A new Ventura County Grand Jury report says the cities of Oxnard and Ventura are taking too long to review and approve permits for development projects like housing.
The report notes both cities have been hit by the departure of key staff members and inadequate staffing. It says there have also been issues with computer software used to process applications.
The report calls on both cities to hire people with backgrounds with the software, and to work with experts in the technology to improve training and streamline the process.
The Grand Jury notes both Oxnard and Ventura have been addressing the issues by adding staff and focusing on steps to improve the development approval pipeline.
