About the Ventura County Continuum of Care

About the Ventura County Continuum of Care

Mission Statement

The Ventura County Continuum of Care Alliance is a collaborative group dedicated to promoting a safe, desirable and thriving community by ending homelessness in Ventura County.

Vision
Homelessness in Ventura County is rare, brief and nonrecurring.

Values
The dignity of every human life.
The well-being of the entire community.
The power of the community working together to solve community problems.

Guiding Principles

Collaboration and Coordination
Invest in evidence-based, results-driven and client-focused systems of support that integrate practices, procedures, and services within and across public and private agencies, programs, and policies.

Housing First
People experiencing homelessness require very affordable and permanent housing solutions as quickly as possible and then services as needed.

Strength-Based
Start with and build upon the skills, strengths, and positive characteristics of each person.

Trauma-Informed
Homelessness is a complex, high-risk and individualized condition, not a character trait. Recognize that most people experiencing homelessness have experienced trauma, and build relationships, responses, and services on that knowledge.

Harm Reduction
Seek to reduce the effects of risky behavior in the short-term and eliminate its effects in the long-term.

Governance Board

Dawn Dyer (Board Chair), Dyer Sheehan Group, Inc

Manuel Minjares (Vice Board Chair), City of Fillmore & County BOS

Paul Drevenstedt, VC Public Defender

Stefany Gonzalez, Person with Lived Experience

Ingrid Hardy, City of Thousand Oaks

Dr. Sevet Johnson, County Executive Officer

Mara Malch, City of Simi Valley

Jack Edelstein, VC Community Foundation

Juliana Gallardo, People’s Self-Help Housing

Pauline Preciado, Gold Coast Health Plan

Jeff Lambert, Housing Authority of SanBuenaventura

Carrie Sabatini, Area Housing Authority

Michael Skinner, City of Oxnard

Quick Links

Staff

  • Jennifer Harkey
  • Alicia Morales-McKinney
  • Felipe Flores
  • Morgan Saveliff