News - The Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation

Cabrillo receives $10,000 MUFG Union Bank Foundation scholarship support

June 17, 2020 By Alicia Hoffman Leave a Comment

Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation is pleased to announce it has received a $10,000 grant from the MUFG Union Bank Foundation to help fund the 2020 Rodney Fernandez Leadership Fund Scholarship Program.

The Rodney Fernandez Leadership Fund Scholarship Program, created in 2011, honors the legacy of Rodney Fernandez, Cabrillo’s founder and Executive Director for 30 years (1981–2011). The Scholarship continues Fernandez’s legacy of community building by cultivating the leadership of residents to attain their goals, empower themselves and to take action and improve the quality of life in their communities.

The scholarship program provides funds for students who wish to pursue higher education. To be eligible, students must be enrolled in and/or continuing college education, in the process of applying to an accredited institution, or enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program, and household income must be less than or equal to 80 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI) for Ventura County. High school applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 to apply.

“The grant will match an Edison International grant for STEM-only applicants and private donations to allow Cabrillo to provide more scholarships to students in all majors, said Director of Business Development and Administration,” Denise Bickerstaff.

“Funding from the MUFG Union Bank Foundation will enable Cabrillo to provide more scholarships to motivated and talented students, many from immigrant families who are first-generation college students. These grants will help youths in our community to reach their educational and leadership potential. They will help diversify our workforce and benefit our community,” Cabrillo CEO, Margarita H. de Escontrias, said.

Cabrillo has received 45 applications for the Rodney Fernandez Leadership Scholarships compared with 21 last year. Cabrillo is currently convening a review panel and reviewing the applications. Award-winners will be notified in late July or August.

“This is the largest number of applications we’ve ever received and illustrates the need and desire for higher education among local students,” Bickerstaff said.

“Each year, members of our scholarship review panel are deeply moved and touched by the applications and appreciate the applicants’ willingness to share their experiences and struggles as well as their triumphs,” said de Escontrias.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Cabrillo in expanding these scholarship opportunities,” said Randy Weiss, Union Bank Community Service Manager. “From previous experience serving on this panel — we know these candidates are incredible individuals with very bright futures — it’s a sound investment.”

In addition to high quality, safe and secure affordable housing, Cabrillo creates a ladder of opportunity for its low-income residents through comprehensive housing services and educational programs, which include the Rodney Fernandez Leadership Scholarship program. Donations to the Rodney Fernandez Leadership Fund can be made at https://bit.ly/2zhiiZd.

Power and Purpose: Solidarity During Critical Times

June 3, 2020 By Alicia Hoffman Leave a Comment

Cabrillo’s origins were rooted in an act of radical solidarity. The year was 1975, and the Labor Camp was known as Cabrillo Village, occupied by low-income Mexican farmworkers who worked primarily in the lemon orchards. The homes (called “jacales,” or “shacks”) were slated for demolition and each family was offered $500 to evacuate. Out of desperation, this community arose and formed a human chain, linking arms to protect their homes as bulldozers rumbled up to destroy their only shelter.

The 80 original families fought back in solidarity and stood together against all odds to buy their homes and the land for $80,000 (in today’s market, this cost would equate to $385,000). One courageous act of Power and Purpose.

The recent acts of civil disobedience here and across our nation are the result of centuries of hate and inequality; injury and death at the hands of police brutality, abuse of power, disparities in housing, health, education and economic opportunities, including access to financial stability and increasing numbers of people living in poverty.

These are the continuing challenges we must face together. They also demand a call to action. IT IS TIME FOR CHANGE. The “American Dream” is certainly not applicable to everyone in our country when our sisters and brothers of color are racially profiled, unjustly treated, and ultimately excluded from the promise of freedom.

This is a defining moment in our time, in our history. Let’s stand proudly together in Power and Purpose to speak loudly for all who are hurting and who demand change.

In Solidarity,
Margarita H. de Escontrias, CEO
Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation

Program helps Farmworkers in our community

April 22, 2020 By Alicia Hoffman Leave a Comment

Cabrillo is partnering with the County of Ventura’s Farmworker Resources Program with the distribution of necessities to help local farmworkers during this pandemic and to connect them to other resources.

Here is how you can help:

Our farmworker community is in most need of the following: beans, rice, eggs, milk, cereal, canned corn, bread, meat, Maseca, wheat flour, toilet paper, hand soap, cleaning supplies, tomatoes, jalapeño peppers, potatoes, napkins, instant coffee, cheese, corn tortillas.

If you would like to make sure your donations reach the farmworker community, please make sure to connect with the Farmworker Resource Program prior to delivering or to schedule a pick up for your donations at 805-385-1899 or email [email protected].

Pre-arranged drop off location: Ventura County Area Agency on Aging located at 646 County Square Drive, Ventura, Suite 100.

If you wish to make a donation you may do so with the Ventura County Community Foundation by selecting 805 Undocufund – COVID19 visit their website at: vccf.org/make-a-donation/.

For any additional information about the County of Ventura’s Farmworker Resource Program please visit: ventura.org/human-service…/farmworker-resources/.

Download the flie (English & Spanish) >>>

Cabrillo Covid19 Resource Guide

April 20, 2020 By Alicia Hoffman Leave a Comment

Are you struggling at home? We’ve put together a resource guide of food, mental health, child care, utility and unemployment resources throughout the county.

This guide contains contact information you might find helpful at this time. It is not meant to be a comprehensive list, but a guide to where to find information.

Download the guide in PDF format >>>

We’ve also included information from the state specifically for immigrants that provides tips about services, including public benefits, that are available to immigrant Californians, including some that are available regardless of immigration status. Check COVID19.ca.gov for updates.

Download English Version >>>>
Download Spanish Version>>>>

Campos personifies spirit of Cabrillo

March 24, 2020 By Alicia Hoffman Leave a Comment

The things that set Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation apart from other property management companies are its compassion, caring, and a desire to create communities and a sense of family both in the workplace and within the neighborhoods and communities that Cabrillo builds.

No one at Cabrillo is more representative of those ideals than Monica Campos. Campos is the resident manager at Fillmore Central Station, one of 24 affordable housing properties managed by Cabrillo.

Campos said there are many things that make working at a Cabrillo property special, but the one thing that always inspires her is handing the keys to new tenants and seeing the glow on their faces, giving them hope and a house to live in. “Working at Cabrillo never disappoints,” she said.
Monica has learned to work as a team member and has learned to inspire others, Luz Soto, Director of Property Management and Resident Services said.

“Monica has the gift of connecting with people, building relationships and partnerships. She is an inspiration and a role model. Monica has always been there for me,” said Dolores Rodiles, property manager at Cabrillo’s Camino Gonzales and Paseo de Luz Apartments in Oxnard.

“When I first started in 2009, she was there to help me with my first re-certification. I was so impressed with her, not only of her knowledge but also of how patient she was with me. Not once did she make me feel like I was dumb or incompetent. I respect her for that. She is a true team player. I know other managers look up to her. She is caring, warm, and always positive,” Rodiles said.

Cristina Heredia, resident manager at Cabrillo’s Villa Cesar Chavez Apartments in Oxnard, agreed saying, “Monica is outgoing, funny and knowledgeable. She is always learning, going to meetings that affect housing – meetings that are not required, but that she is interested in – so she can learn all she can about what is going on and how that will affect our residents, jobs, and policies.”

Campos came to Cabrillo in 2006 from the Housing Authority of Santa Paula, where she worked for 10 years processing Section 8 housing vouchers. She said she felt trapped behind a desk and did not feel like she was helping anybody.

“I heard about Cabrillo and what they were doing from colleagues and in the community. I saw something in the organization and saw them helping and making a difference. It felt like the place I needed to be to make a real difference,” Campos said.

She said Cabrillo’s founder, Rodney Fernandez, was the most giving and open person she’s ever met and his way of leading with compassion made her feel like she was able to be true to herself.

“All my co-workers at Cabrillo are so kind and share these ideals,” she said. “We all have something special to offer and we do everything together as a group. We collaborate. It’s like a clock that doesn’t work right if something is missing. Each of us does our part,” Campos said.

Campos is very involved with the residents, too, caring for and making sure they are all OK, Soto said, adding that Campos’s close relationship with residents has given her an opportunity to advocate for them and suggest new opportunities. She said Fillmore Central Station student residents have received scholarships every year because Campos helps them and encourages them to apply.

Campos, who has been the property manager at Fillmore Central Station since it opened in 2010, said she has watched as her residents’ families have grown up alongside her own and are going to college. This year, six residents are graduating from Fillmore High School and going to college, including Campos’s own son.

According to Campos, that is a change in mentality from when Fillmore Central Station first opened. Residents now believe that their children can go to college.

“Education is important to the residents now. One family has seen three daughters and a son all go to college. The oldest is pursuing her PhD at Arizona State University, which she will complete in 2021. She is also a professor and teachers her own class there. The next graduated from UCLA and has a Masters of Mathematics and teaching credentials. She is teaching at Amino Charter High School as a math teacher and sports director. The youngest daughter is at CSUN pursuing her Masters of Social Work. The son will graduate from Fillmore High School this year and plans to go to Moorpark College. He is into music and part of the band and Fillmore Mariachi,” Campos said.

She said all six of the family members lived in a studio apartment before moving to a four-bedroom, two-bath unit at Fillmore Central Station.
“Living at Central made their lives easier. They had privacy, their own rooms. They didn’t have to go somewhere else to study – a friend’s house or Starbucks – so they could concentrate. They could study at home. That we can provide that kind of stability for someone makes all the difference,” she said.

According to Soto, Campos is wise at managing her budget, finds a number of community resources for her residents, and actively solicits these resources from the community for her property and others.

Fellow property managers recognized Campos for all she does during the annual holiday luncheon this year, presenting her with a gift basket and their gratitude for her efforts in organizing the Toys 4 Tots project for residents.

“We’ve participated in the program in the past, and because of the number of properties we own, it has been a bit chaotic to manage, but Monica stepped up and said she wanted to manage it this year. She served as a liaison between our properties and the Toys 4 Tots organization. She met with the coordinators and with managers to follow up on applications and requests.

Cabrillo and Toys 4 Tots were able to distribute gifts to 902 families at 18 properties.

“Monica is a genuine person who loves to help and is the type that will give you the sweater off her back. I can honestly say she is a role model and a great example of what Cabrillo means,” Heredia said.

Fillmore Central Station to celebrate 10 years

March 23, 2020 By Alicia Hoffman Leave a Comment

Cabrillo is excited to celebrate 10 years of operation at its Fillmore Central Station Town Homes This year. Resident Manager Monica Campos has been at the property since it opened and said said it’s amazing that after 10 years, the property still looks brand new.

“The residents’ pride in the property both inside and out, is what keeps it this way,” she said.

Campos recalls recently walking the property and noticing residents watering plants, hosing off their porches, and showing a general pride and caring in the upkeep. It’s something she said she tries to impart to all new residents when units turn over.

“If we explain to them the sense of community that exists here from the beginning, and let them know what the expectations are, then it works. The sense pride helps enforce the rules of the community and fosters that sense of pride in your living space. These units are the residents’ homes and they take care of them,” Campos said.

She said over the years the residents have developed a sense of family, both figurative and literally.

“Seven families at the development are related, but all the residents protect and take care of each other. It is such a welcoming community, not only for the residents, but for the entire Fillmore community,” she said.

“Each year we put on a Las Posadas event that is open to residents and the community as a whole. We celebrate with hundreds of people,” Campos said.

She said over the years she has watched her residents’ families grow, go off to college and some have even moved on to home ownership, which she said is inspiring and she is proud to play a part.

Scholarship Application deadline extended to June 1

March 20, 2020 By Alicia Hoffman Leave a Comment

The closure of schools throughout Ventura County and the need for social distancing has had a tremendous impact on all of us. We know it may be challenging for everyone to take care of themselves, friends and loved ones, while continuing to work, study, and conduct daily life.

Continuing their education and “normal” life may be a challenge for many students. Therefore, we have extended the application deadline for the Rodney Fernandez Leadership Fund scholarships to Monday, June 1, 2020. We hope all of our residents stay well. Please submit any questions regarding the scholarships to [email protected] and we will respond as quickly as possible.

Download Application >>

Cabrillo provides food for those in need

March 19, 2020 By Alicia Hoffman Leave a Comment

During these uncertain times when food is running low, Cabrillo’s Azahar Place Apartments, with the help of FOOD Share of Ventura County is providing food distributions to our properties and our community.

Azahar’s dream team volunteers, the Las Capitanas, came together Thursday to ensure this community has what it needs.
Residents, Veronica Garcia, Nancy Zendejas, Erika Palomar, Zeinada Negrete, Maria Soto, Leti Chavez-Pina and Edith Rodriguez; Manager Gabby Vignone; and Maintenance staff Sammy Belmontes, Gerardo Ortiz and Jerry Villa, picked up food at FOODShare and volunteers bagged and distributed it to families in need.

“We are so thankful that we were able to be giving back in times like these,” Vignone said.

Azahar Place Apartments, 11370 Mimosa St, in Ventura, conducts FOOD Share distributions from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. the first Wednesday of each month (USDA distribution) and from 5:30 -6:30 p.m. the third Wednesday of each month (USDA distribution). These events are open to the public.

Cabrillo also hosts FOODShare distributions from 1 to 2 p.m. on the second and fourth Friday of each month at The Santa Paulan Apartments, 114 N. Fourth St., Santa Paula.

What we are doing during this crisis

March 19, 2020 By Alicia Hoffman Leave a Comment

To our Residents and Community Partners,

We hope that you are doing well and staying safe within the sanctity and embrace of your homes. Along with you, we are all adapting to these unprecedented times and challenges on a day-to-day basis.

We very much value our partnerships and, with this in mind, we must be vigilant about keeping our staff and residents safe. To this end, we are temporarily closing our corporate offices until April 1, 2020. We are open for business in the virtual sense, and staff is dedicated to providing you with the highest quality of services you would ordinarily expect from Cabrillo! Most of our dedicated staff has been deployed to shelter-in-place, while others are attentive to our residents at their respective properties. Staff is prepared to respond to your emails and phone calls as soon as possible.

As you can imagine, our residents and their children, as well as our special needs and senior populations, are especially vulnerable groups that are disproportionately impacted by these unique times. They depend on our services and support, and our Property Management and Resident and Community Services are on the front lines to respond to the needs of our residential communities.

If you find it within your grasp, please consider making a donation to our residents who do not have the luxury of working remotely. As you can imagine, we house many farmworkers, service employees, and other hourly wage workers who cannot afford to lose their jobs. We will do our part by supporting our families and working with our families to avoid evictions due to nonpayment of rent.

Please consider making a donation, small or large. You can change the life of a family in need with groceries, rent assistance, utilities, and other daily expenses. As a community, we are strong, have immense power together, and know that we collectively can do our part to ensure that Ventura County emerges from this crisis stronger than before. To facilitate your contribution, please click here to donate.

In solidarity and community,
Margarita H. de Escontrias
Chief Executive Officer

CONTACT INFORMATION

Corporate offices:
Phone: 805-659-3791
Email [email protected]
Our Properties:
Our properties will continue to be staffed but closed to the public. You can contact the property via phone directly with any questions or concerns. Click here for a list of properties and contact information.

Alfredo Martinez joins CEDC Board of Directors

February 6, 2020 By Alicia Hoffman Leave a Comment

Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation (CEDC) is pleased to welcome the addition of Alfredo Martinez to its Board of Directors.

“We are pleased to have Alfredo join our Board. His enthusiasm and energy are contagious. His valuable insight and perspective of affordable housing is a great asset to move our mission and vision forward,” Cabrillo CEO, Margarita H. de Escontrias, said.

Martinez said he had been researching Cabrillo as an undergraduate and had applied to be on the board because the issue of affordable housing in Ventura County really reflected his experiences.

“Being a first-generation American, my family struggled with affordable housing early on. I’m really happy with all the aspects of Cabrillo’s mission. The way Cabrillo provides education, activism, and advocacy really resonates with me.,” Martinez said.

“I had already been looking into CEDC as an undergraduate because I believe in the mission, and I wanted to make a difference. Then, when I started at CBC Federal Credit Union and met Margarita, I figured this was the best way that I could make an impact and serve my community,” he said.

“I want to get involved as quickly as possible and learn as much as I can so I can get on board and hit the ground running as quickly as I can. I am happy and excited that I was selected and approved to be part of the board, so I can contribute and further the Cabrillo mission,” Martinez said.

Martinez, an Oxnard resident, is a community and special events coordinator at CBC Federal Credit Union, developing and maintaining partnerships with community organizations, educational institutions and local businesses in Ventura County.

Martinez is a 2018 graduate of California State University, Channel Islands, with a degree in Business with a marketing emphasis. While a CSUCI, he completed and executed market research for Santa Rosa Island Research Center and implemented its first business model. He was a member of the CSUCI Sports Club Executive Council and Student Advisory Board of University Life, and President and founding member of the Karate Club.