April 2022
Andy's Updates shares news about all aspects of the Anaheim community. Thanks for tuning in!

This week's issue includes:

  • COVID-19 case update
  • Beach Boulevard change is here
  • Big A: record set straight
  • Being water smart

Find more about the city of Anaheim at Anaheim.net.
COVID-19: lower cases, watching for BA.2
Anaheim and Orange County continue to see lower, stabilized cases as we recover from the winter omicron wave and watch for any rise in cases from the BA.2 subvariant

BA.2, a more catchy version of omicron, makes up about 70 percent of cases nationally and regionally.

For now cases continue to decline and stabilize from the record levels of the omicron wave. Local case levels are now on par with last July prior to the August delta surge and winter omicron wave. 

During the month of March, Anaheim saw weekly cases drop from 401 to 72, while countywide, cases dropped from 2,612 to 806.

Vaccines and testing are still important as we navigate life after the omicron wave. Testing kiosks in Anaheim, with many offering vaccines, are expected to remain open.

For testing locations, visit Anaheim.net/testing. For vaccine locations, visit Anaheim.net/vaccines.
Change is happening on Beach
The challenges of Beach Boulevard are real, and so is the change.
 
Last weekend, models for the 65-townhome Nolin community at Beach and Lincoln Avenue opened to the public.
 
The new community is part of the transformation of the long empty corner with plans also in the works for a shopping center known as 39 Commons. We expect to see first-phase plans for the center move forward in coming weeks.
 
Nolin’s stylish tri-level townhomes are designed to bring new life to Beach with residents who’ll be invested in our effort to build a better future for the heart of west Anaheim.
 
Redevelopment is a big part of our long-term plan for Beach, which we are looking to rebuild as an inviting, walkable street with new homes, shops, restaurants and other businesses.
 
As redevelopment plays out today and in coming years, we’re also addressing public safety and quality of life issues along Beach now.
 
In late March, the city shut down The Covered Wagon Motel just north of Ball Road. The 70-room motel was red tagged and designated as unsafe for people to occupy.
 
The motel was closed for public health and safety violations including open electrical wiring, water leaks, sewage problems, lack of smoke detectors, mold, filth and squalor.
 
The red tagging is part of Anaheim’s efforts to address issues with motels on Beach Boulevard and to ensure they are operating safely, legally and according to basic standards.
 
Conditions at the Covered Wagon were deplorable and inhumane with safety hazards, filth, waste and signs of drug use and human trafficking and prostitution.
 
While some motels along Beach operate well, others contribute to serious problems including sex trafficking, illegal gambling and chronic drug use including fentanyl and methamphetamine.
 
Those who had been living at the Covered Wagon were relocated to a better motel with vouchers and transit and storage of their belongings covered by the city.
 
Help was made available to everyone. But those involved in illegal activity were not provided motel vouchers and either left the property or were ordered to leave the site.
 
You can learn more about our effort to rebuild Beach at Anaheim.net/RebuildBeach.
Big A: setting the record straight
A judge has set the record straight: The sale of Angel Stadium of Anaheim was done right. 

The decision in a lawsuit challenging the city’s sale of the Angel Stadium of Anaheim site denied the suit in its entirety and upheld Anaheim’s public process and approval of the stadium site sale.

“The discussions and decision surrounding the sale of the stadium site were anything but secret and were fully vetted with the public,” Orange County Superior Court Judge David Hoffer wrote in his decision, which was finalized on April 8.

The decision in Peoples Homeless Task Force v. City of Anaheim puts to rest misinformation and incorrect assertions about how the stadium site was handled.

Anaheim is selling the 150-acre stadium site for $320 million in a sale approved in a series of public meetings in late 2019 and 2020 and discussed extensively by Anaheim’s City Council.

We continue to work with our state partners to address another issue with the stadium site sale involving California’s Surplus Land Act, which prioritizes affordable housing on surplus government land. 

Anaheim and California reasonably disagree about whether the stadium site, which is leased for baseball through 2038, is subject to the Surplus Land Act.

Anaheim is pursuing a stadium site sale under another section of California law that allows governments to sell land for economic development.

We will share updates as they come available. To learn more about the stadium site sale, see Anaheim.net/BigA.
Be water smart tips
With Southern California having already seen much of its winter rainfall, it's time to start thinking about water conservation efforts ahead of what's sure to be another hot and dry summer.

Thankfully, Anaheim Public Utilities has tips to help you save water around your home and rebates worth looking into.

Here are ways to be water smart:
  • Repair water leaks as quickly as possible
  • Use a broom instead of a hose to clean driveways and pavement
  • Use a shut-off nozzle when using a hose to wash your car
  • Adjust sprinklers to eliminate runoff

Anaheim residents can also take advantage of water saving rebates from efficient clothes washers to rotating sprinkler nozzles. Learn more at Anaheim.net/rebates.

As part of a regional network of agencies managing our water supply, Anaheim Utilities remains committed to helping customers do their part to conserve water. Stay tuned for updates on additional efforts we're undertaking.

Learn more at Anaheim.net/BeWaterSmart.
More at Anaheim.net