State and Local Policy Database

Oxnard

City Scorecard Rank

44

Oxnard, CA

62.50Scored out of 250Updated 05/2024
Community-Wide Initiatives
Score: 7.5 out of 45 points
Community-Wide Climate Mitigation and Energy GoalsList All

Climate Mitigation Goal

Oxnard adopted a goal to reduce GHG emissions 40% below 1990 levels by 2030. ACEEE was unable to project if the city will achieve its near-term GHG emissions reduction goal because insufficient GHG emissions data were available for our analysis.

Energy Efficiency Goal

We did not find information regarding a community-wide energy reduction goal for the city.

Renewable Energy Goal

We did not find information regarding a community-wide renewable energy goal for the city.

Last updated: August 2023

Equity-Driven Approaches to Clean Energy Planning, Implementation, and EvaluationList All

Equity-Driven Community Engagement

We were unable to determine whether relevant decision-makers have taken a unique and expanded approach in conducting engagement for multiple clean energy initiatives with marginalized groups compared to engagement with other city constituencies.

Equity-Driven Decision-Making

We were unable to determine if the city has created a formal role for marginalized community residents or local organizations representing those communities to participate in decision-making that affects the creation or implementation of a local energy, sustainability, or climate action plan.

Equity Accountability Measures

We were unable to determine whether the city has adopted specific goals, metrics, or protocols to track how multiple energy, sustainability, or climate action initiatives are affecting local marginalized groups. 

Last updated: August 2023

Clean Distributed Energy ResourcesList All

We could not verify if the city has adopted a formal policy, rule, or agreement that supports the creation of clean distributed energy systems.

Last updated: August 2023

Adaptive Mitigation List All

Heat Island Mitigation Policies and Programs

Oxnard allows for the transfer of development rights in order to protect coastal areas.

Resilience Hubs

We were unable to determine if the city has supported the creation of resilience hubs that incorporate clean energy resources and are sited in disadvantaged communities.

Last updated: August 2023

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Workforce DevelopmentList All

Workforce development for disadvantaged workers

We could not determine if city has partnered with a local education institution, labor union, or community-based organization to create, support, and/or incentivize the development of clean energy workforce development initiatives that target training and support services for potential or existing workers from disadvantaged communities to obtain and keep in-demand jobs.

Workforce development for the broader community

We could not determine if city has partnered with a local education institution, labor union, or community-based organization to create, support, and/or incentivize the development of clean energy workforce development initiatives that target training and support services for potential or existing workers from the broader community to obtain and keep in-demand jobs.

Outcomes tracking

We could not determine if the city has instituted a mechanism to measure the performance and/or success of equitable workforce development initiatives focused on the clean energy sector.

Last updated: August 2023

Buildings Policies
Score: 21.5 out of 70 points
Building Energy CodesList All

Overview

The State of California allows its local jurisdictions to adopt building energy codes more stringent than the mandatory state codes. Title 24 outlines all California building codes. Title 24, Part 6 includes the California Energy Code and the California Building Energy Efficiency Standards (BEES). Title 24, Part 11 includes the California Green Building Code. To learn more about California’s building energy codes, please visit the State Policy Database.

Commercial

Commercial properties must comply with Title 24. The city’s zEPI score for its commercial energy code is 41.

Residential

Residential properties must comply with Title 24. The city’s zEPI score for its residential energy code is 26.

Solar-readiness policies

Oxnard adheres to the residential solar-ready requirements already included in the California Building Standards Code.

EV-readiness policies 

The city adheres to the EV-readiness requirements set by the California Building Standards Code. 

Low-energy use requirements

We could not find information on whether the city sets low-energy use requirements for municipal or certain private buildings.

Electrification policies

California's 2022 Building Standards Code includes electric-ready requirements for residential buildings.

Last Update: September 2023

Building Energy Code Compliance and EnforcementList All

We were unable to determine the amount of staff effort dedicated to energy code enforcement. The city requires plan reviews, site inspections, and performance testing to verify code energy code compliance. The city provides plan check services and engineering office hours to help local builders comply with the energy code. 

Last Update: September 2023

Policies Targeting Existing BuildingsList All

Commercial and multifamily benchmarking

The State of California adopted Assembly Bill (AB) 802 in October of 2015. The policy requires commercial and multifamily buildings greater than 50,000 square feet and larger to benchmark energy usage annually. California requires commercial buildings to obtain and disclose ENERGY STAR ratings to transactional counter parties and the California Energy Commission at the time of a sale, lease, or financing for the entire building through AB 1130.

Last Update: September 2023

Transportation
Score: 17 out of 70
Sustainable Transportation Planning List All

Sustainable Transportation Plan

Oxnard's Climate Action and Adaptation Plan was approved in 2022 and includes sustainable transportation strategies. It also includes strategies specifically benefiting disadvantaged communities. 

VMT/GHG Target and Stringency

The City of Oxnard does not have a codified VMT or transportation GHG reduction target. 

Progress Achieved Toward VMT/GHG Targets

The City of Oxnard does not have a codified VMT or transportation GHG reduction target, and therefore cannot make progress toward the target. 

Last Updated: January 2024

Location Efficiency List All

Location Efficient Zoning 

California's SB 9 became law in 2021 and went into effect in 2022. This allows lots in single-family zones throughout the state to be split into two lots, and allows up to two units to be built on each lot, effectively increasing the number of units permitted per lot from one to four in single-family zones. SB 9 applies to residential zones in all California cities, including Oxnard. 

Residential Parking Requirements

California's AB-2097 was passed in 2022 and prohibits local governments from imposing minimum parking requirements on new residential, commercial, and industrial developments within 1/2 mile of a rail transit station or the intersection of two frequent bus routes. Therefore, certain districts in Oxnard do not have minimum parking requirements.

Location Efficiency Incentives and Disclosures

The City of Oxnard does not have location-efficient development incentives or disclosure policies. 

Affordable Housing around Transit

The City of Oxnard does not require or offer incentives for the development of affordable housing in new, transit-oriented developments or preserve existing affordable housing in transit-served areas.

Last Updated: January 2024

Mode Shift List All

Mode Shift Target 

The City of Oxnard does not have a codified mode share target. 

Progress Toward Mode Shift Target

The City of Oxnard does not have a codified mode share target, and therefore cannot make progress toward the target. 

Subsidized Access to Efficient Transportation Options

We were unable to find information on programs or policies subsidizing access to efficient transportation for disadvantaged groups. 

Last Updated: September 2023

Public Transit List All

Transportation Funding

The transit entities that serve the City of Oxnard have received $17,520,174.40 on average annually between 2017 and 2021 from local sources. That equates to roughly $47.71 per capita between 2017 and 2021 within the service area. 

Access to Transit Services

The AllTransit Performance Score measures a given community's transit access and performance. The score considers connections to other routes, access to jobs, service frequency, and the percent of commuters who ride transit to work. The City of Oxnard’s AllTransit Performance Score is 5.5 scoring 1 point in the City Scorecard. 

Last Updated: September 2023

Efficient VehiclesList All

Vehicle Purchase Incentives

Southern California Edison offers an income-qualified $1000-$4000 used electric vehicle rebate, and an additional $4500 rebate for new electric vehicles. 

Incentives for EV Charging Stations

Southern California Edison offers a $3500 per port rebate for installing level 1 or 2 charging infrastructure in multi-family homes. 

Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Requirements

The California Green Building Code requires multifamily properties with 20 or more units and hotels with 20 or more guest rooms to install level 2 EV chargers in five percent of the total parking spaces. 

EV Charging Ports

The City of Oxnard has 40.4 vehicle charging ports per 100,000 people available for public use. 

Electric School Bus Goal

Neither the City of Oxnard nor the local school district have set an electric school bus goal. 

EV Transit Bus Goal

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is requiring all California transit agencies to transition their bus fleets to zero-emissions buses by 2040. Therefore, Gold Coast Transit District has a goal of transitioning to zero-emissions buses. 

Last Updated: September 2023

Freight System EfficiencyList All

Sustainable Freight Plans

The City of Oxnard does not have a sustainable freight plan or freight mobility plan in place, nor is it pursuing any freight efficiency strategies. 

Open Data Portals

The City of Oxnard does not have an open data portal with real-time freight data. 

Last Updated: September 2023

Community Energy Infrastructure
Score: 15.5 out of 40 points
Community Energy Infrastructure Summary List All

Clean Power Alliance is Oxnard's Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) electricity supplier, providing residents and businesses with clean energy. Clean Power Alliance serves approximately one million customer accounts across 32 communities in Southern California and offers three clean energy options that include 36%, 50%, and 100% clean energy.

Southern California Edison (SCE), an investor-owned utility (IOU), is the primary electric distribution and transmission utility and energy efficiency provider for the City of Oxnard. The primary natural gas supplier for Oxnard is Southern California Gas (SoCalGas), an IOU. The State of California requires spending and savings targets for its utilities through an EERS and requires local government-utility partnerships through mandate by the California PUC. The municipally-run utilities are not required to meet the state EERS targets but instead set their own energy efficiency targets. In 2021, California regulators updated state energy efficiency policies to focus on reducing carbon emissions. The state’s new rule rules value efficiency as a grid and decarbonization resource, encourage utilities to offer more programs that primarily serve communities of color and low-income residents, and encourage workforce development programs. To learn more about the state requirements for electric and gas efficiency, please visit the California page of the State Database.

The City of Oxnard Water Division is the municipal utility that provides the City of Oxnard with drinking water services, while the Wastewater Division provides wastewater treatment and stormwater management.

Last Updated: September 2023

Electricity and Natural Gas Efficiency SavingsList All

In 2021, Southern California Edison reported 259,547.95 MWh of net electric savings at the meter across the utility’s entire service jurisdiction, not only Oxnard. In 2021, SCE spent $83,629,607 on electric energy efficiency programs.

In 2021, SoCalGas reported 43.70 MMtherms of net natural gas savings at the meter These savings and spending figures cover the entire service jurisdiction of both utilities, not just the City of Oxnard.

SCE offers electric efficiency incentives and technical assistance to residential and business customers. SoCalGas similarly offers natural gas efficiency programs to residential and business customers.

Through the Energy Leader Partnerships Program, SCE provides support to the City of Oxnard to identify and address energy efficiency opportunities in city-owned facilities, take actions supporting the California Long-Term Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan, and increase community awareness of demand-side management (DSM) opportunities. Through this Partnership, SCE has supported the City in meeting long-term sustainability goals in energy action planning, benchmarking, green business outreach, and other strategic plan initiatives. The City has also leveraged the full range of demand-side management programs and services, including energy efficiency rebates for residential and business customers, demand response programs, and information provided to their community for Income Qualified programs and services. Furthermore, the City has co-branded messaging with SCE to distribute through local communication channels. Oxnard also partners with SoCal Edison on the Energy Upgrade CA Program, which is funded from its operating budget and not by ratepayers.

The City of Oxnard is also an active partner, since 2010, in the Ventura County Regional Energy Alliance Partnership with Ventura County as the implementer and SoCalGas as the utility administrator. The partnership’s main goal is to coordinate and assist public agencies including local jurisdictions, schools, and special districts, with energy efficiency programs and resources available to achieve energy reductions, GHG reductions, and creating a more sustainable future for the entire region. The City of Oxnard is also involved in both a Local and Regional Green Business Program, assisting small/medium size business customers. In 2016 and 2017, Oxnard won Beacon Spotlight Awards in Sustainability best practice as well as Agency Energy Savings.

Last Updated: September 2023

Low-Income & Multifamily EE Programs List All

Low-Income Programs

Both SCE and SoCalGas offer the Energy Savings Assistance (ESA) Program, which is implemented statewide by the investor-owned utilities under the direction of the California Public Utilities Commission. The utilities offer different versions of the program that include different measures.

SCE offers the Energy Savings Assistance (ESA) Program to income-qualified customers, which provides appliance replacements. SCE partners with other utilities, community services and development organizations, nonprofits, faith-based organizations, and local governments on their low-income efficiency program. SCE leverages funds from the California Community Services and Development Department, including Low Income Home Energy Assistance Funding and Low Income Weatherization Program funding.

In 2019, according to SCE, it achieved 44,383.5 MWh in savings, while spending $81,222,072 on its low-income program and serving 90,826 households.

SoCalGas also offers the Energy Savings Assistance (ESA) Program, which provides no-cost energy saving home improvements such as attic insulation, water heater blankets, minor home repairs of exterior doors and/or windows, furnace repair or replacement, water heater repair or replacement and other measures to reduce energy consumption.

In 2021, according to SoCalGas, it achieved 0.74 MMtherms in energy savings from the ESA program, while spending $326,178,563 and serving 105,067 low-income customers.

Multifamily Programs

The SCE offers the Multifamily Energy Efficiency Rebate (MFEER) Program, which offers a variety of incentives for energy-saving products and services to multifamily property owners and managers. Through this program, customers can receive the installation of energy-efficient equipment in both common and dwelling areas of multifamily properties. The program integrates a direct install approach and offers select energy efficiency measures at no cost which can facilitate onsite assessments and encourage property owners to take advantage of rebates for more extensive improvements over time. The program targets all levels of multifamily buildings (i.e., low-income, affordable-to-moderate income, market-rate), including those located in Disadvantaged Communities.

Spending, savings, and participation data for 2019 were not available.

SoCalGas offers a portfolio of multifamily efficiency programs. The Multifamily Direct Therm Savings Program and the On-Demand Efficiency Program provide energy audits and installation of energy efficiency measures. The Multifamily Energy Efficiency Rebate Program offers rebates for the purchase and installation of energy efficiency measures in apartment dwelling units, common areas, condominium complexes, and mobile home parks. The Multifamily Whole Building Home Upgrade Program provides a comprehensive long-term building strategy with energy efficiency retrofit measures identified through an investment-grade audit. The Central Water Heater Multifamily Building Solutions Program offers property owners a comprehensive engineering assessment and incentives for upgrading the central water heater system.

In 2021, according to SoCalGas, it spent $29,055,219 on multifamily programs.  We were unable to verify energy savings and customers served from multifamily programs.

Last Updated: September 2023

Provision of Energy Data by UtilitiesList All

Southern California Gas provides energy use to Portfolio Manager through its online AB802 platform for both commercial and multifamily buildings. The utility provides automatic data entry into Portfolio Manager and 14 months of historical data. The city does not provide community-wide energy usage data at the aggregate level for community planning and evaluation purposes, but municipalities can request such data from SoCalGas. The City of Oxnard does not advocate for better access to utility data for ratepayers or the establishment of data-sharing agreements between the city and its utilities.

Last Updated: September 2023

Decarbonization and Climate Change Mitigation Efforts of Cities and Energy UtilitiesList All

Utility Climate Mitigation Goal

In 2018, Southern California Edison’s Pathway 2045 set a goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045. To achieve this goal, SCE will need to reduce emissions by 3.7% annually from 2018 levels.

City-Led Efforts to Decarbonize the Electric Grid

The City of Oxnard has a Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) through the Clean Power Alliance, which is a locally controlled electricity provider in Southern California. Clean Power Alliance offers three power mix choices, including a lean option that's 36% renewable, a clean option that's 50% renewable, and a 100% green power option. According to their 2018–2019 Impact Report, 28% of Clean Power Alliance customers were on the 100% green power option 52% on clean power, and 19% on lean power. 

Clean Distributed Energy Resources 

We could not verify if the city has adopted a formal policy, rule, or agreement that supports the creation of clean distributed energy systems. 

Municipal Renewable Energy Procurement 

We were unable to find information regarding onsite municipal renewable energy systems in Oxnard. 

City Renewable Energy Incentive and Financing Programs 

We could not find information on whether the city incentivizes the deployment of renewable energy systems. 

Last Updated: September 2023

Efficiency Efforts in Water ServicesList All

Citywide Water Efficiency and Goals

The energy and water utilities do not currently offer joint energy and water efficiency programs. However, as a participant of the California Green Business Program, the City of Oxnard through the Ventura County Regional Energy Alliance Partnership builds partnerships with local business-related organizations to promote the Green Certification Program. The program, which includes measures taken to reduce water consumption as part of the certification process, certifies businesses that promote and operate in an environmentally responsible way. Additionally, SoCalGas offers water efficiency measures that also save natural gas energy through numerous programs serving the residential, commercial, and public sectors, which are available to customers in the City of Oxnard.

The City of Oxnard is in the process of adapting a water savings target and currently has required water saving and conservation measures.

Water Plant Efficiency and Self-Generation

Neither utility has set specific energy efficiency targets or strategies. The city’s water system does not self-generate its own energy.

Last Updated: September 2023

Local Government Score:
1 out of 25 points
Local Government Climate and Energy Goals List All

Climate Change Mitigation Goal

We could not find any information regarding a municipal climate change mitigation or greenhouse gas reduction goal for Oxnard. 

Energy Reduction Goal

We could not find any information regarding a local energy reduction goal for Oxnard. 

Renewable Energy Goal

We could not find any information regarding a municipal renewable energy goal for Oxnard. 

Last updated: November 2023

Procurement and Construction Policies List All

Fleet policies and composition 

The City of Oxnard requires they meet or exceed state targets for zero-emission vehicle miles traveled within the City. The Electric Vehicle Accelerator plan details data and strategies for transitioning the fleet to zero-emission vehicles. Currently, Oxnard's fleet is composed of 7% hybrid, plug-in hybrid, or battery electric vehicles. 

Public lighting

We were unable to find information regarding the adoption of a policy requiring efficient outdoor lighting in Oxnard, such as the International Dark-Sky Association’s Model Lighting Ordinance. Oxnard and Southern California Edison (SCE) have a project to replace 9,800 existing SCE owned Cobra Head streetlights with new energy-efficient light-emitting diode (LED) lights. We were unable to confirm the percentage of streetlights converted to LEDs in Oxnard.  

Inclusive procurement

We were unable to verify if Oxnard has inclusive procurement and contracting processes. 

Last updated: October 2023

Asset Management List All

Building Benchmarking

We were unable to find information regarding the percentage of Oxnard’s municipal facilities that are benchmarked. Oxnard complies with the State of California requirement to benchmark facilities above 50,000 sq ft.

Comprehensive Retrofit Strategy

We were unable to find information regarding a comprehensive retrofit strategy in Oxnard.

Municipal Employee Transportation Benefits

We were unable to determine whether Oxnard provides reduced-emission transportation benefits to municipal staff.

Last update: February 2024