East Ventura (Oxnard, Santa Clara, Santa Barbara: condos, house, neighborhoods)

[sdann]

I'm in looking for a place to stay in Ventura and was thinking possibly East Ventura (between Foothill and Telegraph, near Imperial Ave), does anyone live in the area or know anything about this place? I'm totally new to Ventura and don't much about the area, so if someone knows anything, please share.

Also, I'll be working in Port Hueneme so how's the traffic heading that way in the morning?

[Winston Smith]

Imperial Ave between Foothill and Telegraph is a good area of Ventura, family neighborhoods, very suburban. Your commute to PH won't be bad, but it's all surface streets. There is quite a high volume of traffic on all of the major streets in the area at times. Figure on 15-20 minutes or so, maybe more at the height of rush hour, especially the afternoon rush. Couple of ways to go from East Ventura: Kimball, Hwy 126, Victoria; or Wells Rd./Hwy 118, Santa Clara/Rice Ave. Where about in PH is your work? Maybe I can suggest a route.

[sdann]

Thanks cre8 for giving me some very helpful info.

I'll be working near the Navy base in Port Hueneme, the intersection nearby is E. Channel Islands and N. Ventura Rd.

If it's not too bothersome, can you also tell me about the area nearby Telephone and Montegomery. Is it a good area? What about the area southeast of Saviers and E. Channel Islands by Las Tunas and E. Yucca?

[Winston Smith]

Originally Posted by sdann

Thanks cre8 for giving me some very helpful info.

I'll be working near the Navy base in Port Hueneme, the intersection nearby is E. Channel Islands and N. Ventura Rd.

If it's not too bothersome, can you also tell me about the area nearby Telephone and Montegomery. Is it a good area? What about the area southeast of Saviers and E. Channel Islands by Las Tunas and E. Yucca?

Montgomery/Telephone is also a fine area. South Oxnard around Saviers gets a little sketchy. There are nicer neighborhoods around the Base in areas of Port Hueneme and West Oxnard, west of Ventura Road. (I'm writing this at the risk of opening the floodgates to all the PH and Oxnard haters who will post messages telling you to avoid those cities. They're both safe, safer than Ventura in many ways. Oxnard is twice the size of Ventura, so naturally it takes more research to figure out where to live.)

If you must enter the base on the Ventura Road side, I'd still recommend Victoria, to CI Bl to Ventura Rd. You can also use Ventura Road by way of Johnson Dr, Hwy 101, Wagon Wheel exit, then left on Vta Rd; the speed limit is lower than Victoria and you'll encounter more traffic lights. Can you use the Victoria Gate at the base? It's just south of CI Blvd. This would be the easiest, just a straight shot down Victoria.

[Douga99]

I am also looking at East Ventura, possibly south of Telephone. Is this an okay area? One home is on a street called Lemur. Are there parts of East Ventura to avoid? How would the commute be from this area to Woodland Hills? Thanks.

[SOON2BNSURPRISE]

Most of Ventura is very nice to live in. Even the hard core areas are not that bad. Some say to stay away from the Avenue area on the west side. While that is true in some sections of the Avenue area there is a lot of new building that has taken place. Many people from the Santa Barbara area have bought homes and condos in the Avenue area. They do have there share of gang issues. Skin heads, a few mexican gangs, the Hells Angels have there club house off the Avenue on Fix Way. What I have found though is that if you do your thing and let them do there's they will not bother you. I have met the Hells Angels main man, George Christy and he is ok with you as long as you don't mess with his business dealings. I am not into the same activities so doesn't bother me. Chances are you will never end up over there anyway.

Ventura is a very old city. The official center of the city is the Ventura Avenue. Everything East of Ventura Ave is East Ventura. The true center is Probably Victoria Avenue. I have worked in Ventura for the past 15 years. I love it and think its a great place to work and live. There are a few great clubs if you are into that. I prefer the Bombay Bar and Grill myself.

As far as the drive to Port Hueneme.Shouldn't be too bad. I end up driving from North side of Oxnard to CMH in Ventura every day and that takes me about 15 minutes or so. If you were to get on the 101 at Johnson and head south to the next exit at Ventura Road you can drive around the Wagin Wheel area and head South on Ventura road. Should take you about 10 minutes to get to Ventura and Channel Islands Road. At the most 15 minutes.

I grew up in Port Hueneme. That is a nice beach community. The area of Ventura and Channel Islands has a need to be redone. There is a 99 cent store in the area and a K Mart that may be closing. Never know about the K Mart. I seldom ever visit those stores anymore. A lot of other little retail shops there. The area that is south east of Channel Islands and Saviers is a real dive. It has a need to be torn out and rebuilt. There is a lot of new constuction happening on the South Side of Oxnard. It will be an up and coming area someday. we have a clinic that we own down just past the Chevron Station on Saviers south of Channel Islands. I work for CMH and we have 9 county clinics. Guess which one we have the most vandalism issues at and the most graffiti issues at? That is correct our Saviers Road Clinic. This is a place that the people of the area can go for medical treatment and they destroy the place. For example a public bathroom that we have in our lobby was trashed so bad that we ended up rebuilding it and putting a lock on the door. The patients now ask for a key to get into the bathroom. You would think that would stop the vandalism. That isn't the case. I have never understood that line of thinking that someone messes up something that can help them. We had a man living in the space that we keep our two roll away trash cans. How in the world does someone live that way? My job is with the facilities end and I had to toss his rear end out of there and clean up a trash bin area.

Port Hueneme is a very nice city. I think you will like working there. Don't worry too much about living in Ventura. Most of the city including where you mentioned is a great place to live. Parts of South Oxnard need some help though.

[~Boo~]

sdann: I agree, that part of Ventura is a nice area. The suggested route down Victoria is probably best; although, it does get congested...as does most of Ventura during the day. You'll have to do the commute a few times to get the feel for it. But it's still manageable. Parts of Oxnard are sketchy. Near the base are some nice areas & it's more a matter of what you feel comfortable with.

Douga99: If I'm thinking correctly that's near Montalvo? Most of the neighborhoods appear to be decent, then other streets I'm not so sure about. But overall I think Ventura is a safe place. I think you just need to go there & find out what's comfortable for you. I wouldn't say I'd avoid any part of Ventura. I use to live near Saticoy in Ventura & I wouldn't chose to live there again...but that's just my opinion. You'll be commuting the same direction as many others. Depends on your work hours. The commute home down the grade will be worse than going to work. Friday is usually worse than other days of the week. It's slow but not gridlocked...well as long as there's no accidents.