Take Action! 

Families across the United States are paying too high a price to cover the cost of home. Rents and homeownership costs are skyrocketing while wages are not keeping pace. 

Today, nearly 18 million U.S. households pay half or more of their income on a place to live. That means nearly 1 in 6 families are denied the stability that safe, decent and affordable housing provides.

In Ventura County, people struggle to provide the most basic need for their families: a home. According to a University of Southern California report, rent is projected to climb to $2,090 in 2020, up $107 from $1,983 a month in 2018. One in three spend more than 50% of what they earn on housing, leaving precious little for necessities like food, transportation, and medical care, and nothing left to save for their future. Many live in homes that are cramped, unsafe, and in disrepair and families suffer from the effects of unstable housing: their health is worse, children perform poorly in schools, and there are fewer opportunities. California just set a new record with the median home cost rising to $700,000 according to the New York Times. 

At Habitat Ventura, we're using our voice to advocate alongside people in need of safe, decent and affordable housing. Through collective advocacy efforts, we seek systematic and policy change that eliminates barriers to affordable housing. You can help us shape a Ventura County where everyone has a place to call home. 

Local Advocacy News & Events

None at this time -- stay tuned!

Volunteer Opportunities

Young Ambassador Program: Our Young Ambassador Program was founded to recruit student leaders in the Ventura County communities as advocates for advancing Habitat’s mission. As a team we will coordinate publicity events, advocate for policies that create more housing for low-income families, meet with local elected officials, and learn about nonprofit management. We encourage high school students and young people of all backgrounds from Ventura County to apply for this program; including people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ, and people with disabilities. At Habitat, we advocate to increase affordable housing and believe that "everyone deserves a place to call home."

Habitat Young Professionals: Habitat Young Professionals (HYP) is a diverse group of young professionals who share resources, time and talents to make a difference in our local community. HYP is about having fun and making personal and professional connections throughout Ventura County, while helping to give hardworking, low-income families a chance to finally own a home. HYP is a motivated group that is committed to volunteering, donating, and spreading the word to our friends and colleagues about Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County.

Interested in the Youth Ambassador Program, Habitat Young Professionals or other ways you can get involved? For more info, contact Crystal Star: crystal@habitatventura.org.

Cost of Home

Cost of Home is a five-year advocacy campaign through which local Habitat organizations (including Habitat Ventura), partners, volunteers and community members across the country are working together so that 10 million people have access to an affordable home.

Cost of Home has already helped more than 1.5 million people access decent housing through our advocacy to influence policies at the local, state and federal level. But we haven’t reached our goal — yet. That’s why we need you to join us. 

Learn more about Cost of Home below!