This week, we give thanks for what we have in our lives and those whom we hold dear. The holidays are about giving back to our communities and taking action to show others we care.

One resident who has epitomized the spirit of Thanksgiving is Jason Mercado.

Jason has been hosting the Thanksgiving Harvest Feast in Santa Ana for the past three years. Jason, who lives in Westminster, gathers sponsors and donated food from local grocery stores and bakeries to feed families in need and the homeless here in Central Orange County. Following the success of past years, Jason was able to get sponsors to offer other services at this year’s Feast including health screenings and donated clothes.

On Sunday, Chairman Andrew Do’s office joined Jason and the many volunteers to hand out food and goods to the many residents. Chairman Do’s office also recognized Jason for the incredible work he has done in our community. Thank you Jason, you have truly made a lasting impact on the lives of so many!

Federal and local housing leaders, including Neal Rackleff, Assistant Secretary, Planning and Development at U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Chairman Andrew Do, Susan B. Parks, CEO, Orange County United Way, and 30 community and business leaders came together to announce Orange County’s first-ever Landlord Incentive Program (program) designed to help house chronically homeless individuals.

The County’s new program will remove financial barriers – from leasing expenses, holding fees, application expense reimbursement, damage claims assistance, security deposits and more – for landlords who make units available to homeless individuals in the County’s housing programs. The Orange County Board of Supervisors approved $250,000 to fund United to End Homelessness’ pilot effort, which will build upon the initiative’s partnership with Schroeder Management Company. The program will provide 40 to 55 housing placements over the next year through the pilot.

One major goal of the program is to increase the housing stock available and the accessibility to eligibile homeless individuals. The Board of Supervisors’ initial $250,000 donation will hopefully encourage the private sector and other donors to contribute as well. The Landlord Incentive Program is made possible by the collaboration between government, philanthropic, business, faith-based, and nonprofit organizations and is crucial to building Orange County’s System of Care. For more details, read the full story here.

The County of Orange and the City of Santa Ana are making good on the promise to install more fencing along flood control channels to enhance public safety, including Fisher Park. The new fencing will create a more clearly defined border between open space and Santiago Creek, offering added security for park goers.

Temporary fencing was installed by OC Public Works on November 19 as work began on the final project. The City of Santa Ana will remove the old fencing on November 20 and 21. Construction of the new fence will begin on November 26 and continue until December 24. Working hours for the project will be Monday through Friday, 7AM to 4PM. For further details, see the attached handout.

Chairman Andrew Do worked with City leaders, County staff and Law Enforcement agencies on the fencing projects in Santa Ana, Garden Grove and Westminster after reports of criminal activity, including a series of fires set by a homeless arsonist. Twenty-four sites in Garden Grove, Santa Ana and Westminster have been upgraded with more secure fencing at flood control access points. Fisher Park is the next step in a continued push to increase public safety, especially for our residents who live near flood control channels.

Chairman Andrew Do is hosting a Garden Grove Public Safety Forum in partnership with the City of Garden Grove and the Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce. Chairman Do, Garden Grove Mayor Steve Jones, and Garden Grove Police Department Chief Todd Elgin will discuss public safety, homelessness and other concerns pertinent to the Garden Grove community.  After presentations, there will be a robust Q&A session to answer specific audience questions.

The event will take place at the Garden Grove Community Meeting Center from 6PM to 8PM on Friday, November 30, 2018. For more details, visit the event page on Facebook or call (714) 834-3110. Please RSVP, admission is free and open to the public. We hope to see you there!