Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County announced it will mark its 40th anniversary, celebrating four decades operating on a simple but urgent mission that brings people together to build homes, communities and hope. What began in the mid-1980s from community-based roots has grown into one of the region’s most enduring forces for affordable homeownership, partnering with families across 14 cities. Over four decades, that work has touched more than 20,000 volunteers, donors, and community members.
Founded by Virgil Nelson through his work with Project Understanding, Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County emerged from a broader mission to address unmet needs across the region, with affordable housing quickly rising to the forefront. That early momentum took tangible shape in 1990, when Habitat Ventura broke ground on its first homebuilding project in Oak View on donated land. Today, as it marks its 40th anniversary, Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County has built nearly 100 homes across the region and continues to expand its impact under CEO Darcy Taylor.
“We are proud of the homes we’ve built and the families we’ve served,” said Darcy Taylor, CEO of Habitat Ventura. “This year, in recognition of 40 years, we are celebrating this momentum and the responsibility we share to continue meeting the evolving housing needs of our community.”
The demand for that work has never been more urgent. According to the California Lutheran University Center for Economic Research and Forecasting (CERF), Ventura County ranks as one of the least affordable housing markets in the United States. The median home price reached $924,300 in 2024, and CERF projects it will surpass $1 million within two years. The average two-bedroom apartment runs $2,848 per month, requiring an annual income of $172,000 to afford, in a county where the average salary is $70,100. Behind those numbers are real families, navigating a market where the gap between what housing costs and what work pays has widened every year for more than a decade. Closing that gap, one home and one family at a time, is what Habitat Ventura has spent 40 years doing.
Habitat Ventura is preparing for an exciting new chapter in its mission to expand affordable housing opportunities in Ventura County, with a small-scale residential development planned for Ojai and anticipated to break ground in summer 2026. The Montgomery Street Tiny Homes project will deliver five new homes designed to meet the needs of the Ojai community while preserving the character of the neighborhood. The organization continues to expand its Home Repair Program, serving seniors, veterans, and low-income homeowners facing the kind of deferred maintenance that puts housing stability at risk. Its ReStore operations in Oxnard and Simi Valley generate revenue that flows directly back into the mission.
To mark 40 years, Habitat Ventura invites the public to celebrate that story at the Hearts & Hammers Dinner and Auction on Saturday, May 16, 2026 at the Museum of Ventura County in Ventura. The evening will feature dinner, live music, an auction, and a short film honoring the people and partnerships behind four decades of impact. Tickets and information are available at habitatventura.org/hearts-hammers-2026/.