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| Volume 2 | Issue 15 |
April 22, 2022 |
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Caring for People & Our Planet
Dear Neighbor:
Happy Earth Day! We live in a County that cherishes our open spaces, trails, beaches, and coastal lifestyle. We must protect our natural resources. Our office prioritizes our planet every day.
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This week, our team planned and attended many important community events, including an investigative hearing on homelessness in our County. The information shared at this hearing resulted from hundreds of hours of review of County contracts, reports, and interviews with departments heads, city officials, public safety representatives, nonprofit providers, and lived experience stakeholders. I set out to inventory the funding and costs related to reducing homelessness, identify metrics for outcome success and gaps in services, so as to correct course and improve outcomes. We learned that while funding flows significantly, it’s service, instead of outcome-driven. We must develop a regional uniform plan to achieve outcomes instead of just reacting to situations.
In my experience as a Costa Mesa Mayor, with a targeted unified approach, we can reduce homelessness and - most especially - encampments. A perfect example is Lions Park in Costa Mesa. About 5 years ago we closed the park due to encampments and the risk of needles in the grass. Public Safety guided our decision. Our council unified to change the status quo, opened a shelter, enforced anti-camping laws, and helped people. I visited Lions Park, last weekend, for the first annual SpringFest. I loved seeing so many families enjoying the new library, playground, and fun activities. I spoke to many residents who lived nearby and appreciated the change. We can do better throughout Orange County. We must.
My next sites to improve are Angels Park in Santa Ana and the flood channels on Sunflower and behind Discovery Cube.
 Learn more, below, about the gaps and successes we identified and how a coordinated care approach will bring County funding and city resources to reduce homelessness, care for residents humanely, and reduce the impact of encampments.
Building back our workforce remains a key priority. Thursday, our office hosted a career fair at the Discovery Cube Museum in Santa Ana. This event included more than 100 employers, Veterans Service Providers, and an incredible turnout of more than 260 job seekers.
Our office is also hiring! Please send me your resume, a cover letter, and 2 references if you’re a talented transportation policy analyst or highly skilled in graphic design, communications, or community outreach! See a full list of the employers hiring at the career fair and more photos below.
 On Friday, we also attended the Earth Day event at the Costa Mesa City Hall, where our Constituent Services Manager, Manuel Chavez, and our team joined Mayor John Stephens, ECOS, Ikea, and other local businesses and nonprofits for education about natural resources and a sustainability tour on an electric shuttle bus.
As much as our team continues to practice caution and stay updated on vaccinations, I didn’t expect to contract COVID ... but that’s exactly what happened on Wednesday of this week. I’m rarely sick ... so after the onset of mild symptoms in the afternoon, I decided to test and received a positive COVID-19 rapid PCR test result. I am following CDC guidance and will not participate at in-person events while in the isolation period. I am fortunate to be COVID-19 vaccinated and boosted, so my illness seems like a severe cold or flu. I encourage all who are eligible to get the vaccine and booster.
My office remains fully operational to serve Orange County residents and you can read about our many events, below. I look forward to safely being out in our community again soon.
If you have a concern for me to address, please email: Katrina.Foley@ocgov.com
Happy Easter,
 Katrina Foley
Supervisor
County of Orange
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In This Edition
Read more about our District and County Initiatives in your community, along with
health and
community news.
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OC Live Concert Series
Live music is back!
Over the last year, we supported local musicians, cities, school music and arts programs, and arts venues with grants to help them through the pandemic. We are excited to announce our new Spring concert series! Your $5 ticket will support additional music grants.
Please join us at one or all of our concerts!
Supervisor Katrina Foley Hosts an Investigative Hearing to End Homelessness in Orange County, Advocating for a Comprehensive and Fast-Acting Approach with More County Support for Cities
 On Wednesday, April 20, 2022, we hosted a live and virtual hearing in our Board room at the Hall of Administration in Santa Ana. The hearing included public comments and panelists discussing Orange County’s approach to addressing homelessness, the costs, cause, & consequences of countywide homelessness, the efficacy of current shelters the role of cities & local Law Enforcement, housing options for youth and Veterans, and opportunities & solutions that tackle the struggles faced by emergency housing voucher recipients – including the rising cost of rent and the lack of permanent and transitional supportive housing.
Watch the event, in full: Here
Expert panelists across all levels of government, nonprofits, and law enforcement included:
Chairman Doug Chaffee, Board of Supervisors & Commission to End Homelessness; Doug Becht, Director, Office of Care Coordination; David Shawver, Stanton Mayor; Colleen Rozillis- Partner, Moss Adams; Wound Walk OC; Vicente Sarmiento, Santa Ana Mayor; John Stephens, Costa Mesa Mayor; Sue Kempf, Laguna Beach Mayor; Dr. Shauntina Sorrells, Chair, Continuum of Care Transitional Age Youth Committee; Becks Heyhoe, Executive Director, United to End Homelessness, and Richard Owens, Chair, Housing Working Group of the Veterans and Military Families Collaborative.
“In 2021, our office initiated a first-of-its-kind survey of the chronically homeless to determine the best use of County funds and to help the unhoused become productive members of our community. We also initiated Project Homekey in a box, that provides County technical resources for cities to convert dilapidated motels into permanent supportive housing. This program resulted in motel conversions in Stanton, and applications pending in Costa Mesa, and a grant approved in Huntington Beach.” – Supervisor Foley
“We face significant annual costs to operate our local bridge shelter and to do the outreach necessary to find suitable housing for the most vulnerable in our community. In the past three years, we’ve found permanent housing for 215 individuals, and we have 64 currently in the shelter working on their housing plans,” said Costa Mesa Mayor John Stephens. “We look forward to further partnering with the County in these efforts and the development of permanent supportive housing through Project Homekey and other programs. Today’s hearing was an important step toward understanding the obstacles Cities face in addressing this complex issue and our opportunities to share information and target the County’s resources toward the best outcomes for individuals struggling with homelessness.”
“The County of Orange is excited about our progress addressing homelessness and the development of new programs that continue to emphasize a regional approach and promote care coordination for individuals experiencing homelessness. Implementing a care coordination approach will better support individuals experiencing homelessness in navigating through the system of care, including the various touchpoints that are occur with city and county agencies as well as non-profit organizations and community-based services.” – Doug Brecht, Director of the Office of Care Coordination.
Board of Supervisors Meeting
- Please attend our Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, April 26, 2022 at 9:30 a.m.
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View the agenda: Here
- View a list of all 2022 Orange County #BOS meetings (link).
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Learn more about what’s happening in our community in our recent District Update (link).
Career Fair
Our career fair was a huge success! Are you looking for a job? Sign up for our mailing list of upcoming career fair: Here
Watch footage of the event from NBC News: Here
Employers who attended, included:
The Impacts of Sea Level Rise and Coastal Erosion
Alex Rounaghi, Policy Advisor
On Monday, Supervisor Foley and I toured Capistrano Beach to learn about the impacts of sea level rise and coastal erosion on our communities. It’s devastating to see the significant impacts, even just over a few years.
Unfortunately, the consequences of Climate Change will only worsen over time. While it's critical that the County take the lead in reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, we must develop comprehensive strategies to adapt to these changes. Protecting our County’s precious natural resources remains a top priority for Supervisor Foley and we look forward to rolling out policy proposals to promote Climate Action, sustainability, and resilience efforts at the County over the coming months.
In honor of Earth Day, we urge you to voice your support for Agenda Item 47. On May 10, 2022, the Board of Supervisors will consider Supervisor Foley’s proposal to prohibit the purchase and use of Expanded Polystyrene or “Styrofoam” Food Service Products within County Facilities.
The environmental impacts of Expanded Polystyrene (“EPS”) are significant. As a non-recyclable and non-biodegradable plastic, Expanded Polystyrene persists in the environment for thousands of years. Expanded Polystyrene fractures into microplastics, which enter streets, wilderness, waterways, oceans, and other precious natural resources. At a recent community cleanup at the Back Bay, we observed thousands of tiny particles in the protected marsh that are nearly impossible to remove.
As the steward of our precious County beaches, parks, open spaces, and trails, we have a responsibility to protect our vital natural resources. Prohibiting the purchase of Expanded Polystyrene food service products at County facilities represents common-sense intervention to ensure that our environment can be protected and preserved for future generations.
Read our full proposal for Agenda Item 47: Here.
Voice your opinion for upcoming Board meeting agenda items or provide general public comments by emailing response@ocgov.com.
Expanded Polystyrene (“EPS”)
Team Foley In the News This Week
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Costa Mesa’s sober living laws don’t discriminate against the disabled, jury says
OC Register
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Orange County needs uniform approach to homeless issues, experts say
OC Register
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O.C. housing agencies struggle with ‘unprecedented’ number of housing vouchers about to expire
LA Times
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New OC Live Concert Series Debuts In Orange County To Support The Local Music Scene, May 10-15
Broadway World
News Enterprise
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Orange County tries to sell landlords on housing vouchers
Specrtum News
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Constituent Services Manager
Please reach out to me at any time with questions or concerns: Manuel.Chavez@ocgov.com
Representing Garden Grove and Santa Ana.
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OCTA Updates and More
Fun week serving the great people of Orange County!
On Wednesday, I attended the 59th Scholarship Award Dinner hosted by the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce and a sponsorship from our office. Newport Harbor High School, Corona del Mar High School, and Sage Hill High School continue to provide future generations with the education they need to succeed.
Today, I attended the Costa Mesa Earth Day Celebration. I enjoyed explained composting and our County resources to residents.
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Constituent Services Manager
Please reach out to me at any time with questions or concerns: Kalvin.Alvarez@ocgov.com
Representing Anaheim, Orange, Tustin, Animal Services.
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Countywide Events & Earth Day
Happy Earth Day! Our office represented residents all over the County, this week!
First, I met with our incredible staff at Orange County Animal Care to discuss ideas for future animal care events. Our office will be sponsoring an upcoming drive through pet pantry for the month of June. This event is extremely important, and we hope that this makes a difference for pet owners wanting to keep their pets and struggling financially. Stay tuned for more details!
I also went to a grand reopening event of the Bluewater Grill in Newport Beach, hosted by the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce. Since 1996, Bluewater Grill is one of the most recognizable restaurants on the Lido Peninsula, with an expansive waterfront patio and dock access. This allows local residents to also dine on or off their boat. Check their website and try their restaurant! https://www.bluewatergrill.com/.
I finished the week representing our office at the unveiling of the Anaheim Transportation Network's new 60-foot all-electric bus! This bus will truly benefit the environment and provide cleaner modes of transportation to the community. I appreciate everything they do to improve the lives of Orange County residents.
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Stephanie Wade – District Director & Policy Advisor
I'm thrilled to support so many of the Supervisor’s important County initiatives this week.
First, the Supervisor’s Homelessness Hearing contained eye-opening information that will impact our actions. My fellow Veterans, John Chomin and Richard Owens, contributed powerful testimony about the need for interim Veterans' housing options.
Our career fair’s great cosponsors led to a successful event: Congressman Lou Correa, Senator Tom Umberg, Assemblyman Tom Daly, the City of Santa Ana, the Orange County Veterans and Military Families Collaborative, and the Discovery Cube OC (who donated the use of this 10,000 square foot space).
Lots of thanks go to the County’s workforce development “OneStop” staff who planned and recruited to make this event happen! A shout out the five Veterans service agencies we brought to the event, especially Eric Ensley of the County’s Veterans Employment Assistance Program or VEAP. Eric and his team help Veterans with employment, and they also help programs that pay businesses that hire Veterans. Reach out to VEAP at (714) 955-1768.
Health Updates
COVID-19 Updates
Tired of nasal swabs and saliva tests? Last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an emergency use authorization for the first COVID-19 diagnostic test that detects chemical compounds in breath samples associated with a COVID-19 infection.
Read the Press Release: Here
As of April 22, 2022, 2,300,191 Orange County residents are fully vaccinated and 1,269,169 received their 4th shot or booster dose. The 7-day average positivity rate (4/22/22) in our County is 2.1%. This equals out to 5.5 daily positive COVID cases per 100k residents or 319.4 positive PCR tests received per day.
Vaccine Clinics
Please call (714) 834-2000 to schedule an appointment. at one of our mobile vaccine clinics. Walkins are also welcome! Find a mobile vaccine clinic: Here
Pet of the Week
 Amelia – Animal ID# A1757164
Amelia is a 4-year-old German Shepherd who arrived at OC Animal Care after a good Samaritan found her wandering alone. Upon arrival, OC Animal Care’s Veterinary Staff noticed that Amelia had dermatitis, a skin condition that can be feel itchy and uncomfortable. The Vet Staff began treatment right away and Amelia absolutely loved the extra attention and care.
Amelia’s itchy skin doesn’t stop her from loving life and enjoying everything she does! In fact, she is one of those pups who gets along with everyone she meets. While she doesn’t live with other dogs yet, she’s friendly to her doggie friends at the shelter.
We are pleased to report that her skin is healing, looking, and feeling so much better! If you’re looking for a happy doggie that wants to be around people all day long, Amelia is the perfect pet for you. She is going to make an incredibly loving companion to anyone who is lucky enough to adopt her!
Interested in adopting Amelia? Call (714) 935-6848 to schedule an adoption appointment today! Animal ID# A1757164
Not ready to get a dog but want to help Amelia find a home? Share this flyer on social media!
Go to OC Animal Care online: Here
Enjoy an Ideal California Day at the 26th Annual Bead Bazaar!
Enjoy a premier artisan showcase with over 60 member vendors selling finely hand-crafted beads, finished jewelry and more. This is a free, non-ticketed onsite event.
Hosted by Bead Society of Orange County, an affiliate council of the Bowers Museum, join Moonlight Fashions representative, Rosanne Tritica, for an exclusive trunk show at Bowers Museum's Gallery Store. Onsite Bazaar and Trunk Show
26th Annual Art of Adorning Bead Bazaar
April 23, 2022 at 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
OC Parks Summer Concert Series
Supervisor Katrina Foley's Current Committee Appointments
Innovative solutions require hard work and that is exactly what I will be working on, alongside my colleagues, throughout the coming year.
If you have questions or comments that you'd like to share, in relation to the committees below, please email me at Katrina.Foley@ocgov.com
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@SupervisorFoley
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