Policy Pulse: October 31, 2025
- ACC-OC
- Oct 31
- 7 min read
This week, ACC-OC Director of Member Services, Kathryn Morrison, attended the Orange County Taxpayers Association’s Roses and Radishes Awards 2025. It was inspiring to see Sheriff Don Barnes honored with the Royalty Award in recognition of his exceptional leadership and dedication to keeping Orange County safe.
ACC-OC was also honored to sit with our valued board member, Southern California Edison, and celebrate alongside so many community leaders committed to advancing good governance and public service.
Last week, ACC-OC Director of Member Services, Kathryn Morrison, attended the Laguna Niguel Chamber of Commerce’s Women Who Mean Business event. ACC-OC was honored to sit with our valued board member, Southern California Edison, in celebration of the many women making an impact across Orange County. The event was masterfully emceed by Joone Lopez, General Manager of the Moulton Niguel Water District, whose leadership made the celebration truly memorable.
It was inspiring to see community and city leaders come together in support of women in business. Former ACC-OC Board Member Elaine Gennawey helped present the awards alongside Mayor Ray Gennawey, Mayor Pro Tem Gene Johns, and Council Members Kelly Jennings, Stephanie Otto, and Stephanie Winstead.
ACC-OC was proud to support our City of Laguna Niguel member and celebrate the exceptional leadership within our region.
ACC-OC Director of Communications Marlene Barraza attended the 31st Annual Economic Forecast Conference, co-hosted by the Orange County Business Council (OCBC) and California State University, Fullerton (CSUF).
The event featured nationally recognized economists Dr. Anil K. Puri, Provost Emeritus and Director of the Woods Center for Economic Analysis and Forecasting, and Dr. Mira Farka, Professor of Economics and Co-Director of the Woods Center. Together, they presented insights on national and regional economic trends shaping the year ahead.
On Wednesday, October 29, 2025, Executive Director Kris Murray attended Santa Ana's 2025 State of the City event hosted by the Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce at the Hotel Zessa in downtown Santa Ana. ACC-OC was pleased to join regional and business leaders in celebrating Santa Ana’s achievements and learning about the city’s continued commitment to enhancing the quality of life for residents and businesses across Orange County.
Join Us: Registration Ends Today!
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
The Association of California Cities – Orange County (ACC-OC) is partnering with the Orange County Sports Commission (OCSC) and the Orange County Business Council (OCBC) to host a special briefing for city leaders on the upcoming LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games, FIFA World Cup, and other major international events coming to the region. Through this collaborative effort, we aim to ensure that Orange County presents a unified voice, fully leverages the economic and cultural opportunities these global events provide, and establishes a lasting legacy that benefits communities across the county.
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, Woodruff & Smart, and Kosmont Companies!
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 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 Irvine
The Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum, in partnership with the City of Irvine, held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Marine Corps Aviation Museum at the Great Park. This milestone event celebrated the legacy of Marine Corps Aviation and marked the beginning of construction for a world-class museum, set to open in spring 2027.
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 San Juan Capistrano
Train traffic is now traveling over the newly constructed San Juan Creek bridge, marking a major milestone in the Orange County Transportation Authority’s ongoing efforts in partnership with Metrolink to enhance rail safety and reliability. The new bridge replaces a structure originally built in 1917 and serves as a key link along the Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) rail corridor, one of the busiest intercity passenger trail lines in the nation.
CalOptima Health
CalOptima Health was featured on the front page of the Orange County Register for our nearly $20 million effort to help members keep their Medi-Cal coverage.
The funding will be used to implement a multifaceted outreach and education campaign to raise awareness about the changes to Medi-Cal and CalFresh eligibility through December 31, 2028. Changes include new work requirements and more frequent eligibility reviews, which could result in members losing coverage if they don’t complete the new processes in a timely manner.
City of Stanton
The City of Stanton’s Senior Home Grant Program helps eligible senior homeowners make essential health, safety, and accessibility improvements. Grants of up to 9,000 dollars per household are available with no repayment or lien required.
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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