Working groups continue to participate in and provide comments on Housing Element drafts that Cities are sending to the State.  Although they were due in June, 2008, only five cities (Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, Westminster, Cypress and Brea) have received approval from HCD on their Housing Elements. Six additional Elements are under review by HCD.

View the status list and information on how to access the draft element for your city here.

The California Endowment has selected Santa Ana as one of The Endowment’s 14 “places” for its strategic initiative of Building Healthy Communities, which will launch in 2010. 

Still only 27 of the 35 jurisdictions have submitted Draft Housing Elements to HCD.  Huntington Beach and Costa Mesa are still the only two cities to have their Elements determined to be in compliance by HCD and to have been adopted.

View the status list and information on how to access the draft element for your city here.

President-Elect Obama has described early childhood education as among his highest priorities and Arne Duncan, his choice for Secretary of Education, is a strong supporter. 

Mr. Obama has pledged to establish a Presidential Early Learning Council to coordinate federal, state and local policies. The currrent system is “fantastically fragmented, unconscionably underfinanced and bureaucratically bewildering” according to an article in The New York Times. According to Bruce Fuller, an education professor at the University of California at Berkley, “California has 22 different funding  streams for child care and preschool…”

As a Senator in Illinois, Mr. Obama supported efforts to expand child care and education and his presidential platform emphasizes extending services to infants and toddlers, increasing funding and helping poor children as priorities, despite the recession.

The 14^TH Annual Report on the Conditions of Children in Orange County will be released at the Community Forum to be held on Thursday, November 6, 2008 from 8 – 11 a.m. at Cal State Fullerton Titan Center. This report provides a comprehensive picture of the present condition of children in Orange County and establishes a baseline from which to measure future progress and track changing conditions. The report tracks 38 indicators, ranging from low birth rates, to physical activity and overweight children, developmental disabilities, access to health care and children living in poverty.

27 cities have sent Draft Housing Elements to HCD.  Huntington Beach and Costa Mesa Elements have been adopted. View the status list and information on how to access the draft for your city here.

The deadline to register to vote in the November 4, 2008 general election is October 20, 2008.  Consider what you can do to help others cast their votes.  For example, you can make voter registration cards available at your office for clients, employees, residents and community members.  All the information you need is available at www.ocvote.com.

24 cities have sent draft Housing Elements to HCD.  View the list and information on how to access the draft for your city here.

Scott Darrell, Executive Director and Roseanne Kotzer, Education & Outreach Project Manager, were invited to attend Mission Hospital’s first Community Benefit Program to create an Affordable Housing Strategic Plan. The meeting’s objectives were to:  1. Build shared understanding, energy and focus around affordable homes in priority neighborhoods 2. Start to learn and apply evidence-based information 3. Start to draft a three year strategic plan/tree diagram for initiative 4. Identify next steps to complete and manage the strategic plan. 

George Avila, Healthy Communities Manager, Mission Hospital, opened the meeting and introduced the hospital’s consultant, Cathy Kinney, from Kinney Associates who led the day’s activities.  The committee hopes to capitalize on the group’s housing and community expertise to eventually increase the production of affordable homes throughout South Orange County

CalOptima (Orange County’s Medi-Cal provider) sponsored a “Community Alliances” conference on June 19, 2008. The county-wide collaborative conference focused on current health-related issues and challenges. The opening session was a panel discussion led by representatives of the Orange County Social Services Agency, CalOptima, The Coalition of Community Clinics and the Orange County Health Care Agency/MSI.Late morning offered several “break-out” sessions for the participants. The Kennedy Commission’s Senior Project Manager, Cesar Covarrubias, presented one of the sessions titled, “Prescription for Health: Affordable Housing Options”. 

Another Kennedy Commission staff member, Roseanne Kotzer, Education & Outreach Project Manager was the Keynote luncheon speaker. Roseanne presented a talk on “Getting Rid of What You Haven’t Got: We’re Okay Just the Way We Are” to a crowd of 250 attendees. The message urged participants to stay focused on their own goals, dreams and ambitions in spite of the daunting personal, economic and global challenges facing us all.

Roseanne spoke again on July 10, 2008 to the Housing Committee of the Senior Citizen’s Advisory Council. The committee has been a staple of the council for many years as advocates and supporters of affordable homes for seniors.  The PowerPoint presentation focused on the current Housing Element cycle, advocacy approaches and the effect that the housing market has on seniors in general and on those in Orange County, specifically.

Roseanne met with representatives from CalOptima who are beginning a Homeless Initiative to identify and reach the homeless in their client base.  She was able to give them many contacts and organizations throughout the county that they could include in their study process.