July 28th, 2022

Greetings ACC-OC Members!

I recently had the honor of being appointed as Chair to ACC-OC’s Homelessness Committee. Finding innovative solutions to complex issues like mental health issues and homelessness has been a top priority for me and I am excited to join with ACC-OC and our region’s leaders to focus on collaboration, solutions, and consensus building. This Committee, and ACC-OC in general, provides access to communication – there are so many success stories like the Be Well OC Mobile Van.

This program proved so successful in Huntington Beach that the entire county should have access to it. As Orange County leaders, we need to be able to hear from one another so we can celebrate and learn what is working and be honest about what is not. It is when we pool our resources of expertise and knowledge that we come up with creative solutions to seemingly insurmountable problems.

City and county quarrels, lack of affordable housing or permanent supportive housing, funding issues, all of it can seem overwhelming. However, when we come to the table and learn from one another, we can truly improve our cities and communities. That is what I am committed to do as Chair of the ACC-OC Homelessness Committee where we will create a reliable resource for Orange County cities. Programs like the upcoming Leadership Conference, hosted in my hometown of Huntington Beach, are designed to bring together Orange County stakeholders and encourage dialogue about all the issues facing our cities. I look forward to seeing you there on September 30^th as we gather at the collective table together to listen, learn, connect and collaborate to create a better Orange County.

Sincerely,

Barbara Delgleize

Mayor, Huntington Beach

Each month, the Association recognizes one of our Affiliate Members for the important job they provide to the Orange County region. This month, we are proud to recognize The Orange County Transportation Authority.

The Orange County Transportation Authority is the county transportation planning commission, responsible for funding and implementing transit and capital projects for a balanced and sustainable transportation system that reflects the diverse travel needs of the county’s 34 cities and 3.2 million residents. With the mission of keeping Orange County moving, this includes freeways and express lanes, bus and rail transit, rideshare, commuter rail, active transportation and environmental programs.

OCTA continues to find innovative solutions to improve transportation. Work is progressing on the OC Streetcar that will carry passengers through Santa Ana and Garden Grove in 2024. To attract a new generation of riders, OCTA recently became the first large transit agency in the region to permanently offer free bus service to all youth. OCTA also is working on the Making Better Connections study to better align OC Bus service with changing travel patterns. And OCTA is on the road to running all zero-emission buses to help improve air-quality.

In addition, OCTA administers voter-approved Measure M – the county’s half-cent sales tax for transportation – which among other things, funds improvements to freeways, city streets, and environmental programs.

As part of Measure M, OCTA and Caltrans will break ground on the SR-55 Improvement Project on July 28. This project will help improve commute times on the 55 Freeway by adding a regular lane and a carpool lane in each direction between I-5 and I-405.

For more information, visit octa.net. To receive OCTA news in your inbox, go to octa.net/GetConnected.

ACC-OC has added Capitol Track to our website as a resource for members! View, track, and see positions that the Legislative & Regulatory Committee has taken as well as any letters or action alerts that have been sent out.

CLICK HERE to view!