The Ventura Unified School District (VUSD) has made a key decision on one of its surplus properties—and this one comes with added complexity. The Jewett Estate, located near Ralston Street and Beaver Avenue by Ventura Community Park and Kimball Road, is SOAR-protected agricultural land, which raises an important question:
How can anything be built there?
Let’s break down what was decided, who’s involved, and what this could mean for housing in Ventura.
What Did Ventura Unified Decide?
After reviewing three development proposals, the VUSD Board of Education voted unanimously (5-0) to enter into negotiations with Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation (Cabrillo EDC).
This does not mean the project is approved yet—it simply means Cabrillo EDC is the selected developer to move forward in discussions with the district.
Still, this is a major step and gives us strong insight into what could be coming.
What Is the Jewett Estate?
The Jewett Estate is one of three surplus properties owned by VUSD that the district has been evaluating for potential disposition.
- 📍 Location: Ralston St & Beaver Ave, Ventura, CA
- 🌳 Nearby Landmarks: Ventura Community Park, Kimball Road
- 🚜 Zoning Context: SOAR-protected agricultural land
Because of its SOAR designation, this site is very different from typical development opportunities.
Who Is Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation?
Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation (Cabrillo EDC) is a Ventura County-based nonprofit developer that has been building affordable housing since 1981.
Their mission is focused on creating service-enriched, inclusive residential communities for:
- Low-income families
- Farmworkers
- Seniors
- Veterans
- Individuals with disabilities
Unlike traditional developers, Cabrillo EDC doesn’t just build housing—they often integrate support services like:
- Job training programs
- Educational resources
- Community services
- Resident support systems
This model is designed to help residents not just live, but improve long-term stability and quality of life.
Cabrillo EDC’s Current Development Pipeline
Cabrillo EDC is actively building across Ventura County and the Central Coast, which reinforces their ability to deliver on projects like this.
🏗️ Under Construction
- Dolores Huerta Gardens (Oxnard) – 58 units for farmworkers and veterans
- Village Senior Apartments (Buellton) – 50 units for seniors
🛠️ Pre-Development (Coming Soon)
- Camino de Salud (near Ojai) – 49 units of supportive housing for homeless and low-income residents
- Chaparral Place (Ojai) – 50 units for farmworker and low-income families
- Topa Vista Villas (Santa Paula) – 112 units for low-income families
- Casa Caritas (Santa Barbara) – 67 units of low-income and supportive housing
These projects show a clear pattern: affordable housing at scale, often tied to specific community needs.
How Can They Build on SOAR-Protected Land?
This is the most important piece of the conversation.
SOAR (Save Open-space and Agricultural Resources) is designed to limit development on agricultural land in Ventura County. In most cases, this type of land is heavily restricted.
However, there is a key exception:
👉 SOAR allows for farmworker housing.
And that’s exactly where Cabrillo EDC fits in.
Because they specialize in farmworker and affordable housing, their proposal can potentially align with SOAR’s legal framework—something most traditional developers could not do on this site.
What Happens Next?
Even though Cabrillo EDC has been selected, the project is still in the early stages.
Here’s what comes next:
- Negotiations with VUSD
- Project planning and design
- Environmental review and approvals
- Public input and hearings
- Final entitlements before construction
In other words—this is far from a done deal.
What This Means for Ventura Real Estate and Housing
This decision highlights a few bigger trends happening in Ventura:
- Continued pressure to add housing inventory, especially affordable housing
- Increased use of surplus public land for development
- Creative navigation of strict land-use protections like SOAR
- A growing role of nonprofit developers in shaping the housing landscape
If this project moves forward, it could become a case study in how Ventura balances housing needs with land preservation policies.
Final Thoughts
The selection of Cabrillo EDC strongly suggests that affordable or farmworker housing is the likely direction for the Jewett Estate—but nothing is finalized yet.
This will be a project worth watching closely as it moves through the approval process.
