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I recently joined the Orange County Business Council’s Government Affairs Committee for a discussion on key county priorities impacting residents, employers, and communities. The conversation was wide-ranging as we discussed issues that impact businesses and residents alike.
 From healthcare to workforce preparedness and from economic competitiveness to housing affordability and homelessness, the discussion was thoughtful and engaging.
 It is always rewarding to engage in dialogue on important policy issues with our residents and business stakeholders. Thank you to Jeffrey Ball, OCBC’s CEO, and to Amanda Walsh and the members of the Government Affairs Committee who attended the event.
As federal and state budget cuts create uncertainty for families and providers, I supported $430 million in funding that will bolster local hospitals, strengthen specialty care, and help ensure residents continue to receive the care they need.
As Chair of the CalOptima Health Board, I remain committed to keeping quality health care accessible for our community. This investment reflects our commitment to our medical partners and our confidence in their vital role in serving our communities. I know this won’t solve all the issues they are facing, but it will offset some of the reductions, impacts, and challenges affecting the health care industry right now.
CalOptima approved using $429.6 million from reserves to increase rates for hospitals and specialists over the next 30 months, which will improve access to care for members and support hospitals in the wake of federal and state Medi-Cal changes. With this funding, the health plan has invested nearly $1 billion in provider rate increases since 2024.
On Monday, ahead of the 4th of July Holiday, County employees and County leaders came together for a very special event to celebrate the founding of the nation 250 years ago.
Made possible with the support of OCEA, our employee association, and the Veterans Alliance of Orange County (VALOR), the event was an opportunity to recognize all those who sacrificed to protect our country and to remember our founding principles.
In 1965, my family came to Orange County to seek a better life for us, and this country embraced our family and made it possible, through hard work and commitment, for our family to make a life here. I will be forever grateful to my parents for their sacrifices and their love.
 Let's celebrate this important anniversary and recognize the sacrifices made in the defense of these principles, particularly of all who served the nation and protected liberty and all those who stood up for the rights of the vulnerable and marginalized.
But also, let's commit in each of our daily lives to continue the progress forward – keep these principles alive and help in any way we can to continue the march toward a more perfect and more inclusive union.
This June, I had the opportunity to celebrate a very special occasion with one of our local families. It was not only a milestone for Theresa Martinez but for her family and our community.
 Her determination and commitment not only earned her a degree with the Nova Academy Class of 2026 but also the opportunity to serve our nation in the U.S. Air Force. We celebrated her academic achievements and her courage to pursue a path of service and leadership. Wishing her success in all that lies ahead. We are all incredibly proud of you!
Last month, Rosemary Contreras, my Deputy Chief of Staff, attended the 11th Annual Eddie Nash Foundation Resiliency Awards and presented certificates to the young adults in recognition of their achievements.
For the past seven years, the Social Services Department and the Eddie Nash Foundation have partnered to recognize and honor the remarkable journeys of young adults who have faced significant challenges in the foster care system. I am grateful that we were able to be part of their special day and celebrate their accomplishments.
 The Eddie Nash Foundation was founded in 2007 by Bryan “Eddie” Nash, a former foster youth who became successful in business and wanted to help other foster youth succeed. The foundation has two flagship programs:
I recently joined community partners in reviewing the findings of the Stop the Hate Impact Report, which shared the work of OCAPICA and over a dozen service providers over the last three years. These organizations have been involved in hate crime and incident prevention efforts here in our county for many years, and their contributions are notable.
OCAPICA has been such a strong partner for our residents and for our office. Their work serving underserved communities, providing resources, and especially offering culturally sensitive behavioral health services has been essential to our county.
 I was happy to join Albert Lord, representing the office of California Attorney General Rob Bonta, at the event.
At a time when many minority groups are facing fear and discrimination, we have been able to lean on OCAPICA to provide mental health support—particularly for our immigrant communities who have been experiencing fear of family separation and deportation.
Alarmingly, in the last two years, we have been seeing hate crimes and hate incidents continue in our County; we know the numbers have gone up not only because more incidents are happening, but because more people now feel safe enough to report them. That is a direct reflection of the work these community organizations engage in. We must continue to build and protect that trust so our community knows they can come forward and report these incidents.
The information shared is important to all county residents and can help identify continuing gaps that we, as local and regional governments, must continue working on.
Common Good is a first-of-its-kind, publicly owned workforce reentry campus for justice-involved adult individuals in Southern California. It will help those individuals find and keep jobs, rebuild confidence, and ultimately contribute to the local economy. The campus is anticipated to open in Spring 2028.
My Deputy Chief of Staff, Rosemary Contreras, represented our office at the groundbreaking site in the City of Orange. Spanning 4.6 acres, Common Good will offer vocational and workforce training, educational programs, an on-site retail center, and short-term housing that will help justice-involved individuals rebuild their lives through employment, education, and supportive services.
 Common Good’s programs will be operated by Hub for Integration, Reentry & Employment(HIRE), an Orange County-based nonprofit organization focused on helping individuals get employed as they reenter the community after incarceration, without age or conviction restrictions. HIRE will ensure program participants receive holistic support through workforce training, wraparound support, mentorship, and employment-placement services.
Common Good’s retail center will feature culinary, fitness, and animal-care businesses to the public. Many of the retail services will be provided by program participants and will help to support onsite operations and programming.
Our policy aide, Nick Kim, and intern Eliana Gonzalez attended the Salvation Army’s Center for Applied Research and Innovation (CARI) Building groundbreaking ceremony.
 This event celebrated the continued growth of the Anaheim Emergency Shelter and the Center of Hope campus. As project leaders and local partners shared the inspiration behind the building, we are excited for the Center to grow into a national leader in homeless care and applied research, and for its services to support our community members.
From April to May 2026, OC Operations and Maintenance completed 397 cleanups across Orange County Flood Control District facilities. Of these, 265 cleanups, just over 66%, were completed within District 2. Almost 70% of the locations cleared occurred within the City of Santa Ana. With 184 locations addressed, encampment mitigation efforts in Santa Ana were approximately 6 times higher than in the next highest city, Tustin, which recorded 30 locations.
Below are some of the before-and-after images of the ongoing work. Thank you to OC Public Works for their great efforts. Click here to request services.
Before After
 Before After
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