Oxnard reports more than 6,000 housing units on the horizon; ADU permits now occupy about 40% of processing

Jeff Bengilly told the council that Oxnard’s housing element was approved by the state in October 2022 and that the city currently has more than 6,000 housing units in entitlement, construction or planned phases, with about 1,600 under construction at the time of his presentation.

He said state housing laws enacted since 2020 have affected many parts of the permitting process and that the department added a housing planner in fiscal year 2024–25 to manage compliance with new legislative requirements.

"Our housing element was approved by the state of California in October 2022 and currently there are over 6,000 units on the horizon," Bengilly said.

Bengilly emphasized the dramatic growth in accessory dwelling unit (ADU) applications, noting applications rose from about 30 in 2019 to 111 in 2020 and are on track for roughly 350–380 in 2025. He said ADU processing currently occupies about 40% of the department’s plan check and permit workload.

He also called out specific long‑range projects such as the South Oxnard Connect transit‑oriented specific plan intended to attract mixed‑income housing and identify service deficiencies in the area.