Ventura County runs on the people who work here. Teachers, nurses, first responders and the professionals our employers depend on to keep this county moving every day. Too many of them cannot afford to live here.
Renters in Ventura County must earn $50.65 per hour, three times minimum wage, to afford the average $2,634 monthly rent for a two-bedroom apartment, while the average salary across all industries in Ventura County was $72,800 in 2024, according to the Center for Economic Research & Forecasting's February 2026 Ventura County Economic Forecast. When working families earning 80%-120% of the area median income are priced out, businesses lose talent to neighboring counties, commutes grow longer and our economy slows. This is no longer a problem of individual affordability; it’s a systemic economic constraint.
There is a way for the business community to be part of the solution, and it is not a donation. It is an investment. The Housing Trust Fund Ventura County Community Impact Note is the vehicle that lets local employers, foundations and institutions put their reserves to work building workforce housing right here at home. Investments range from $100,000 to $10 million, and 100% of every dollar supports housing affordability in Ventura County. A 2026 Urban Institute study of Trust Funds in Oklahoma found that every dollar invested in affordable housing development returns roughly $3.40 in local economic output.
The Community Impact Note allows employers and institutions to earn financial returns while creating community returns. Investors in our Community Impact Note receive a financial return with monthly or quarterly interest at a modest fixed rate, with principal returned at maturity. Employers will see a return as affordable housing helps to attract and retain a stronger local workforce.
With Housing Trust Fund Ventura County's revolving loan fund, your investment continues creating impact beyond a single development. As loans are repaid, the funds are reinvested into future developments, multiplying the impact of your original investment. As a result, our community demonstrates corporate leadership right here where our neighbors work and live.
As a U.S. Department of the Treasury-certified Community Development Financial Institution, Housing Trust Fund Ventura County manages the revolving loan fund with a track record our investors can count on. Since 2013, Housing Trust Fund Ventura County has committed and funded $54 million in loans, helping to create 2,255 affordable workforce homes.
Recently, the Greater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce has directed its advocacy on improving the policy environment needed to increase housing production in the region. Just this year, the Greater Conejo Valley Community Foundation presented a $25,000 Community Impact Note to the Housing Trust Fund Ventura County, not as a grant or donation, but as a strategic investment.
“Increasing our overall housing supply is essential but ensuring a portion of those homes remain affordable is equally critical if we want to maintain a diverse workforce and a resilient local economy.” said Danielle Borja, President, Greater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce.
While no single organization, city or developer can solve our housing shortage alone, together, we can pair sound public policy with innovative private investment and keep Ventura County's workforce in Ventura County. These investments help to ensure that working families and individuals have access to safe, stable housing throughout Ventura County, because everyone deserves a home. Your investment today can help to continue this mission.
Learn more at housingtrustfundvc.org/.