2015 June
Transcription
2015 June
A VCEDA Sponsored Supplement June 2015 Housing in My Backyard By Sandy Smith Last year, I had the opportunity to serve at the Annual Housing Opportunities Made Easier (HOME) housing conference. Joining me on a panel were Dr. Jamshid Damooei of Cal Lutheran’s Department of Economics, Finance & Accounting within the School of Management, as well as Jeff Lambert, Community Development Director for the City of Ventura. We were asked to provide a “State of the Region” analysis regarding land use and housing – identifying issues that affect our region’s ability to provide housing for our residents, and how the development community has responded to those challenges. Dr. Damooei also led the team that provided the data and much of the analysis that makes up the Ventura County Civic Alliance’s recently released biennial State of the Region report. Between the information that Dr. Damooei presented at the HOME conference, and the data contained in the Civic Alliance’s State of the Region Report, the message is clear for businesses that hope to operate in Ventura County: You have your work cut out for you if you choose to own and operate a business in Ventura County. The list of challenges one faces to locate, start, or maintain a business in the County is daunting. From accessing startup capital, to navigating the complex and costly regulatory/permitting system, to attracting and acquiring a skilled workforce – it’s an ever-growing and intimidating index of obstacles. The challenges differ from business to business, but one hurdle all share is the high cost of workforce housing. Ventura County is among the top ten metropolitan areas in the nation requiring a high wage level to afford a two-bedroom housing unit. What does that mean in real dollars? It takes a salary of $28.83 an hour – a yearly salary of more than $59,000 a year – to rent a twobedroom apartment in Ventura County. 15% of workers in the County (43,990 people) require two to three full-time jobs in order to afford a two-bedroom housing unit. 46% of workers in the County (135,220 people) have to work one and a half to two jobs in order to afford twobedroom housing unit. 77% of workers in the County (224,470 County residents) cannot afford two-bedroom housing with ONLY one full-time job. This data reflects more than a need for what one normally considers “affordable housing.” This is housing for our nurses, our office workers and administrative support staff, our construction workers, and our teachers. It includes those employed in protection services, and community and social services. The reasons why housing costs so much in Ventura County are well-documented, including the price of land, a lack of supply due to the recent recession, and the time it takes to permit and entitle housing projects. We also require new housing projects to be located within existing urban boundaries due to our self-imposed land use restrictions. Unfortunately this infill strategy for development faces two additional challenges. First, we have an aging infrastructure that requires projects to absorb some of the upgrade/replacement costs, and secondly, any project proposed within an existing urban setting means that the proposed location is near somebody else. In short, any proposed project must overcome public and political barriers as part of the entitlement process. NIMBYism (Not in My Back Yard) is alive and flourishing in Ventura County. Sandy Smith 2015 Chairman, VCEDA Board of Directors A third generation resident of Ventura County, Sandy is a former Mayor and Councilmember for the City of Ventura. Sandy is currently employed as a Land Use Consultant for Sespe Consulting, an engineering firm based in Ventura. Sandy is also a member of the graduate faculty in Public Policy and Administration at California Lutheran University. Contact Sandy Smith at [email protected] As the premier organization representing and advocating on behalf of Ventura County’s businesses, VCEDA will focus on two outreach efforts to address the high cost of operating a business in Ventura County. In the months ahead, VCEDA will partner with the Ventura County Civic Alliance to support and host a series of community dialogues to focus on two questions: How do we overcome our resistance to infill and more dense urban development given the realities of our existing land use policies, and how can we move continued on page 3 what’s inside • Seaport Economic Impacts page 2 • Top Women in Business page 2 • VCEDA Board of Directors page 3 • Ventura County Energy Producers • California Organic Waste Recycling Legislation • Board News • Growing Our Local Talent page 3 page 4 page 6 • VCEDA Membership Application page 6 • About VCEDA page 8 VC EDA News 2 A VCEDA Sponsored Supplement June 2015 Port of Hueneme Economic Impacts Support Growing Contributions of Ports Nationwide in New Study By Will Berg In a study of the economic impacts of United States seaports on the nation’s economy, including those of the Port of Hueneme, the evidence is overwhelming: seaports deliver prosperity. An updated report of the benefits that U.S. ports contribute to the prosperity of the nation was released on April 21 at the American Association of Port Authorities’ (AAPA) 2015 Spring Conference meeting in Washington, D.C. There, Dr. John Martin, president of Lancaster, Pa.-based Martin Associates, a leading provider of economic and strategic assessments of the world’s transportation systems, debuted his firm’s 2014 National Economic Impact of the U.S. Coastal Port System. The report showed the contributions of America’s seaports in 2014 equaled $4.6 trillion, or more than one-quarter of the country’s economy. The contributions of America’s seaports to the nation’s economy have risen dramatically in the seven years since Martin Associates’ last nationwide ports economic impact study. While overall economic impacts increased 43 percent since 2007, other notable gains include: • Jobs generated by port-related activity jumped 74 percent to 23.1 million; • Federal, state and local tax revenues generated by port-sector and importer/exporter revenues rose 51 percent to $321.1 billion; and, • Personal wages and local consumption related to the port-sector increased from $649 billion to $1.1 trillion, with the average annual salary of those directly employed by port-related businesses at $53,723. “The growth in jobs and econom- ic importance of America’s seaports reflects the fact that the value of international cargo handled at these ports increased by $400 billion since 2007, reaching about $1.8 trillion in 2014,” said Dr. Martin. “It’s important to emphasize that the key growth in our international trade was in U.S. exports, which saw a 60 percent increase in value over the past seven years.” Dr. Martin also emphasized that the robust growth in the economic impact value from U.S. ports occurred despite the economic recession that severely hampered marine cargo activity between 2008 and 2012. “At the local level, the Port of Hueneme provides $1.1 billion in economic impact and over 10,226 direct, indirect and related jobs, positioning the port as the region’s largest economic engine,” said Kris- tin Decas, CEO and Port Director. “Both the new impressive national numbers and the Port of Hueneme’s local contributions show that seaports generate huge economic impact and jobs, and ports represent the backbone of our economy, as well as our connection to the world and our very quality of life.” Decas reiterated that the Martin Associates’ findings “also show how vitally important it is that investment in our ports and landside transportation infrastructure be a high priority so that the U.S. can remain a global competitor, providing these positive impacts for generations to come.” Contact Will Berg, Director of Marketing & Public Information at the Port of Hueneme, at wberg@ portofhueneme.org. Nan Drake of Harrison Industries, Kristin Decas of Port of Hueneme, Attorney Melissa Sayer of A to Z Law Named ‘Top Women in Business’ for 2015 By Stan Whisenhunt Nan Drake, the director of Governmental Affairs and Public Relations for Harrison Industries; Kristin Decas, CEO and port director for the Port of Hueneme; and attorney Melissa H. Sayer from the Oxnard law firm of Arnold LaRochelle Mathews VanConas & Zirbel LLP (A to Z Law) were named among the top 50 Women in Business in the Central Coast in a special section published March 27 by the Pacific Coast Business Times. The Times annually selects 50 women from Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties to honor for their exceptional leadership in the business community. This is Drake’s eighth consecutive year and Sayer’s second year receiving this honor. Drake has a long history of serving on the boards of many charitable organizations in addition to her 35-year-plus record of public service in Ventura County. She currently, or in the past, has served on the boards of the Ven- VCEDA Chairman’s Circle Members tura County Economic Development Association (VCEDA); the Ventura and Carpinteria Chambers of Commerce; the Economic Development Cooperative, Ventura County; the advisory committee of the Ventura County Regional Energy Alliance; and the Workforce Investment Board. She also co-chairs the Ventura St. Patrick’s Day Parade. In January 2013, VCEDA presented Drake with its Carl Lowthrop Golden Eagle Award, the organization’s highest honor given annually to the volunteer demonstrating exemplary character. Drake served as a Ventura City Council member from 1985 to 1989 and as a board member of the Ventura County Regional Sanitation District. In 1988 she was appointed to the Los Angeles Region of the California Water Quality Board and was reappointed in 1991. She also served on the Outer Continental Shelf Committee under the California Departcontinued on page 5 VC EDA News June 2015 A VCEDA Sponsored Supplement3 Housing VCEDA Board of Directors Executive Mike Durocher Mike Smith Committee: Scanlon Guerra Burke Waste Management Amy Fonzo Douglas Tapking California Resources Area Housing Authority Corporation of Ventura County Randall George Celina Zacarias Myers Widders Gibson CSU Channel Islands Sandy Smith Chair Sespe Consulting, Inc. Joe Gibson Vice President & Policy Jones & Feingold LLP Committee Chair Meridian Consultants Lorena Gomez Ellen Brown Coastal Occupational Medical Group Secretary Volt Workforce Rudy Gonzales Solutions Southern California Lifetime: Suzanne Chadwick Marc Charney Mitchel Kahn Mike Silacci Edison Ed Lyon Treasurer Susan Hersberger AT&T Stacy A. Roscoe Aera Energy LLC Bill Camarillo John Krist Agromin Farm Bureau of Ventura Marc Charney County Law Office of Marc Neil McMillan L. Charney Express Employment Darren Kettle Kristin Decas Professionals Ventura County Port of Hueneme Jim Meaney Nan Drake CBRE E.J. Harrison & Sons, Inc. Phil Nelson Joseph Kreutz Amgen County Commerce Bank Dawn Noorda Boldrin Kerby Lecka Westlake Marketing Works ITT Technical Institute Tracy Perez Stacy Roscoe United Staffng Associates Vlad Vaiman, Ph.D. California Lutheran Kara Roeder Ex-Officio: William Buenger World Affairs Council Transportation Commission Captain Scott Loeschke Naval Base Ventura County Bruce Stenslie EDC-VC Dick Thomson Ventura County Taxpayers Association Procter & Gamble University Melissa Sayer Organizational A to Z Law Michael Cardona Mark Sellers Emily Barany Stay Green, Inc. Jackson DeMarco Consulting John Chamberlain David Shore Limoneira Company TWIW Insurance Henry Dubroff Services, LLC Pacific Coast Business from not in my backyard, to yes in my backyard? Additionally, on October 23rd, VCEDA will host its 45th Annual Business Outlook Conference at the VCOE Conference Center in Camarillo. Titled “Ventura County Workforce: The Road to Success,” the conference will explore the employer’s perspective on challenges and opportunities facing the regional workforce. To learn more, contact VCEDA at (805) 676 – 1332 or [email protected]. Ventura County Energy Producers Strengthen the Local Economy By Amy Fonzo Oil and natural gas production plays a key role in Ventura County’s economy. Locally, oil and gas producers are responsible for more than twelve thousand jobs with quality wages. In fact, some of our local companies offer average salaries of nearly $70,000. Annually, Ventura County producers generate $2.7 billion in business sales and $534 million in local and state tax revenue. California has the nation’s most stringent safety, labor and environmental standards for oil and gas production. Dozens of federal, state and county agencies oversee oil and gas operations in Ventura County. Despite major investments in both renewable energy and local oil and gas production, California has a chronic dependency on imported energy. California imports more than 90% of our state’s natural gas demand and more than 60% of our oil needs. Imported energy leaves value behind in the source country in the form of jobs, tax revenues and economic activity. Increasing local energy production of all types, including oil, natural gas and renewables, will provide Ventura County with a more secure, affordable and reliable energy supply; create additional well-paying local jobs; and generate vital revenues to fund our schools, police officers, firefighters and other public services. VCEDA’s board chairperson, Sandy Smith, underscored the importance of this economic engine by saying, “Oil and gas production has occurred responsibly in Ventura County for nearly 100 years and is a strong economic driver that brings high-paying jobs and tax revenues to our community. By continuing to responsibly develop our domestic energy supplies under the most stringent environmental standards, we can meet our energy needs and support a vibrant community.” Support provided by: Directors: Tidus Peckenpaugh continued from page 1 Rene S. Randel A Professional Corporation Emily Barany Owner Susie DiMauro Rene S. Randel, MBA, CPA, CFP ® Project Coordinator Times VCEDA’s Mission Statement: To advocate for policies, legislation and programs that stimulate business and a vital economy as the foundation for a vibrant quality of life in Ventura County. Tax, Financial, & Estate Planning Services 1601 Carmen Drive, Ste. 213 Camarillo, CA 93010 P: 805.389.3330 F: 805.389.3337 www.rsrcpa.com email: [email protected] Sign up for our monthly email newsletter at www.rsrcpa.com VC EDA News 4 June 2015 A VCEDA Sponsored Supplement Ventura County Firms Work to Meet New California Organic Waste Recycling Legislation By Stan Whisenhunt and John Cressy Governor Edmund G. Brown recently issued an executive order to establish a California greenhouse gas reduction target of 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 – the most aggressive benchmark enacted by any government in North American to reduce dangerous carbon emissions over the next decade and a half. “With this order, California sets a very high bar for itself and other states and the nation, but it’s one that must be reached, for this generation and generations to come,” Brown said. This comes on the heels of Brown’s signing of four bills in September that will change the way California views organics by promoting emerging technologies, increasing recycling and reducing greenhouse gasses. VCEDA executive board members Nan Drake and Bill Camarillo say their respective firms are working aggressively to meet the mandates imposed by Gov. Brown’s executive order and the new legislation – Assembly Bill 1826, Assembly Bill 1594, Senate Bill 605 and Senate Bill 498. Drake is director of governmental affairs and public relations for Harrison Industries. Camarillo, former VCEDA chairman, is chief executive officer of Agromin. The two firms are strategic partners in a massive recycling movement. Harrison Industries is a Venturabased trash and recycling hauler that serves more than 90,000 residential and commercial customers in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. Harrison and Agromin have worked together to recycle massive amounts of green waste and more recently have developed a steadily growing food waste recycling program. Agromin manufactures earthfriendly soil products for farmers, landscapers and gardeners. Agromin is also the composter for more than 50 California cities. Each month, Agromin receives and recycles more than 30,000 tons of organic material. AB 1826, introduced by Assemblyman Wesley Chesbro (D-North Coast), is designed to cut greenhouse gas emissions, reduce the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers and create a source of green energy. AB 1826 accomplishes this by diverting methanegas-producing organic food and yard waste away from landfills and into programs that recycle it into renewable resources such as biofuels and nutrient-rich compost for agriculture. AB 1826, which will take effect on April 1, 2016, mandates that businesses generating more than eight cubic yards of commercial solid waste per week will be required to arrange for organic waste recycling services. It helps implement AB 341, landmark recycling legislation adopted in 2011 that established the goal of diverting at least 75 percent of California’s solid waste away from landfills by 2020. AB 1594, introduced by Assemblyman Das Williams (D-Santa Barbara), is designed to encourage local governments to divert green waste from landfills. Compostable organic materials currently comprise about one-third of what is disposed in landfills annually and much of it is used as alternative daily cover (ADC), a temporary overlay on an exposed face of a landfill, which provides a barrier from odor and insects at the end of the work day. Existing law authorizes green waste to be used as an ADC and exempts green waste from a statewide disposal fee. This exemption, with the recycling credit local governments receive toward their diversion goals, ends up encouraging the use of green materials for ADC instead of other more environmentally friendly uses. Williams said green waste should be used as compost instead. SB 605, introduced by Ricardo Lara (D-Long Beach), is a greenhouse gas reduction bill that places portions of the AB 32 Scoping Plan into statute for the Air Board to develop a comprehensive strategy to reduce emissions of shortlived climate pollutants, such as methane, by January 2016. VCEDA Executive Committee members Nan Drake, director of governmental affairs and public relations for Harrison Industries, and Bill Camarillo, chief executive officer of Agromin SB 498 (Lara) is a renewable energy bill that revises the definition of the term “biomass conversion” to mean the production of heat, fuels or electricity by the controlled combustion of, or the use of other non-combustion thermal technologies on, specified biomass materials. “All of the newly signed bills are an attempt to divert millions of tons of organic waste from landfills, because they produce methane gas that cannot be 100 percent captured,” Camarillo said. “The waste industry and specifically landfills are contributing to climate change pollutants. If we are not successful with diverting 50 percent of commercial organics from landfills by 2020, then they will most likely be banned from landfills in the future.” “We’re working diligently to meet the strict mandates set by this new legislation,” said Ralph Harrison, president of Harrison Industries. “In fact, we have anticipated these future regulations and have already taken steps to meet their requirements.” Harrison pointed to the pilot commercial food waste program the company has undertaken with Agromin. Established in 2012, the program has grown to include over 70 businesses, mostly restaurants and supermarkets but also hospitals and schools. In over two years, more than 2,000 tons of fruit and vegetable skins, unused dairy products, bones, and other biodegradable food scraps have been diverted from landfills and transported by Harrison trucks to Agromin, which employs a Covered Aerated Static Pile System to mix them with yard waste to create enriched compost. Harrison’s goal is to expand the food waste program to include more businesses and, eventually, to its residential customers. As a result of the food waste program and other innovative residential and recycling programs Harrison Industries instituted with its client cities and the County of Ventura, all are on track to meet AB 341’s 75 percent recycling goal. Harrison has also taken important steps to help its client cities and the County of Ventura meet the tight air-quality regulations of AB 32, the 2006 state law that established a comprehensive program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from all sources throughout the state to 1990 levels by the year 2020. In 2010, Harrison earned Climate Registered status for taking voluntary steps to measure its carbon footprint, ensuring that it is moving toward compliance of AB 32. VC EDA News June 2015 A VCEDA Sponsored Supplement5 Please join us online at www.VCPublicWorks.org/RMDZ Women in Business continued from page 2 ment of Environmental Affairs (1987-1989) and was instrumental in getting a large grant for the City of Ventura for Seaside Park. Decas joined the Port of Hueneme as CEO and port director in February 2012. She serves on the VCEDA board of directors and executive committee and is the chairwoman of the board for the American Association of Port Authorities. Decas was appointed by the United States Department of Transportation to both the National Freight Advisory Committee and the U.S. Marine Transportation System National Advisory Council, and was recently chosen to speak at the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Maritime Day ceremony in Washington, D.C. Before taking over at the helm of the Port of Hueneme, Decas served for five years as CEO and port di- rector for the Port of New Bedford, Massachusetts, the nation’s number one value fishing port. Sayer provides business counsel services to clients ranging from individual entrepreneurs and investors to mid-sized growth companies. She handles a variety of business-related transactions from formation to complex business sales and reorganizations, to agriculture and water. Sayer serves on the VCEDA board and on the Strategic Advisory Committee for Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV). She serves as a business advisor providing pro bono legal advice to WEV participants and is a member of the faculty of the Ventura County Community Foundation Center for Non-Profit Leadership. She is a member of the CSU Channel Islands Business and Technology Partnership. VC EDA News 6 June 2015 A VCEDA Sponsored Supplement Board News NEW BOARD MEMBER: VCEDA is pleased to welcome Tracy Perez, United Staffing Associates, to the VCEDA Board of Directors. Tracy Perez is a lifelong resident of Ventura County, born and raised in Oxnard, California. Tracy brings more than 15 years of business development and management experience to United Staffing Associates (USA) in her role as branch manager. Tracy consistently demonstrates success in developing valuable business relationships and has a vast knowledge of the Ventura Tracy Perez, United Staffing Associates County job market. Tracy is passionate about the economic development of Ventura County and is actively involved in the community. Tracy currently holds the position of co-chair for the Ventura County Civic Alliance (VCCA) Workforce Education Committee, sits on the executive committee of VCCA, and was appointed to the VCEDA board of directors in March 2015. She is an active participant of House Farm Workers Ventura County, CAUSE Triple Bottom Line Business Network, and a board member of Habitat for Humanity-Ventura County. Tracy is committed to community leadership and civic engagement. Tracy enjoys spending time with friends and family, especially her husband, Henry, daughter Breana and son, Kyle. She currently resides in Ventura, California. Growing our Local Talent for the 21st Century By Dr. Gabe Soumakian, Jim Rose & Mary Anne Rooney Over the past 20 years, ample educational research has supported the effectiveness of small learning communities for student engagement and learning. In one of the more structured forms – the “career-themed academy” model promoted by the National Academy Foundation and others – student engagement is cultivated through a “content in context” approach to cross-curricular project-based activities, as well as work-based learning experiences connected with the academy’s theme. Oxnard Union High School District (OUHSD) has adopted this model by developing the Alliance for Linked Learning in order to grow local talent for the future workforce. The Alliance for Linked Learning implements four elements in this model: 1) a rigorous core curriculum for university-bound students; 2) an integrated sequence of technical courses related to an industry; 3) a series of work-based learning opportunities; and 4) support services to assist all students in achieving success in the program. The greatest challenge to classroom educators is the integration of workbased experiences. Educators often come to the classroom without much exposure to work outside of education and may be at a loss as to what the business world is like or how to approach it. The Oxnard Union High School District (OUHSD) has developed a unique approach to solving this problem and will be testing its solution throughout the implementation of its California Career Pathways Trust (CCPT) grant. OUHSD, which has been growing its career academy program since 2007, was one of only six districts to receive a $6 million award to expand and perfect its programs. OUHSD will make the jump from 12 to 22 open academies by the start of the 2015-16 academic year. During groundwork meetings with businesses, the theme emerged that businesses do not have the time or resources to follow up on requests for engagement from the dozens of academies and pathways already present in the county. The idea for using a “single-point of contact” business intermediary to solve this problem emerged from this dialogue. The District chose to partner with the Ventura County Civic Alliance (VCCA) as a business intermediary to connect the District with business and community support. The VCCA, an initiative of the Ventura County Community Foundation, brings skills and connections built through 15 years of experience with workforce and other issues that the District could not build from scratch. We strongly believe this model provides the best solution for addressing this concern. The OUHSD and VCCA maintain close communication throughout this implementation to leverage resources and provide an effective and efficient collaboration. This diagram illustrates the relationship of the agencies in the Alliance. The blue side of the diagram outlines the areas of concentration for the OUHSD, while the green indicates areas for the VCCA. This allows each partner to focus on its strengths while supporting the overall vision of the District. The District addresses the academic needs of its students, including articulation with its feeder middle schools and four-year schools, development of both academic and technical curricula, and provision of support for student success. Meanwhile, the VCCA acts as a “clearinghouse” for students’ work-based activities focused on career awareness, exploration, and preparation. Our County faces a shortage of skilled workers to replace retiring em- ployees. The Alliance for Linked Learning is looking for businesses to align with education in the Oxnard Union High School District in order to provide a skilled workforce to make Ventura County more competitive. If you would like to participate in this innovative educational reform, please contact Mary Anne Rooney, Project Director for the Ventura County Civic Alliance, at [email protected]. June 2015 VC EDA News A VCEDA Sponsored Supplement7 VCEDA News is the official publication of the Ventura County Economic Development Association (VCEDA) and is published every other month with the cooperation of the Pacific Coast Business Times. A concerted effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information contained in this publication. VCEDA and the publisher do not warrant or guarantee the correctness of information furnished them, nor against the possibility of errors, omissions or inaccuracies. Therefore, the publisher and VCEDA assume no liability for correctness, errors and/or omissions. Official positions of VCEDA are taken only as a vote of record of the Board of Directors and are clearly referenced as such. All rights are reserved. Reproductions in any form, of the whole or any part of the VCEDA News, for any purpose, is forbidden unless prior written permission is obtained from VCEDA. Copy deadline for next edition: Friday, August 28, 2015 Produced by VCEDA Printing Southwest Offset Printing For information on sponsorship and/ or advertising opportunities, please contact [email protected]. VCEDA PO Box 2744 Camarillo, CA 93011 Ph: (805) 676-1332 www.VCEDA.org VCEDA Membership Application Annual Membership Dues: Company Contact Name Title Company (1-39 Emp.) $400 Company (40-79 Emp.) $800 Company (80-139 Emp.) $1200 Address Company (140-219 Emp.) $1800 City StateZip PhoneFax Company (220-299 Emp.)$2400 Company (300+ Emp.) $3600 E-mailWebsite Total $ Number of Employees Industry Sector Make checks payable to: Brief Description Referred by VCEDA PO Box 2744 Camarillo, CA 93011 Phone: 805-676-1332 Web: www.vceda.org E-Mail: [email protected] VCEDA Tax ID #95-1905685 8 VC EDA News A VCEDA Sponsored Supplement June 2015