Alex Rounaghi
Legislative Policy Advisor
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Addressing Youth Homelessness
On Thursday, I met with Dr. Shauntina Sorrells, the Chief Program Officer a the Orangewood Foundation. As you may know, Dr. Sorrells provided excellent testimony about the crisis of youth homelessness at our investigatory hearing on homelessness. The Grand Jury cited her testimony in their recent report and recommendations about homelessness in Orange County, specifically calling for a more intentional approach to addressing homelessness for youth exiting the foster care system. We could not agree more. Supervisor Foley is committed to working with stakeholders to develop a strategy that ends youth homelessness in Orange County.
Opposing Runway Expansion
The City of Newport Beach sent the County a letter on July 14 expressing concerns about potential expansion of the runway at John Wayne Airport. While there are no formal proposals or serious discussions about this policy, Supervisor Foley strongly opposes any expansion of the runway.
We closely research the basis for assertions about the impact of expansion. All the evidence and facts—along with relevant FAA regulations and federal laws—indicate that runway expansion will lead to more noise for the surrounding communities. We are particularly concerned about the impact runway expansion will have on General Aviation flights—which are not restricted by the 1985 Settlement provisions, including the passenger cap and the curfew. This could lead to a nightmare scenario where larger, noisier flights arrive and depart 24 hours a day. Our letter outlined our concerns about expansion and maintained our strong support for a quieter, greener, cleaner airport and opposition to any expansion of the runway.
Sharing Concerns About Unlicensed and Unregulated Sober Living Homes in Newport Beach
As you know, addressing the proliferation of unlicensed and unregulated sober living homes and social rehabilitation facilities that put profits over the health and safety of patients is a top priority. Over the past week, Supervisor Foley and I have worked closely with community members in response to concerns about a potential social rehabilitation facility operated by the Mental Health Collective—an operator that already owns three potential social rehabilitation facilities in Newport Beach. These facilities are not currently licensed by the state. Our office reviewed state records and found that operator admitted to operating these facilities as unlicensed 6 and under sober living homes. This documented evidence raises concerns about the operator’s potential violations of the Newport Beach Municipal Code. On Thursday we sent a letter to Newport Beach outlining these concerns and asking for enforcement of their local ordinance. We will keep you updated on their response.
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Constituent Services Manager – Representing Garden Grove and Santa Ana
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Hello District Two,
On Monday I joined Supervisor Foley in touring the site of a new level three bike path at Monte Vista Ave. We expressed our excitement of creating safe pathways to friendship park and the activation of the northern underutilized Monte Vista Ave. We did express concerns about some barrier on the walking path but we are hopeful the City of Santa Ana and County of Orange will be able to address those to provide the community with the best possible facilities!
Wednesday, I joined Supervisor Foley and the Costa Mesa City Council in the unveiling of the new Pickleball Courts at Tanager Park.
Finally, the City of Costa Mesa is hosting a Community resource Fair at Lions Park Event Lawn this Saturday from 11am-2pm. There will be music, legal aid information, rental & housing assistance and much more! I hope you are all able to attend.
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Constituent Services Manager – Representing Anaheim, Orange, Tustin, and Animal Services.
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Happy last week of July! After 6 long years of anticipation, Orange County was blessed this week when multi-platinum and Grammy Award-winning recording artist, Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter, released her newest album, Renaissance. The album quickly became one of the biggest album debuts on iTunes, reaching #1 in 67 countries in less than an hour! With such a high level of success, it's no surprise that her songs will be heard on the radio across OC for months.
This week, I joined Supervisor Foley at the City of Costa Mesa's final Concert in the Park concert series, where we hosted a community resources booth with lots of goodies for the attendees to enjoy. This year's Concert in the Park had one of the biggest crowds the city has ever seen! Audience members loved every second of the local band Tijuana Dogs' performance. Special thanks to Orange Coat Community College for bringing their t-shirt cannon during intermission, providing the community with a fun way to win a shirt.
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Finally, our event planning committee is working hard on several upcoming events. Our Labor Day Staff Appreciation Lunch will be held on September 2 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
We also are accepting nominations for Veteran of the Year! This is an excellent way to recognize veterans' and service members' selfless contributions to our community. Nominees must live in Orange County or have made significant contributions to the county, and they must have served in the United States military on active duty or reserves for any length of time and in any location. The deadline for nominations is Friday, October 1, 2022, at 5:00 p.m. The successful nominee will be recognized at the Heroes Hall Annual Veterans Day Event at the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa, as well as in our newsletter and on social media. You can nominate a Veteran of the Year by visiting; www.bit.ly/kfvoty.
Stephanie Wade
Veterans Policy Advisor
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Many of you may remember that Richard’s name from previous posts. He’s been a guest speaker at previous meetings of the Supervisors Vets Advisory and he gave some of the most compelling testimony–discussing the critical need for interim housing—at the Supervisor’s April Hearing on Housing and Homelessness.
I want to tell you about the kind of man Richard is. He’s a Marine and combat veteran of both Iraq and Afghanistan. He’s also in the Army National Guard (you know what they say, “Marines don’t die, they just join the Guard and regroup!”) and did another deployment to Afghanistan just a year and a half ago as the war was drawing down into one of its most dangerous phases. Richard is originally from Oklahoma but found his way to Orange County in 2009 when he started his undergraduate degree at Chapman University. He also holds two master’s degrees, one in teaching from USC and the other a master’s in divinity from Fuller Seminary. A quiet but deeply religious man Richard is devoted to God, his children, his country and veterans. He left teaching in 2013 to start a new career serving veterans as an addiction councilor and a housing specialist.
Today, he runs services for three permanent supportive housing sites, including Heroes Landing in Santa Ana, as a Senior Program Manager for Jamboree Housing. But he does far more than Jamboree would ever require of him. He is member of the Orange County Veterans and Military Connected Families,Collaborative (OCVMFC), co-chair of OCVMC’s Housing Working Group and widely seen by veterans and housing specialists alike as the most effective and productive advocate for veterans housing in the county.
It is a pleasure to work for a Supervisor who keeps me in such great company and puts people like Richard into places where they can do good for all of us!
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 From left to right: Mayor David Shawver; Dr. Shauntina Sorrells, Chair, Continuum of Care Transitional Age Youth Committee; Supervisor Foley; Becks Heyhoe, Executive Director, United to End Homelessness; Richard Owens
Aviva Meyers
Sustainability Policy Advisor
On Monday, I toured the Santa Ana Gardens bikeway expansion project, which is a great example of how to develop active transportation along a flood channel. The bikeway will connect residential areas, schools, parks, and more, while promoting the safety of schoolchildren and nearby residents. Bikeways are also an opportunity to plant native, drought-tolerant vegetation and commission public art from local artists. I look forward to seeing more projects like this throughout Orange County!
I also met with the Orange County Transportation Authority to understand how Orange County can get more funding for transit and mobility. Luckily, our state and federal administrations share Supervisor Foley’s passion for expanding access to clean, safe, zero-carbon transportation, and we can soon expect more funding for this purpose. I’ll be further exploring how to leverage these state and federal funds as they become available.
Board Meeting Update
At this week's Board meeting, the Orange County Board of Supervisors approved Supervisor Katrina Foley’s motion to reconcile board policy to align with the recent opinion from the California Attorney General regarding early implementation of Supervisorial District lines. Under this new policy, no restrictions will be placed on any Supervisor to represent the district they were elected to or the district they were appointed to represent.
“The outcome of today’s vote is a win for the rule of law,” said Supervisor Foley. "This is not about politics – this is about the voters who are entitled to their duly-elected representatives. I am excited to return to the district where I live, run my small business, and complete the local initiatives I started before reassignment, including work to address noise and pollution at the airport. It’s also a privilege to serve as appointed caretaker for the newly drawn District 2 where my focus remains to support our county's small businesses, address the homelessness and affordable housing crises, and work with law enforcement to keep Orange County families safe. I hope we can all move forward in service of Orange County in collaboration with all of my colleagues.”
Health News
Michele Mullen
Public Health Policy Advisor
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Here's the latest from HCA regarding infant formula: We have not had any recent reports of difficulties finding infant formula. When we checked in with our community partners last week, there was product on the shelves, although purchases were still being limited.
According to Dr. Connie Bartlett, Pediatrician, VP St Jude’s/Providence Medical Center, “there isn’t a shortage at the local stores in Orange County. If you have an infant with the need for a special formula and are having difficulty finding a formula, please consult with your pediatrician and they will recommend a substitute formula.”
If you are having difficulty finding infant formula, please go to the American Academy of Pediatrics to find more information.
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OC Health Update
Ocean Water Warning initiated at:
Bacterial levels in ocean and bay recreational waters exceeded health standards at the following locations the last time they were tested:
As the summer comes into full swing, it is increasingly important to remain safe and healthy and it is a top priority of mine to keep community members updated with the most recent guidelines. To find more information on the latest guidelines issued by the HCA, visit occovid19.ochealthinfo.com.
Experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or any variants? Review the Quarantine Calculator: Here
As you celebrate summer activities and plan vacations, protect yourself and loved ones from COVID-19 by following safe travel guidelines issued by the CDPH.
See the latest guidance: Here
COVID-19 Data
As of July 29, 2022,2,334,335 Orange County residents are fully vaccinated and 1,356,048 received their shot or booster dose. The 7-day average positivity rate (7/28/22) in our County is 19.6%. This equals out to 39 daily positive COVID cases per 100k residents.
OC Animal Care:
 
Orange County Fair
OC Alert
Sign up for AlertOC to get notified in case of emergency in Orange County. The mass notification system is designed to keep Orange County residents and businesses informed in the event of a time-sensitive emergency. YOU MUST OPT IN TO RECEIVE ALERTS. Register today at AlertOC.org.
Appointments for Veterans Services
WIC Families + Farmers' Markets
Orange County Microbusiness Grants Re-Launch
Second Harvest Food Bank
Second Harvest Food Bank is hosting their first-ever Walk to Feed OC on September 11th at Tanaka Farms in Irvine. This event is presented by Albertsons and will help raise awareness about food insecurity in Orange County. To join in the fundraising and walking efforts, sign up here: feedoc.org/walk
OC Workforce Solutions
Ready Set OC offers no-cost employment training for Orange County youth ages 14-24, including those with disabilities or IEP plans, former or current foster children, pregnant or parenting, offender/ex-offender, and those experiencing homelessness, including couch-surfing or at risk of homelessness.
To find out more information, call the OC Business and Economic Recovery Call Center at (714) 480-6500 or text (657) 210-1295. Email info@readysetoc.com
Orange County Public Library
Equity in OC
Are you in charge of a grassroots organization? the Equity in OC initiative is releasing a POWER BUILDING FUND toprovide smaller, grassroots organizations with the opportunity to build their infrastructure and/or capacity
Learn More: Here
Sunset Cinema Series & Concerts in the Park
Committee Appointments
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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