Whoever picks Harvey is in for a disaster.
The investigation concluded that the city of Ojai did not conduct its due diligence, nor did it engage in a fair and competitive selection process and that it could have requested a time extension from the state.
“As with the grant application, the possibility of running out of time does not justify awarding a contract without conducting a fair and competitive selection process,” the grand jury said.
The Ojai City Manager (Ben Harvey) and Ventura County Executive Officer are invited to respond in 60 days.
On April 16, 2025, the Ventura County Civil Grand Jury received a public complaint alleging that the Ojai City Council authorized the city manager to negotiate a contract with DignityMoves for around $10 million for the construction of a 30-unit permanent supportive housing complex for people experiencing homelessness without obtaining competitive bids based on the lowest price as required by law for construction projects of this size
Ventura County’s due diligence finding echoes the Monterey County Civil Grand Jury’s findings in Project Bella. In both instances, the central criticism is that major public decisions proceeded without adequate due diligence, and both reports implicate Ben Harvey’s management of those processes.
A citizen complaint was filed with the Monterey County Civil Grand Jury (Jury). City administration came under sharp public criticism for its handling of this project including allegations that the City Manager had accepted gifts and cash from the developer.