Policy Pulse: October 17, 2025
- ACC-OC
- 18 hours ago
- 6 min read
On Thursday, October 16, ACC-OC partnered with the OC Forum to host a data-driven, nonpartisan discussion on California’s Proposition 50 and its potential impacts on Orange County.
Our Featured speakers included Dr. Douglas Johnson and Dr. Justin Levitt of National Demographics Corporation (NDC), two of the nation’s leading experts on redistricting. along with Bob Page, Registrar of Voters; Cori Takkine, CEO of Townsend Public Affairs; and Jon Gould, Dean of UC Irvine’s School of Social Ecology, who served as moderator.
The program provided local elected officials and community leaders with a clear, nonpartisan overview of Governor Newsom’s proposed changes to California’s congressional maps. Attendees gained practical insight into the legal framework, regulatory requirements, and potential local impacts of the proposal.
ACC-OC Director of Special Events Heather Sievers attended the 2025 Yorba Linda State of the City on October 14 at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library, hosted by the Yorba Linda Chamber of Commerce. With the city’s deep history and community pride as a backdrop, Mayor Janice Lim delivered an inspiring address highlighting Yorba Linda’s accomplishments and future initiatives under this year’s theme, “Immersed in Excellence: Rooted in Values, Powered by Connection.”
ACC-OC was honored to take part in this celebration of leadership and community excellence in Yorba Linda, a proud member city.
ACC-OC Executive Director Kris Murray and Director of Member Services Kathryn Morrison attended The Good Lunch on October 14, 2025, at the Newport Beach Country Club. Hosted by Goodwill of Orange County, this year’s reimagined and immersive event highlighted the powerful impact of the organization’s Career Pathways program, which helps individuals discover their talents, pursue their dreams, and build meaningful careers.
ACC-OC is proud to support the important work of our member organization, Goodwill of Orange County, in creating opportunities and transforming lives across the region.
ACC-OC Director of Member Services Kathryn Morrison attended the City of La Palma’s 2025 State of the City, hosted by the La Palma Chamber of Commerce. The event highlighted the city’s achievements over the past year and shared plans for continued growth and community engagement.
ACC-OC is proud to support our member city of La Palma and celebrate its commitment to fostering innovation, partnership, and a strong quality of life for residents and businesses alike.
Frank R. Bowerman Landfill and Bee Canyon Greenery
Join us for an exclusive tour of the Frank R. Bowerman Landfill and Bee Canyon Greenery, and discover how Orange County Waste & Recycling turns trash into resources.
Orange County Regional Holiday Mixer
Join ACC-OC, the League of California Cities OC Division, OCBC, and OC Tax for this year’s Annual Holiday Mixer — proudly sponsored by West Coast Arborists, Jacob Green & Associates, Cityside Fiber, and Woodruff & Smart!
ACC-OC is proud to serve as the SoCalGas Regional Energy Pathways Program Ambassador for Orange County, helping cities and public sector organizations improve energy efficiency and reduce costs.
Benefits of Participating:
✔ No-cost energy assessments to identify saving opportunities
✔ Financial support for energy-efficient equipment upgrades
✔ Expert guidance from energy professionals on best practices
✔ Reduced energy consumption to meet state and local sustainability goals
✔ Project management assistance to streamline implentation
Through programs like the Large Public Sector Program and Public Direct Install Program, eligible organizations can receive:
Whole facility energy audits to create customized energy-saving roadmaps
No-cost efficiency upgrades, including hot water insulation, low-flow fixtures, and commercial kitchen improvements
Rebates and on-bill financing for energy-efficient equipment installations
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 |
OC Sanitation District
Join the Orange County Sanitation District for the State of OC San on Friday, October 17, 2025, from 11 a.m.–1 p.m. at OC San Headquarters in Fountain Valley. Hear from Joaquin Esquivel, Chair of the State Water Resources Control Board, as the distinguished guest speaker. An optional plant tour will follow the program.
OC Forum
The OC Forum's Signature Housing Luncheon in conjunction with the inaugural Symposium hosted by the Urban Land Institute of Orange County.
Join OC Forum for an interactive discussion about innovative housing solutions.
*Attendance to the Symposium is not required for luncheon attendance.
City of Garden Grove
The City of Garden Grove’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), in partnership with the Garden Grove Police Department, will host its next basic academy from Wednesday, October 22, to Saturday, October 25, 2025. The free academy teaches community members how to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters, and how to provide support to first responders when professional resources are stretched.
Orange County Board of Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento
Supervisor Sarmiento is hosting a Small-Scale Summit that will bring together manufacturers, non-profits, developers, municipal landowners, and funders to explore innovative housing solutions for Orange County.
This gathering will provide a valuable opportunity to engage in discussions about successful housing projects from other counties, explore funding opportunities, and connect with municipalities interested in adopting this model.
The event aims to bring together development sector professionals like yourself to share insights, learn from proven approaches, and foster collaboration to advance small-scale housing solutions in our communities.
Details:
Date: November 5, 2025
Time: 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Location: County Conference Room, 630 N. Broadway Street, Santa Ana, CA 92701
City of Huntington Beach
Join Huntington Beach for their next FREE eBike Rider Training on Saturday, October 18, at Spring View Middle School (16662 Trudy Ln.). Come learn about safe riding, traffic awareness, and California eBike laws.
Choose from three 80-minute sessions:
9:00-10:20 AM
10:30-11:50 AM
12:00 PM-1:20 PM
Space is limited—sign up early!
For questions, email Sgt. Mike Thomas at mthomas@hbpd.org
United to End Homelessness
Join United to End Homelessness on November 15 at Champion Stadium for a group aerial photo to launch The Person in Front of You Campaign.
The first 250 people will receive a limited-edition T-shirt designed by local artist Trevor Girard!
Bring a non-perishable food item to support local food banks and shine a light on how food & housing insecurity are connected.
Be part of the aerial photo event and the movement for housing & hunger solutions!
SoCalGas
With no-cost registration, the 12th annual Foodservice Equipment Expo provides an opportunity to reconnect and rebuild with innovation at one of the industry's largest West Coast showcases of natural gas and energy-efficient commercial foodservice equipment. Leading industry manufacturers will display and demonstrate their brands as attendees visit booths and live-action cooking stations, sample artisan foods cooked on a variety of natural gas equipment, network, and learn about available rebates. Attend any day at no-cost!
Details:
Date: Wednesday, October 22, 2025
Time: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
For More Information:
Email - ercfoodsvc@socalgas.com
Phone - 562-803-7323
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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