The Orange County Housing Authority's (OCHA) Housing Choice Voucher Waiting List was open for applications from September 18 until September 29. In partnership with OCHA, we held a District 4 informational session on the Housing Choice Voucher Program application.

At our event, County staff and volunteers from HIS-OC were able to assist 24 family households that attended the event.

Some applicants needed assistants for various reasons, including language barriers, internet access, or other technical difficulties. 

If you are an applicant on Waiting List and would like to check your status, please log on to http://www.waitlistcheck.com/.

If you have questions about your application Waiting List, please email OCHAWaitingList@occr.ocgov.com or call (714) 480-2740.

Thank you to our Orange County Housing Authority for providing the assistance to our residents in need.

After seeing the success of the CalOptima Health Master of Social Worker (MSW) Stipend Program, my CalOptima Health Board of Director colleagues and I approved a $50 million investment in June 2023 towards closing the gap in Orange County’s health care workforce.

The CalOptima Health Workforce Development Initiative aims to increase access to high-quality, equitable care for our members by investing in workforce development initiatives over five years.

We continue to seek stakeholder input to identify workforce shortages and opportunities for grant investments to help increase the health care workforce in Orange County.

CalOptima Health will host three stakeholder listening sessions in October to obtain stakeholder input into the design of the initiative.

Please click on the links below to register in advance to share your thoughts at one of these listening sessions:

• Community Organizations on Monday, October 16th from 3:00 – 4:30 p.m.
• Provider Organizations on Wednesday, October 18^th from 2:30 – 4:00 p.m.
• Educational (Health Sector) Organizations on Thursday, October 19^th from 2:00 – 3:30 p.m.

For questions about the initiative or listening sessions, please email strategicdevelopment@caloptima.org.

The County of Orange is committed to engaging our community. To achieve this, we invite you to actively participate by applying to serve on one of the following Fourth District Boards, Commissions, and Committees:

1. Developing Processing Review Committee
2. Housing & Community Development Commission
3. Orange County In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Advisory Committee
4. Orange County Parks Commission
5. Orange County Workforce Development Board

These advisory bodies have a crucial role in shaping the policies, services, and initiatives at the County. By being appointed to one of the vacant positions, you can contribute your expertise, perspectives, and ideas to make Orange County an even better place to live, work, and play. 

To apply for a vacant position on one of the 5 Fourth District Boards, Commissions, and Committees listed above, please click here.

To learn more about the Fourth District Boards, Commissions, and Committees and the position vacancies, please click here.

For general information about the County's Boards, Commissions, and Committees, please click here.

I participated in a round table discussion at the Fullerton Community Center with the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) and local Mayors and City Managers to discuss the Fourth District's transportation needs and priorities.

We continue to see growth in the Fourth District and investing in transportation infrastructure, including road repairs, bridge maintenance, and the development of transportation corridors is necessary to accommodate growth.

Some of the topics discussed included the 405 Improvement Project, Free Transit Programs such as OCTA's Youth Ride Free program, and OCTA’s efforts to encourage safety practices when using micro-mobility options such as e-bikes.

Yesterday my policy Advisors Jesus and Emma attended the Orange County Sustainability Decathlon. During the event, they were able to to hear information regarding the challenges we face regarding climate change and the proposed solutions community members have created to address them. 

At the event, they were able to visit 10 model homes built by university teams that demonstrate the team's vision of what a sustainable home will look like. They were able to visit the Cal State Fullerton team and learn more about their project. Their submission included examples of how current homes are built versus sustainable homes, with their model providing better temperature control inside the house during the summer and winter. 

The main goal of the event is to challenge the student teams to create homes that address California's environmental and housing needs by creating affordable homes that can leave less carbon emissions and withstand the future climate impacts. Congrats to all the teams on their great work!

Join us for grand opening of OC Workforce Solutions Center in Brea!

Date: Wednesday, October 25, 2023

Time: 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM

Address: 675 Placentia Ave., Suite 330, Brea, CA 92821

Tour the center, meet staff members, and learn more about the array of career and employer services provided at no cost.

The OC Workforce Solutions offers a range of no-cost job placement, training, and career services for adult job seekers and dislocated workers — many of whom face barriers to employment.

The OC Workforce Solutions’ Business Solutions team brings local expertise to help employers find the work-ready talent they need to compete, access business resources to support their growth, and address challenges that come with transition and change.

Through its innovative Ready S.E.T. OC youth program, OC Workforce Solutions works with underserved and at-risk young adults to help them finish school, find their first job, gain work experience, launch businesses, connect with mentors, and be part of a supportive community.

To learn more about OC Workforce Solutions, visit www.ocworkforcesolutions.com or call (714) 480-6500.

Late in the evening, OC Animal Care (OCAC)'s team received a call from a concerned individual about a distressed cat. Our Animal Control Officer promptly responded and found Penelope, a 12-year-old Siamese cat, in extremely poor health, left alone in a parking lot. Penelope was rushed to a clinic to receive the care she needed.

After her recovery, Penelope found a home with a companion cat. However, she was shortly returned when it was discovered she preferred to be the only pet in the home. Back at the shelter, OCAC's staff and volunteers have been working diligently to help Penelope emerge from her shy shell. She will need patient, understanding adopters who will work with her to build confidence, gain trust, and heal from the trauma she experienced while on the streets. With some extra TLC, we are hopeful this amazing girl can blossom in her new home!

If you would like to give Penelope another deserving chance of a forever home, please call (714) 935-6848 and mention Animal ID A1131981.