Press Releases

Today, Congressman Salud Carbajal announced that he had secured nearly $9,000,000 in direct federal funding for community projects to benefit residents of Ventura County in the federal funding bills drafted and passed yesterday by the U.S. House of Representatives.

The funding bills, written to cover federal spending for the upcoming Fiscal Year 2023, provide funds to expand Highway 101 between Ventura and Santa Barbara, add air conditioning to E.P. Foster Library, and construct a safe beach access for Mondo’s Cove.

“I have, and always will, use my seat in Congress to work to deliver real results for Central Coast residents. I am proud to have secured over $22 million for local projects – including nearly $9 million for projects that will improve the quality of life for Ventura County residents once approved by the U.S. Senate and signed into law for the upcoming fiscal year,” said Rep. Carbajal. “With these funds, we will be able to make critical upgrades that will reduce traffic, upgrade our public spaces, and make Ventura County an even better place to call home.”

Rep. Salud Carbajal specifically requested and pushed for funding for these and other Central Coast projects through the House Appropriations Committee.

In total, Rep. Carbajal secured $22,466,540 for 14 projects across the House’s funding bills that were approved in recent weeks by the House Appropriations Committee.

So far, the full U.S. House of Representatives has advanced 12 of Carbajal’s projects to the U.S. Senate.

The full list of projects secured for Ventura County can be found below:

$750,000 to help fund installation of air conditioning at E.P. Foster Library in downtown Ventura. Funds will help cover the costs of design, permitting, equipment and labor for the much-needed addition to the 60 year-old library that only has heat and ventilation systems.

Once completed, the City of Ventura plans to utilize E.P. Foster as a cooling center for older Ventura residents during heat events.

“The City of Ventura is thankful for the leadership of Congressman Salud Carbajal to pursue federal funding to upgrade the HVAC system for the E.P. Foster Library. Located in the heart of our historic Downtown, the library provides children, seniors, veterans, students, and families with a safe location to access books, computers, and educational classes,” said Ventura Mayor Sofia Rubalcava. “This historic library opened in 1921 at its present location and does not featuring air conditioning. These funds will allow us to provide a much-needed AC system that will enhance the health and safety of this vital community facility.”

$1,000,000 to cover the costs of designing and installing concrete and metal access stairwells to create a safe beach access at Mondo’s Cove, a popular beach for families and residents of all ages from across Ventura County. Once permitted, the construction of this beach access is estimated by the County of Ventura to take between five to seven months.

“I would like to thank Rep. Carbajal for his support of the Mondo’s Beach Project,” said Matt LaVere, Ventura County Supervisor for District 1. “This project will solve a long-standing need for safe access to this very popular beach. Once the stairway is completed, people from across the county, including many families and children, will be able to fully enjoy this beach.”

$7,000,000 to support construction of one of the two remaining sections of carpool lane expansion on U.S. Highway 101 between Santa Barbara and Ventura. Once completed, these carpool sections will complete 30 continuous miles of three-lane traffic between Ventura and Goleta. Construction of the remaining HOV lane sections is expected to begin in March 2023 and be completed by summer 2026.    

“Representative Carbajal has been a champion of the Highway 101 project for many years and we appreciate his strong and consistent support,” said Marjie Kirn, executive director of Santa Barbara County Association of Governments. “Out of hundreds of projects in the bill, this $7 million for Highway 101 is one of the largest included, which really shows his effectiveness. This leadership in Washington, D.C. couldn’t come at a better time. Federal support is critical for continuing to make progress in supporting our region’s number one transportation priority.”

Additional Background

The funding for these three projects was passed by the House today and heads to the U.S. Senate for its consideration and approval.

The full list of projects requested by Carbajal for Fiscal Year 2023, as well as more information on the rules governing what projects could be requested, can be found here.

This is the second year that Rep. Carbajal and his colleagues have been permitted to request specific Community Project Funding (CPF).

In Fiscal Year 2022, Rep. Carbajal delivered nearly $18 million for nine community projects on the Central Coast.

More information on those CPFs can be found here.

Rep. Salud Carbajal represents California’s 24th congressional district, encompassing Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and part of Ventura County. He sits on the House Armed Services Committee, Agriculture Committee, and Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, where he serves as the Chair of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation. 

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