Policy Pulse: October 24, 2025
- ACC-OC
- Oct 24
- 5 min read
Marlene Barraza, ACC-OC’s Director of Communications, attended the 4th Annual Energy and Sustainability Summit at Cal State Fullerton.The event featured insightful discussions on sustainability, energy efficiency, and community resilience.
Panelists included:
Panel 1: Senator Bob Archuleta
Panel 2: Supervisor Katrina Foley (5th District), Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento (2nd District), and Buena Park Vice Mayor Connor Traut
Panel 3: Kristi Bastiste, Emergency Manager for the City of Fullerton; Ted Gribble, Principal Manager of Operations and Wildfire Task Force at Southern California Edison; Kathryn Muniz, CEO of OC Conservation Corps; and Matt Olson, Chief of Staff/Assistant Chief of Staff of Corporate Communications
A big thank-you to CSUF Government and Community Relations and Southern California Edison for hosting such an engaging and impactful event!
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.
Champion OC: Global Events Committee
Join Us: Together, we can ensure Orange County speaks with one voice, captures the full benefits of these global events, and leaves a lasting legacy for our communities.
This invitation is extended to Mayors and City Managers, or a designated member of their council or staff.
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 |
The Mission Continues
Join The Mission Continues (TMC) for a special Platoon Event as we come together to revitalize the playground at Magnolia Science Academy! Our team will be restoring and enhancing the play space while adding much-needed shade, ensuring students have a safe, fun, and comfortable place to learn, play, and grow. This project is part of our ongoing commitment to serve the community and create lasting impact
—driven by the dedication of our nation’s veterans and local volunteers.
Lend a hand. Build connections. Make a difference.
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
The City Celebration Committee is hosting a drive this month help local animals in need. As part of October’s City Celebration calendar theme “Horses, Cows & Dogs, Oh My!,” this exciting donation drive encourages community members to donate much-needed supplies to help our local shelters.
OC Forum
Join OC Forum for their final program of the year – their Signature Housing Luncheon on Thursday, November 13th – featuring an in-depth conversation on different scales of innovative housing development. This program will bring together leading voices from Lowe, SDRE, Intracorp Homes, and Jamboree Housing to explore creative solutions addressing Orange County’s diverse housing.
City of Seal Beach
The Seal Beach Police Department announced that it has received a $102,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) to support its ongoing enforcement and education programs to help reduce the number of serious injuries and deaths on our roads. The grant program runs through September 2026.
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!
City of Dana Point
In this hands-on workshop, you'll learn:
AI-Powered Tools for Efficiency:
- Explore cutting-edge AI solutions for scheduling, ad creation, and audience insights.
- Discover how these tools can streamline your processes, saving you time and resources while enhancing productivity
Transform Your Social Strategy:
- Learn how AI can elevate your social media presence from a traditional one-way broadcast to a dynamic platform for better engagement and ROI
After this workshop, whether you're an expert or novice, you'll walk away with solutions you can implement immediately!
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