ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA — Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley commented on today’s Board of Supervisors meeting where the Board approved a first of its kind pilot program to reduce the cost of permanent support housing, additional homelessness outreach services for south Orange County, retained specialized legal services to address the Orange County District Attorney’s cyberattack, and reduced the number of seats on flights coming in and out of John Wayne Airport.
Supervisor Foley released the following statements highlighting the votes by the Board of Supervisors from the November 7, 2023 meeting:
CalAIM Permanent Supportive Housing Pilot Program (Item 12A): Approved the first-of-its-kind pilot program with the County of Orange, Jamboree Housing, and CalOptima Health to provide an estimated $20 million in additional funding for supportive services for permanent supportive housing units in Orange County. This pilot program utilizes CalAIM funding and has the potential to become a model for the State.
“Once again, Orange County paves the way to transform our systems of care,” said Supervisor Foley. “This cutting edge, first-of-its-kind pilot program has the potential to bring nearly $20 million in CalAIM funding over 5 years to Orange County for wraparound services for our most vulnerable, chronically homeless neighbors, and to keep them housed - for good. I remain optimistic about the possibility that this pilot’s success will revolutionize how counties across the state provide services for our most vulnerable neighbors.”
Additional Homelessness Outreach Services for South County: Approved additional street outreach and care coordination services for south Orange County that supplements existing services and brings a, “whatever it takes,” approach to engaging and serving individuals experiencing homelessness. Performance guarantees within this agreement ensure that 90% of participants receive an individualized housing and service plan and are connected to benefits and our Coordinated Entry System within 30 days of enrollment.
“Additional case workers in South County will improve our approach to meeting the needs of our unhoused neighbors,” said Supervisor Foley. “Last month, we learned from our 2023 County Homeless Survey that residents experiencing homelessness need substance abuse support, medical and mental health resources, and direct engagement with caseworkers. I look forward to continuing the implementation of these survey findings to address the root of the problem and end homelessness in Orange County.”
JWA Mandatory Seat Withdrawal (Item 12H): Approved a mandatory seat withdrawal at John Wayne Airport for the remainder of 2023, reducing the number of available seats on flights coming in and out of the airport and maintaining compliance with 11.8 million annual passenger limitation in the settlement agreement.
“Orange County is a victim of its own success,” said Supervisor Foley. “Fortunately, we remain a hub for travel and business, resulting in a record number of passengers travelling through John Wayne Airport. However, we must keep our commitments to residents that are outlined in the 1985 settlement agreement, and work with our aviation partners on staying within our annual travel limits.”
“If you have not booked your flight – do it now,” added Supervisor Foley.
Legal Services for District Attorney Cyberattack (Item 12G): Approved agreement for specialized legal services that will support the County with a recent cyber-attack against the Orange County District Attorney’s Office. These services, which were retained immediately after the incident, will support the county in its investigation, containment, and remediation efforts related to the attack. The contracted firm, Baker & McKenzie, is an international firm with experience representing local governments and agencies victimized the history’s largest cyber-attacks.
“The individuals behind this cyber-attack must be held accountable. Our county will learn from this experience and implement event stronger protections for the future,” said Supervisor Foley. “This agreement will help get to the bottom of this cyber-attack and protect the sensitive and private information we work with every single day.”
###
Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley was elected to the Board of Supervisors in 2022 to represent the newly established District 5, which includes the cities of Aliso Viejo, Costa Mesa, Dana Point, a large portion of Irvine, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Newport Beach, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, as well as the unincorporated areas of Coto de Caza, Emerald Bay, Ladera Ranch, Las Flores, Rancho Mission Viejo, Stonecliffe and Wagon Wheel. This is her second term on the Board of Supervisors, where she previously served District 2.
Supervisor Foley’s Board appointments include the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA), OCFA Legislation & Public Affairs Committee Chair, Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), Transportation Corridor Agency (TCA), TCA Joint Environmental Committee, Coastal Greenbelt Authority, Newport Bay and South Orange County Watershed Executive Committees, Ocean Institute, San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) Community Engagement Panel, Spent Fuel Solutions Coalition Co-Chair, Law Library Board of Trustees, Orange County Housing Finance Trust Chair, Local Agency Formation Commission (alt), Orange County Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council, and OC Public Libraries Advisory Board.
