Safe Home, Safe Families

This program was created to inform and assist property owners and tenants of applicable city rules and regulations pertaining to dwelling units within the city limits. This is a general guide and not intended to supersede any provisions in the City of Oxnard Code.

What is this program and its intent?

This program focuses on property owners and/or responsible parties who have repeated violations regarding substandard conditions. The intent of the program is to implement specific tools and resources to gain compliance and improve the quality of the city’s neighborhoods.

What are substandard conditions?

Substandard conditions threaten the health and safety of occupants. They include but not limited to:

• People living in improper occupancies (Ex: Using garages, sheds, kitchens, for sleeping purposes.)
• Unsafe construction (ex: exposed wiring, utilizing defective material for repairs and/or new construction, etc.)  
• Major or hazardous property maintenance issues (ex: overgrown weeds, holes in the walls, deteriorating floors/roofs, visible mold growth, lack of or improper locations of exits, etc.)
• Inadequate sanitation (ex: no running hot/cold water, lack of proper plumbing)
• Infestation of insects, vermin, or rodents

Who will be placed into the program?

Applies to dwelling units with any of the following conditions:

1. Three or more separate violations for conditions that are dangerous or impair habitability at the same property within a consecutive three year period; or
2. Three or more separate violations for conditions that are dangerous or impair habitability at different properties owned by the same responsible person; or
3. A confirmed code enforcement violation for any condition that is dangerous or impairs habitability is issued at the property, and the violation remains unresolved for at least three years.

If placed in the program, do I have the right to appeal?

If you object to registration into the Program, you may file with the Oxnard City Clerk a written request for an appeal before a hearing officer within fifteen (15) days of receiving a notice from the Code Official. At least ten (10) days before the hearing, the hearing officer will mail a written notice of the date, time and place of the hearing.

What happens once enrolled?

• The responsible party will have a mandatory initial meeting with Code Compliance where the program and steps will be outlined.
• Code official will perform an initial inspection of the property.
• Owners will receive written notification of violations and up to 30 days to comply.
• All tenants will receive information regarding the program goals.
• Inspection fees will be charged and citation amounts are doubled while in the program.
• Requires mandatory yearly inspection of the subject properties.
• Must pass two consecutive annual inspections without violations to be removed, no less than 12 months apart.

What if I am a tenant in one of the properties that have been placed into the program?

You will receive information regarding the program goals. An initial inspection of the property will be conducted to determine any repairs that need to be made to cure health and safety violations and the property owner and/or responsible parties will have no more than 30-days to comply, but extensions may be granted for good cause. If units or rooms are found to be substandard and uninhabitable, the property owner and/or responsible parties will be required to pay tenant relocation assistance. The city may advance the relocation assistance if the property owner and/or responsible parties fail to do so.

There are tenant right laws that govern retaliatory eviction and actions. The City of Oxnard cannot participate in civil matters. If you have additional questions please contact a private attorney.