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.

Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation has received a $150,000 unrestricted operating support grant over two years to be used for overall operational expenses.

The funds will assist Cabrillo with evaluation and activity tracking methods to enable CEDC to further develop and improve its services for residents, Cabrillo Director of Business Development and Administration Denise Bickerstaff said.

Currently, Cabrillo provides ESL classes, Homework Clubs, food pantries, community gardens, summer programs for kids, scholarships, and health and nutritional services to its residents.

The funding also will give Cabrillo an opportunity to increase staffing in the Real Estate Development Department and retain real estate expertise to enlarge Cabrillo’s development pipeline and manage more projects in varying stages of development, Bickerstaff said.

At this time Cabrillo is in predevelopment on two projects, a 42-unity farmworker development on Etting Road in Oxnard and a 50-unit development for seniors in Buellton. Snapdragon Place Apartments, Phase II will have its grand opening celebration on Nov. 15 as that property in collaboration with the Housing Authority of San Buenaventura finishes leasing.

“We are excited to be looking to the future with a focus on developing much-needed affordable housing in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties, and chipping away at the immense need for affordable housing here,” Cabrillo CEO Margarita H. de Escontrias said.

De Escontrias said, funds also will be used for board development training on best practices pertaining to board effectiveness and in the recruitment of board members with specific skills and expertise.

Fall is officially here. With the changing of the colors and the crisp cool air, we are reminded of the comfort and warmth we have in our hearth and home. We are thankful to have an abode to call our own and pray for the disaster recovery of many households throughout our state.

For the third year in a row, California has experienced deadly fires fueled by drought, dry vegetation and extreme winds. Thousands of homes have been lost and hundreds of lives were taken, exposing millions of us to unhealthy air.

Due to these pre-existing conditions, we must study and explore “climate resilience” in the provision of affordable housing. What does this all mean?

There was a great article in the New York Times recently that confirms renters of low-income housing face much greater challenges than other higher-income renters in response to weather-related events.

What does climate resilience mean for affordable housing? Simply put, it means that the housing sector must be poised to remain functional during times of disaster and recover quickly after a wildfire, hurricane, flood or other climate-related disasters.

Cabrillo currently is developing strategies for bolstering climate resilience in the housing sector, including developing and training staff on emergency preparedness planning from a regional level down to our residential property level. We will be exploring new design and building standards for our properties to adjust to our new normal. And lastly, we will work with affordable housing lenders and insurance industry to manage climate risks while still achieving the high-quality standards for which Cabrillo is known.

As we launch into the New Year, we also will be engaged in writing our next Strategic Plan and will be hosting community meetings to solicit YOUR input. There is more to come on that effort, so please stay tuned. Our Board of Directors will make the announcements for the community visioning sessions in your area.

May we depend on you to contribute to this visioning effort?

We thank all of our investors, funders, donors and benefactors for your continued support and commitment to our Mission. Without your donation, we could not accomplish what we continue to do every day. Thank you is not enough to express our appreciation. Together we have accomplished almost 40 years of BUILDING COMMUNITY!

İSi Se Puede!