our success is your success and we look forward to an additional twenty years of service in our communities.

Thank you,

We were honored to have California State Treasurer, Fiona Ma as our Keynote Speaker who has had a renowned career in public service, having been involved with many initiatives and committees in California’s government. Also joining us for the festivities was our emcee David Cruz, a longtime TV and radio host, and we listened intently to our client testimonial presented by new homeowner Will Jones who was accompanied by his son. The crowd gathered included many VCCDC sponsors, our three new award recipients, and family members of those honored with the naming of three VCCDC leadership awards. We also received acclamations and well wishes by State, County and City offices for our achievements.

For more photos of the night, click on the button below.

Honoring Rodney Fernandez who championed the cause for affordable workforce housing in Ventura County for over 50 years and founded VCCDC in 2001.

Awarded to:

Carmen Ramirez

Ventura County Supervisor, District 5

Ventura County Supervisor Carmen Ramirez represents the County’s 5th District, encompassing Oxnard and surrounding areas. Her responsibilities and passion for community service led her to be an advocate for low-income and affordable housing, and serve on many regional organizations and local committees.

Honoring our first Board Chair, Michael McGuire, a man of great compassion for those in need who has left a special space in the community and hearts of many that will long be felt.

Awarded to:

Teresa Bardwell

Former Housing Counseling Program Manager

Ms. Bardwell joined Rural Communities Assistance Corporation in 2004 and provided technical assistance and training for housing counseling agencies in the RCAC Western U.S. region as well as nationally. Her broad housing counseling knowledge helped with compliance oversight for 85 agencies and three federal programs during the foreclosure crisis. She also provided strategic planning and board and leadership development for the RCAC region, including work with tribal and rural affordable housing organizations.

Honoring our longest running Board Member, Ernest Baskette, Jr. His personal and professional mission was to affect transformative repositioning of the economic status of families and the revitalization of the communities in which they reside.

Awarded to:

City of Oxnard

Being one of the most affordable communities and business-friendly cities, Oxnard’s housing department and the city council has strived to maintain a balanced approach by creating and providing a mixed portfolio of single-family homes, multi-family dwelling units, and low-income housing. The City of Oxnard is dedicated to promoting homeownership to low-income households by providing first-time homebuyer programs and home repair programs with HOME, CDBG, and CALHOME funds. The combination of VCCDC’s homebuying programs with the City of Oxnard’s programs has made it possible for hundreds of families to achieve the dream of homeownership. The City of Oxnard showcases the best of a community with its leadership in affordable housing and its longstanding partnership with VCCDC.

And we are not done yet! Here’s to the next 20 years of empowering our neighbors and strengthening our community!

Joseph Gutierrez, President

Shane Saunders, Past President

Ted Schneider, Vice President

Anthony Restivo, Treasurer

Alexander Gallardo, Secretary

Leilani Barnett, Member

Lisa Brooks, Member

Yolanda Garcia, Member

Gregory Glover, Member

Rashi Kallur, Member

Jasmine Padilla, Member

Yolanda Duarte

Felipe Flores

Bertha Garcia

Gabriela Mello

Anthony Restivo

Shane Saunders

Sylvia Schnopp

Keily Victoria

Ricardo Arosemena, Mortgage Specialist

Marisol Arzola, Senior Loan Processor

Francine Castanon, Homeownership Specialist

Veronica Galicia, Program Development Coordinator

Bertha Garcia, Executive Director

Quetzally Gonzalez, Loan Transaction Assistant

Crystal Landeros, Service Delivery Coordinator

Estefany Moreida Toledo, Administrative Support Clerk

Gabriela Muñoz, Lead Homeownership Specialist

Sylvia Muñoz Schnopp, Director of Fund Development

Alex Vega, Director of Lending Services

Keily Victoria, Director of Program Development & Administration

In memory of Clara Rodriguez

Her loyal service to VCCDC for 6 years significantly contributed to the success of the organization and the clients we serve. She is profoundly missed by everyone whose lives she touched. Let us remember Clara each time we smile.

Take a look at the recording of our Anniversary Celebration and Award Ceremony below.