VUSD selects three groups to carry out proposals for the properties
On April 7, Ventura Unified School District board members held a special board of education meeting that discussed the district’s proposals for three surplus properties. These sites are the Jewett Estate, Avenue School site and Washington School site. The meeting also dealt with public employee discipline, dismissal or release as well as their Local Control and Accountability Plan. The agenda was posted 24 hours in advance.
Between Dec. 17 2019 and Oct. 21 2020, an advisory committee held eight public meetings that determined what properties were considered surplus and acceptable community uses for surplus properties.
In “years of open discussions” in regular board meetings, the board has discussed proposals for each of the properties according to VUSD. In the April 7 meeting, the board selected groups and their proposals for each site.
President of VUSD’s certificated staff union, the Ventura Unified Education Association, Sarah McLaughlin said, “VUEA has been advocating for selling at least one property to a developer that will prioritize workforce housing. Affordable housing is a real crisis in Ventura for educators and the community at large. Ultimately, the union wants the surplus [properties’] usage to benefit and improve the community.”
Three proposals were submitted for the Jewett Estate which has been under VUSD since Sept. 1963 and is located at Ralston and Beaver Streets. The board unanimously selected the Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation because they “showed strong capacity to entitle a feasible project,” according to director of communications Marieanne Quiroz.
VUSD has owned the Avenue School site for “many decades” according to Quiroz and is located at 2647 North Ventura Avenue. The board unanimously selected Ventura Housing out of the eight proposals because “underlying terms of the offer such as price, close of escrow timing, and deposit were in the District’s best interest,” said Quiroz.
Also according to Quiroz, VUSD has also owned the Washington School property for “many decades.” The site is located at 96 MacMillan Avenue. On April 9, 2025, it was placed in the National Register of Historic Places. Out of seven proposals, the board selected City Ventures with one vote in opposition from board member Shannon Fredericks. City Ventures also was selected for the same reasons as Ventura Housing.
The exact date the Avenue School and Washington School properties were obtained by the district is not public. Quiroz said, “A public records request may be submitted to [email protected]. Please note there may be a fee associated with staff time to retrieve this information.”
VUSD will continue negotiating agreements with each selected group. Proposed agreements will be discussed at regular board meetings in open session before becoming approved by the board. Until negotiations are complete, they will remain confidential because they are defined as “trade secrets.” Under Civil Code § 3426.1(d), trade secrets are “subject of efforts that are reasonable under the circumstances to maintain its secrecy.”
Quiroz said, “Typically, negotiations on proposals of this nature take approximately 45 to 60 days to complete. Once negotiations are finalized, the item will be brought to a future Board of Education meeting, date to be determined, for a public hearing, Board discussion, and possible action. We will keep the public informed as those meeting dates are scheduled.”
