Policy Pulse: December 12, 2025
- ACC-OC
- Dec 12, 2025
- 7 min read
Thank you to everyone who joined us at this year’s Orange County Regional Holiday Mixer! We were thrilled to celebrate the season with partners, local leaders, and community members from across the region.
A special thank-you to our Co-Hosts:
League of California Cities OC Division
Orange County Business Council (OCBC)
OC Taxpayers Association
And a big thank-you to our generous Sponsors:
West Coast Arborists
Jacob Green & Associates
Cityside Fiber
Woodruff & Smart
Kosmont Companies
Jamboree Housing
Orange County Association of Realtors (OCAR)
We sincerely appreciate your partnership and support in making this event such a success. We look forward to continuing our work together in 2025!
Director of Member Services Kathryn Morrison attended the Orange County Board of Supervisors Holiday Open House on December 10. She had the opportunity to visit several offices and connect with county staff, gaining helpful updates on current initiatives and community priorities. We appreciate the continued partnership with our county leaders and look forward to further engagement in the year ahead.
Thank you to everyone who joined our November countywide briefing on Orange County’s preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the LA 2028 Olympic & Paralympic Games. As shared during the meeting, the Orange County Sports Commission is gathering information from cities interested in participating in LA28-related opportunities — including hospitality houses, training camps, community activations, watch parties, and more.
Next Step for Cities:
Cities interested in being considered for LA28 opportunities are encouraged to complete the City Participation Form: Click Here
Participants can outline their goals, available assets, and any additional information that will help the Orange County Sports Commission evaluate partnership opportunities. The LA28 guide is also available for reference.
For questions, please contact:
Anthony Brenneman
Executive Director, Orange County Sports Commission
We appreciate the strong engagement and look forward to continued collaboration as Orange County prepares to welcome the world in the years ahead.
2026 ACC-OC Board of Directors Installation & Networking Reception
Save the Date
Join ACC-OC as we celebrate the installation of the 2026 ACC-OC Board of Directors. This special evening will honor outgoing ACC-OC Board President, Hon. Jamey Federico, Dana Point, for his leadership and service, and welcome our incoming ACC-OC Board President, Hon. Tanya Doby, Los Alamitos.
Registration will open soon!
ACC-OC is proud to serve as the SoCalGas Regional Energy Pathways Program Ambassador for Orange County, connecting cities and public sector organizations with energy-saving opportunities to improve efficiency and reduce costs.
Through SoCalGas initiatives such as the Regional Energy Pathways (REP) Program and the Statewide Water Infrastructure and System Efficiency (WISE™) Program, eligible agencies can benefit from expert guidance, project support, and valuable financial incentives.
Program Highlights
Regional Energy Pathways (REP) Program
No-cost energy assessments to identify savings opportunities
Financial support for energy-efficient upgrades
Project management assistance and on-bill financing
Whole-facility energy audits and no-cost measures such as insulation, low-flow fixtures, and kitchen equipment improvements
Statewide WISE™ Program
Rebates for energy-efficient water and wastewater system improvements
Eligible measures include high-efficiency pump upgrades, VFD installations, boiler replacements, and insulation improvements
Available to water and wastewater pumping customers within PG&E, SCE, SoCalGas, and SDG&E territories
To learn more about how your city or organization can benefit, contact Marlene Barraza (mbarraza@accoc.org) to schedule a meeting or ask questions!
Large Public Sector Program | Public Direct Install Program |
Statewide WISE Program
The Toll Roads
The California Transportation Commission unanimously approved the tolling authority application for the 241/91 Express Connector project.
ACC-OC was proud to stand with the leadership of the Transportation Corridor Agencies, OCTA, OCCOG, and regional partners from across Southern California in support of this vital improvement. This project marks an important step toward easing congestion, enhancing regional connectivity, and strengthening our transportation network.
City of San Clemente
Come take pictures with Santa Claus on the San Clemente Pier! Sunday, December 14th, and Saturday, December 20th, from 3:00-5:00 pm. Photographer will not be provided; please bring your own camera. Santa's sleigh departs for the North Pole promptly at 5:00 pm, so please plan your visit accordingly.
Date & Time:
December 14, 2025
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Address:
622 Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente, CA 92672
Cost:
Free
CEO Leadership Alliance Orange County
Join CLAOC for the inaugural launch of the AI for Water Management Professionals course, created in partnership with Moulton Niguel Water District, the California Data Collaborative, the Orange County Business Council, and UCI Division of Continuing Education. This course was made possible by a California Jobs First grant.
Hosted on Wednesday, January 14th, 2026 from 6–8 PM at Moulton Niguel Water District, this event introduces a first-of-its-kind progra
m designed to equip the next generation of water professionals with practical, responsible AI skills.
Be among the first to see how this program can empower your teams, support organizational goals, and shape the future of water management.
Celebrate this regional partnership and explore how AI upskilling can benefit your agency and the broader community.
City of Laguna Beach
Please bring New Coats for Kids (sizes S-L) for donation to:
Laguna Beach Police Department:
505 Forest Ave, Laguna Beach
The Collection boxes will be available
from Thursday, Nov 13th - Friday Dec 19th.
The coats are distributed to Costa Mesa, Laguna Beach, and San Juan Capistrano Boys and Girls Club as well as other non-profit organizations. This year, we will have more than 45 collection boxes at County Administration and in the 5th District. Last year our office distributed more than 800 new coats for kids.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL KIMBERLEE (714) 834-3550 OR EMAIL KATRINA.FOLEY@OCGOV.COM
City of Dana Point
Join Dana Point Harbor for its 50th annual Boat Parade of Lights happening December 12, 13 & 14 from 6:30 - 8:00pm!
2025 Theme: Golden Jubilee - Carol of the Boats
Watch and enjoy from the shoreline or cruise the harbor to take in the merry magic with Captain Dave’s, Dana Wharf, and the Ocean Institute.
City of Fountain Valley
The City of Fountain Valley is accepting applications from volunteers to participate on Committees, Commissions and Boards. Appointments will be for two-year terms, unless otherwise stated. Candidates for appointment must be residents of Fountain Valley and 18 years of age or older. The deadline for application submission to the City Clerk is 6 p.m. on December 18, 2025.
City of Laguna Niguel
Join the Laguna Niguel Youth Committee in donating shelf-stable foods to Families Forward!
The Laguna Niguel Youth Committee encourages those interested in donating to drop off goods at Crown Valley Community Center starting Monday, December 1. Donations will be accepted between 8:00am-5:00pm through December 12.
Housing and Homeless Incentive Program (HHIP) Round 5 Notice of Funding Opportunity
CalAIM
The CalOptima Health's Housing and Homeless Incentive Program (HHIP) Round 5 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) will be released on Monday, November 11, 2025. This funding opportunity supports the development or enhancement of permanent, affordable housing solutions for people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness in Orange County.
The materials and application portal link will be available on the CalAIM webpage. All applications must be submitted by Friday, December 19, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. PST.
Providers interested in responding are encouraged to attend CalOptima Health's virtual bidder’s conference to receive an overview of the funding opportunity.
Virtual Bidder's Conference Date: Tuesday, November 18, 2025, 1:00 p.m. PST
Proposal Submission Deadline: Friday, December 19, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. PST
Please Contact CalOptima Grants Management with any questions at:
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
FY 2026 Brownfield Grant Opportunities
OCCOG’s Project Management Partner, Montrose Environmental, is available to support local agencies with potential grant opportunities as part of the upcoming Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 EPA Brownfield Grants. The menu of available grants can be found at https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/marc-grant-application-resources. This will be the last grant competition with 400% more funding via the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and no matching funds are required.
Eligible brownfield projects could include properties with older structures (e.g., built before the 1980s), which may contain regulated building materials (e.g. – lead-based paints, asbestos and PCBs) and properties with soil, groundwater and/or surface waters impacted with petroleum and/or hazardous substances (e.g. – former auto repair/gas stations, illicit dump sites, commercial buildings, and industrial facilities). Eligible applicants include cities, land clearance authorities, redevelopment agencies, regional councils, special districts, tribes, and non-profit organizations.
Brownfield grant types include:
Community-Wide Assessment: Up to $2M for Tribal applicants; used to complete a wide range of activities, including Phase I/II Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs), cleanup/restoration/reuse plans. Funding can be used to support these activities on numerous sites over a 4–5-year grant implementation period. Funding is not limited to properties you already own and can be used to support land acquisition opportunities.
Cleanup: Up to $4M; used to complete remediation and restoration of one or more brownfield-impacted properties that you own.
Multi-Purpose: Up to $1M; used to complete a combination of assessment, cleanup, and reuse planning activities on one or more brownfield-impacted properties.
Guidelines are due to be issued shortly, with grant applications anticipated for November. Award announcements are scheduled to be made in May 2026, with implementation beginning in October 2026.
Please contact Chris Gdak at Montrose Environmental at cgdak@montrose-env.com or (425) 760-1342 for more details.
Department of Housing and Community Development
Permanent Local Housing Allocation/ 2023 PLHA NOFA
This program provides long-term funding to support affordable housing, homeless prevention programs, and other housing-related projects. Funds are allocated based on California jurisdictions’ housing needs.
Application Deadline: June 30, 2027
Samueli Foundation
LFI and Leadership Accelerator Program
The Leading for Impact (LFI) and Leadership Accelerator program, run by the renowned Bridgespan Group, provides scholarship-supported access to strategic coaching, leadership development and peer-learning opportunities for 100 nonprofit executive teams. Through a mix of classroom workshops, team-led projects and executive coaching, LFI equips leaders with the skills and tools to strengthen their organizations, drive long-term sustainability and increase their community impact. Participating organizations contribute a portion of the program cost, ensuring shared investment in their growth and success.
Application Deadline: December 31, 2025
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