Casa Aliento

OXNARD, CALIFORNIA

Goal: Transform a temporary housing facility into permanent supportive housing with amenities, resources, and services for low-income and homeless individuals, prioritizing those vulnerable to the COVID-19 public health crisis and persons living with mental disabilities.

 Casa Aliento is a 70-unit affordable housing community in Oxnard, CA, developed from the former Vagabond Inn Motel. The project will provide permanent housing for extremely low-income individuals, homeless individuals, or those at risk of homelessness. Since December 2020, the Vagabond Inn has operated as a shelter under California’s Project Homekey, offering temporary housing for formerly homeless individuals. Current residents will be relocated within the site as the units are renovated, with some moving into the permanent housing once completed. Additionally, 34 of the units will be designated as No Place Like Home (NPLH) units, serving individuals living with mental disabilities.

The development involves rehabilitating the motel and will feature amenities such as an outdoor dining area, garden boxes, a dog run, and a smoking area. Substantial rehabilitation work will ensure the long-term functionality of the building. The property is situated in a mixed commercial and residential area of Ventura County, close to various businesses and amenities.

Casa Aliento will combine independent housing with comprehensive wrap-around services provided by Ventura County Behavioral Health (VCBH) and Mercy House. All units will be rent-restricted for extremely low-income individuals and those experiencing homelessness. The development follows Housing First principles, offering access to on-site mental health support, supportive services, and ongoing tenant education, with VCBH providing services for the NPLH units.

DEVELOPMENT

Casa Aliento was awarded Homekey operating funds from HCD in August 2020 to transition the property—formerly a 70-room Vagabond Inn Motel serving as temporary housing under Roomkey funding—into a shelter for vulnerable individuals during the COVID-19 crisis. The project was made possible through a combination of Homekey funds from HCD, County of Ventura funding, Oxnard Housing Authority Project-Based Vouchers, and CDBG and NPLH funding from the state.

DATA
  • Completion Date: December 2024
  • Total Development Cost: $42.5M
  • Affordability: 30% AMI
  • Total Units: 70
  • Unit Mix: 69 SRO, 1 1BD (Manager Unit)
TEAM
  • Developer: CDP & Mercy House
  • Architect: Architecture Design Collaborative (ADC)
  • Contractor: ICON National
  • Property Management: FPI Management
  • Resident Services Partner: Mercy House
WEBSITE

PARTNERS

CDP is proud to partner with these organizations, dedicated to bettering the lives not only of Casa Aliento’s residents, but of those lower-income residents in surrounding communities.

Mercy House

Mercy House was founded by Father Jerome T. Karcher with a vision to serve the local homeless and at-risk communities. Since beginning services in 1990, Mercy House has grown from a single transitional housing program to a complete system of care designed to span the spectrum of services. These range from outreach and homeless prevention programs to emergency shelters and permanent housing, which incorporates both Housing First projects serving chronically homeless populations and affordable housing serving very low to low-income populations. On an annual basis, Mercy House programs and services touch the lives of over 7,000 adults and children across Orange, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, Ventura, and Kern Counties in California as well as Maricopa County, Arizona. Their growth over our 30-year tenure has been tied to clarity of vision and purpose, always bearing in mind the organization’s ultimate goal: to end the homelessness of all who enter their unique system of care.

Ventura County Behavioral Health Department (VCBH)

The Ventura County Behavioral Health Department (VCBH) provides mental health and substance use treatment services. VCBH plays an important role as an integrated component of the Ventura County Health Care Agency. The Crisis and Referral Line is the entry point for access to all Ventura County Behavioral Health Services. Individuals needing health services or who are experiencing a mental health crisis should call this number. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We provide support for individuals and families who are in crisis; people considering suicide; or those struggling with mental illness, substance use, or both.