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Old 06-27-2019, 03:17 PM
 
298 posts, read 300,332 times
Reputation: 301

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A friend will be moving to this area within the next few months. I am trying to find out information to help them out with which area would be the best. They have a job offer in Oxnard. I noticed homes are a bit cheaper in Oxnard. My friend is worried about the crime and also they are caucasian so not sure if they will fit in and be accepted in the area. My friend has no children but wants a house and not a condo or townhome as they don't want to deal with HOA's. My friend heard Camarillo is really safe but my friend said he can't afford Camarillo prices. Any suggestions on safe areas within Oxnard or Port Hueneme and which areas to stay away from. Friend looked in Ventura as well but costs seem to be much more unless you get into the Avenue area which he doesn't like after visiting there. Also, is there a bad homeless issue in any of the areas? He did notice a lot of homeless in Ventura especially in the avenue area and by the beach. How is the healthcare in the Oxnard area? Also is the area safe if he was to bring an elderly person with him? Is shopping within walking distance or is there senior bus if needed? Is the property tax high? Is the property tax rate the same in Oxnard/Port Hueneme? Thanks so much for any assistance I can pass on to him.
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Old 07-02-2019, 02:25 PM
 
Location: Living on the Coast in Oxnard CA
16,289 posts, read 32,197,901 times
Reputation: 21885
My wife and I have lived in Oxnard our entire life. We went to the same high school. Although when I graduated she was only a 6th grader and I had yet to meet her.

Lets talk safety since that seems to be a big concern. Of its size Oxnard is considered one of the safest cities in the Nation. The majority of crime happens in the South side of the city. Although that being said, crime has decreased over the years. Usually when people compare Ventura County cities Oxnard gets a bum rap. When you have cities in the county that always seem to be at the top of the list when it comes to safety, having any crime can skew the numbers within the county. I am guessing few in Thousand Oaks or Simi will want to live in Oxnard because we have more crime then those cities. Realize that we have less crime in Oxnard then they have in Ventura or in Santa Barbara. People don't seem to link crime to living in Santa Barbara. They continue to keep the old notion that it is not safe in Oxnard.

Homeless problem is more pronounced in both Ventura and Santa Barbara then in Oxnard. If I was homeless I would want to live where people seem to have more money. Ventura and Santa Barbara have the look of having more money then Oxnard has. I remember taking the bus to work for a year or so. Homeless people would ride the bus to Ventura to scam people out of their money before returning to their "homes" in Oxnard. Actually a lot of these homeless people had actual places to live in Oxnard and played the part of being homeless in Ventura.

If I were going to buy a home in Oxnard I would choose the North side. My wife and I own a home on the North Side and it is a quiet neighborhood. We still have a place to park on our street. Many south Oxnard homes are lacking parking because of having multiple families living in a single family home.

The West side is not too bad either. Most of the older housing is not in a HOA. If the desire is to avoid living in an HOA then Riverpark is out, East and West Village are out. Many of the newer tracks near Colonia are out.

Most of the Mexicans in Oxnard are Americanized. They are second. third, or more generation. My wife was born here. Her mom was born here. Her grandparents were born in Mexico. Funny thing is that a lot of the Mexicans are harder on newer immigrants than anyone else. A lot of the Mexicans that were born here don't speak Spanish at all. Some of them will even let other Mexicans know that they are American and expect others to learn the English Language.

Property Tax is based on the value of the home when the homeowner bought it. The base rate is 1% of the value of the home. In addition many localities have voted in School bond issues and other items that will increase the property tax. Last time I checked I think I was paying 1.28% in property tax.

After you buy a home and the value increases the County can reassess the value and increase the value of your home by 2%. If you paid $500,000 in 2019 you would pay $5,000 in property tax (plus the additional assessment for what ever was voted in) If the values increased to $550,000 in 2020 the County would increase the value of your home from $500,000 to $510,000 or assessed value plus 2%. You would then pay 1% on the new value.

If prices decline you can have your home reassessed at the new value. So lets say that the home you paid $500,000 in 2019 declined to $450,000 in 2020. You can ask the county to reassess the value and they would drop the taxes down to 1% of the $450,000 value of the home.

If prices go past your original purchase price the county can increase the tax back up to the level you paid plus 2%.
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Old 07-02-2019, 05:10 PM
 
Location: In a room above Mr. Charrington's shop
2,916 posts, read 11,042,187 times
Reputation: 1765
Good info from Soontob.

Oxnard is majority Latino with Caucasians and various Asian backgrounds. All groups mix well. Of the new arrivals from Latin America, many are Oaxacan or Mixteco, and speak their own indigenous languages plus Spanish. As a non-latino but foreign-born person myself, I've found that learning a little Spanish has helped in many situations--for myself, randomly for providing directions or info to strangers, and for making friends.

It is safe to bring an elderly person to Oxnard, which is home to a lot of seniors and retirees. Doctors and hospitals are close. For maximum choice, consider all four cities for medical services, Oxnard, Ventura, Port Hueneme and Camarillo, which are all within a 10-12 mile radius of most places in Oxnard. One resource for older people to be aware of is the Ventura County Area Agency on Aging (VCAAA).

Public bus service is provided by Gold Coast Transit (GCT) and VISTA (managed by the Ventura County Transportation Commission at goventura.org). All GCT and VISTA busses are ADA compliant. In addition, Gold Coast has door-to-door concierge busses for seniors and disabled.

Stores and services may be within walking distance depending on where you choose to live. (What one considers "walking distance" depends on the person, but most people find a ten- to 15-minute walk (up to 3/4 mile) to be doable for a lot of errands.) If it's important to have a grocery or drug store close enough for walking, then it might make sense to locate those first, and then look for housing in the adjacent neighborhoods. Oxnard is structured in such a away that stripmalls and shopping plazas are sprinkled throughout the city so that all neighborhoods have them nearby, in most cases within two miles at most.

Homelessness is a growing issue all over southern California. The topic has been on the radar of local jurisdictions for a long time, and services, though not plentiful enough, are available in Oxnard and Ventura, as well as in coordination with the county. Since homelessness has ballooned all over California in recent years, it's finally on the front burner of state legislators and the governor. Let's hope for serious action in the months and years ahead, but it's going to take a long time to tackle. Personally, I have never been harassed by any homeless person, but the issue is a clear health and safety concern, particularly for those who find themselves homeless.
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Old 07-02-2019, 09:12 PM
 
Location: Carpinteria
1,199 posts, read 1,636,421 times
Reputation: 1184
Port Hueneme- home of the Green Mile.
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Old 07-02-2019, 10:43 PM
 
Location: New York
494 posts, read 281,820 times
Reputation: 1340
Port Hueneme would be my choice.
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Old 07-03-2019, 10:01 AM
 
Location: Living on the Coast in Oxnard CA
16,289 posts, read 32,197,901 times
Reputation: 21885
Winston reminded me, bus service for individuals that are 75 years old or older is free with Gold Coast Transit.

Also with coastal cities, realize that most of us do not have an Air conditioner. I always used to say that our AC is the Ocean breeze. temperature in the summer time is mild to sometimes chilly, especially if the fog rolls in. May can be gray and June can be gloomy. Usually it seems that just before 4th of July the fog clears and we can then enjoy summertime. The sky has been clear all week so far. What this translates to is low electric bills, unless you have a pool or a hot tub. LOL

Move inland to Camarillo and it does get a little warmer, although everything West of the Conejo grade is normally more mild than on the East side of the grade.

Sourdough and Meekawal mentioned Port Hueneme. I grew up in Port Hueneme and although it is near South Oxnard it is different then living in South Oxnard. Also part of Port Hueneme is near the West Side. You can find homes for under $500,000 in Hueneme, although I don't know how long that will last. The home I grew up in was 1,100 square feet when it was built although it sat on a 6,800 square foot lot. When I was a kid my parents added on an additional 700 square feet. You may still find smaller homes in the city though. Always have a home with an older addition checked out. When I was a kid many of the locals would hire Seabees to remodel the homes without permits. Years ago you could get away with that kind of thing. While my dad was in the Navy, he was stationed on a Destroyer in San Diego and worked at Port Hueneme on weapons systems design. My dad had to rip out a patio that some seabees installed when they bought their home.

Other than that, both cities are great to live in.
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