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Board endorses feasibility study step for potential employee housing near Rancho Campana
Summary
Staff recommended issuing an RFP for a feasibility study to explore building employee workforce housing on district surplus land (Rancho Campana recommended); trustees probed funding, community concerns and whether the project would affect the general fund.
District staff recommended the Oxnard Union High School District advertise a request for proposals for a feasibility study to evaluate whether employee workforce housing can be developed on surplus district land near Rancho Campana High School.
The workforce housing director told trustees the idea responds to statewide policy changes such as AB 2295 that allow school districts to use surplus property for employee housing and to recent legislation that reduces certain development barriers. Staff cited Ventura County housing data showing home prices and rents rose far faster than wages over the last decade; a district survey of roughly 600 employees found 53% do not own homes and that nearly 79% expressed interest in workforce housing.
"The goal is to retain and attract staff by providing rental units at below‑market rents for a finite time," the workforce housing director said, adding that the project must be cost neutral so the general fund would not subsidize ongoing housing operations. Staff identified Rancho Campana as the most immediately viable parcel because of surrounding infrastructure, with Oxnard High School land listed as a possible future site pending infrastructure changes.
Trustees pressed staff on financing, the risk that construction or operations could affect the general fund, and the currency of the staff survey. Trustee Baker Torres asked how the district would be protected if employees cannot cover rents and learned staff would use a typical lease process and explore multiple financing strategies including grants, leasing to a developer, or third‑party property management. Staff said Measure E funds and a SCAG grant (up to $50,000) were initial funding options for feasibility work and county/city and nonprofit partners might be sources for later capital funding.
Board members also raised community concerns. Trustee Estrada said Rancho Campana residents have repeatedly said they prefer preserving the property for athletics and campus needs; staff said community engagement would follow if the feasibility study identifies a viable development path. Trustee Flores Haro asked for updated survey data; staff agreed survey data is three years old and that additional outreach would be useful.
No final commitment to build was made; the board supported proceeding with a feasibility RFP to clarify costs, site constraints, funding options, and community impacts. Staff said the RFP results would come back to the board with recommended next steps, including financing scenarios (developer lease, grant funding, or other paths) and any required community engagement and environmental review.
