By Grace Leung, Newport Beach City Manager
About six weeks after the City’s new anti-camping ordinance took effect, we are seeing some positive early results from enforcement efforts.
From October 10 through November 19, the Newport Beach Police Department made 58 arrests and issued 10 citations for municipal code violations, while fielding 154 calls for service involving homeless individuals.
Several of those arrested for municipal code violations were taken to the Orange County Jail in Santa Ana because of outstanding warrants.
The new ordinance has given the City additional tools to incorporate into our homeless response efforts, and supports our first priority to help place homeless individuals in shelters and direct them to appropriate services.
The next step in the City’s homeless response efforts will be an expansion of the NBPD’s homeless liaison staffing, through reassignments, from one officer to four. Through this team approach, which will begin next month, the department will provide dedicated coverage for homeless-related issues seven days a week, with officers working in pairs on 10-hour shifts.
I would like to thank our Police Department for their efforts to address homelessness in our community, along with the City’s homeless services manager and Public Works team.
To follow the City’s homeless response efforts, please visit our newly updated Homeless Data Dashboard, which includes street exits, homeless count and the number of cases being actively managed: https://www.newportbeachca.gov/trending/community-issues/homelessness/monthly-homeless-count.
Help Support Military Families through ‘Operation Christmas’ Gift Drive
The City is now accepting gift donations for the families of military service members, continuing a longstanding partnership with Operation Christmas this holiday season.
Residents are invited to bring unwrapped toys, sporting equipment and DVDs to City of Newport Beach facilities during regular business hours through Monday, December 16 at 5:30 p.m.
New and unwrapped toys and sporting equipment, new or used DVDs, or gift cards are suggested. The gifts will be distributed before Christmas to families of active duty and reserve National Guard members and the U.S. Space Force.
Drop boxes are available at the following locations:
- Newport Beach Civic Center (Bays 1A and 2E), 100 Civic Center Dr.
- The Newport Beach Police Department, 870 Santa Barbara Ave.
- OASIS Senior Center, 801 Narcissus Ave.
- Newport Coast Community Center, 6401 San Joaquin Hills Rd.
- Central Library, 1000 Avocado Ave.
- Corona del Mar Branch Library, 410 Marigold Ave.
- Mariners Branch Library, 1300 Irvine Ave.
- Balboa Branch Library, 100 E. Balboa Blvd.
Operation Christmas, organized by Yellow Ribbon America, supports more than 300,000 service members and their families.
The City has partnered with Operation Christmas since 2005 to support the families of local service members. Last year more than 2,000 gifts were donated by the members of the public at Newport Beach drop boxes.
Thanksgiving Holiday Street Sweeping, Trash Collection Schedule
City Hall and most City facilities will be closed in observance of the Thanksgiving Holiday on Thursday, November 28 and Friday, November 29.
There will be no street sweeping on Thursday, November 28 and Friday, November 29.
Residential trash collection will not occur on Thursday, November 28 and will be delayed by one day for the remainder of the week.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families!
New Utility Bill Schedule to Begin in February
Beginning in February, 2025, the City of Newport Beach will transition to monthly utility billing from bi-monthly. This includes charges for water, sewer, recycling and more.
Customers will receive a utility bill, known as the Municipal Services Statement, 12 times a year instead of six. The transition will begin in February and be completed by March (individual transition dates depend on the current billing cycle).
If your account is set up for automatic payments, no additional steps are needed. You will be charged automatically each month, five days before your due date. To set up or adjust automatic payments, visit www.onlinebiller.com/newport.
The benefits of monthly billing include:
- Creates consistent payment cycles with most other bills.
- Reduces late payments.
- Helps promote water conservation by allowing customers to more quickly detect leaks or other increased water use.
For questions, please email revenuehelp@newportbeachca.gov or call (949) 644-3141.
Share Your Vision for Newport Beach’s Future at General Plan Workshops
Would you like to get involved and share your vision for Newport Beach’s future? The City continues to update its General Plan and wants to capture what is important to you and your community.
You are invited to attended upcoming community workshops. If you are unable to attend or have more to share, we invite you to participate online and share your thoughts and ideas on the Newport, Together website: https://newporttogether.mysocialpinpoint.com/we-want-hear-you.
Join Us for NBPD Mobile Café Dec. 14 at Roger’s Gardens
You are invited to join Newport Beach Police Department officers and staff at the next Mobile Café community outreach event on Saturday, December 14 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Roger’s Gardens, 2301 San Joaquin Hills Rd.
The NBPD Mobile Café provides an opportunity for community members to come together, enjoy some coffee and engage in meaningful conversations with our police officers. This event is part of our ongoing effort to strengthen the relationship between the police department and the Newport Beach community.
For questions or more information please contact Sgt. Steve Oberon at (949) 644-3652 or soberon@nbpd.org.
