Ventura Unified Sells Former Avenue School for $6 Million

A 7.44-acre parcel on North Ventura Avenue that has sat vacant for more than three decades is finally getting a path forward. The Ventura Unified School District Board of Education voted 5-0 on October 13, 2026, to approve a $6 million sale of the former Avenue School property at 2647 North Ventura Avenue to Ventura Housing, the agency formerly known as the Housing Authority of the City of San Buenaventura, acting through Homecomings Inc.

The Ventura Breeze, which first reported the story, noted that the site is slated for affordable housing aimed at educators and the broader Ventura community — a development that, if it moves forward, would convert one of the city's longest-dormant school properties into homes in a region where housing costs have increasingly pushed teachers and school staff out of the communities they serve.

A Site Vacant Since 1989

The property was historically home to Avenue Elementary School, also known as Avenue School. The school closed in 1989 because the building did not comply with state seismic safety requirements, and the land has remained unused ever since — a 37-year stretch during which the Westside parcel has generated no classroom activity and little public benefit.

For residents who drive North Ventura Avenue regularly, the site is a familiar reminder of stalled plans. But the October vote marks the most concrete step yet toward redevelopment, capping a multiyear district effort to determine what to do with surplus property across Ventura Unified's portfolio.

How the Sale Came Together

The path to the sale ran through the District Board's appointed 7-11 Committee, a citizens panel established under California's surplus-property rules to evaluate potential uses for district-owned land and gather community input. Based on the committee's recommendation, the board declared the North Ventura Avenue property surplus to the district's needs and opened the door to a sale.

The district then received a waiver from the State Board of Education that provided flexibility in the surplus-property process, according to the Ventura Breeze. VUSD issued a request for proposals on September 30, 2025, inviting bids for affordable housing development or other purchase or lease arrangements. After reviewing submissions, the district selected Ventura Housing and negotiated the option for sale agreement the board approved unanimously last month.

The board's full deliberations, including the property sale vote, are available to the public via the district's YouTube livestream of the October 13 meeting.

Why Educator Housing Matters Here

The proposed development speaks to a challenge that school districts across the Central Coast and California more broadly have struggled with: teachers and support staff who cannot afford to live where they work. Ventura's housing costs have climbed steadily over the past two decades, and long commutes have become common for school employees priced out of the city.

"Our teachers and staff should be able to live in the community they serve," Marieanne Quiroz, VUSD's director of communications and public information officer, told the Ventura Breeze. "When educators can find affordable housing in the city in which they work, they shop at our local businesses, coach our youth teams, and make further family connections at City events. This vote is an investment in keeping those connections strong for years to come."

The project would also add affordable housing stock to Ventura's Westside, a neighborhood along the Ventura Avenue corridor that has seen periodic reinvestment efforts but where large developable parcels are rare.

Where the $6 Million Goes

The proceeds won't flow into teacher salaries or day-to-day operations. Under California law, money from the sale of surplus school property is generally restricted to one-time expenses — capital improvements and facility projects — rather than ongoing operating costs, subject to limited exceptions. That means the $6 million will be directed toward district facility needs.

The agreement authorizes district officials to complete the necessary sale and escrow procedures, and the transaction remains subject to the terms and conditions of the purchase and sale agreements.

What Happens Next

Nothing will be built right away. Any future housing development on the site must still go through the City of Ventura's planning and approval process, which typically includes design review, environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act, and public hearings before the Planning Commission and City Council. Neighbors will have opportunities to weigh in on density, height, traffic, and design as the project takes shape.

For now, the vote resolves a question that has lingered since Avenue School's doors closed in 1989: what becomes of a school site the district no longer needs? The answer, if city approvals follow, will be homes — including, district leaders hope, for the educators who teach Ventura's children.

Residents seeking more information about the district can visit venturausd.org or call 805-641-5000.