By Grace Leung, Newport Beach City Manager
I am pleased to report that the City of Newport Beach will be participating in a major regional project to create permanent supportive housing for those experiencing homelessness and at risk of becoming homeless.
The project is a partnership between the County of Orange, the cities of Newport Beach and Costa Mesa and developer American Family Housing, funded largely by a State grant.
On Wednesday, August 14, the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) announced an award of $29 million in Homekey grant funds toward the $45 million total project cost. Newport Beach will contribute $3 million in the form of a 55-year, three percent interest loan.
Over the next 12 months, American Family Housing will convert an aging Travelodge motel at 1400 Bristol St. in Costa Mesa into a residential community of 78 affordable apartment homes. Construction is expected to take one year, and the apartments will be leased by the end of 2025. Newport Beach and Costa Mesa will have a “local preference” under the County’s referral process for 28 of the units (12 for Newport Beach and 16 for Costa Mesa), meaning, the County will qualify tenants, in part, based on their connection to Newport Beach or Costa Mesa.
This project is an important next step in Newport Beach’s comprehensive strategy to addressing homelessness. Our approach includes a dedicated police officer and homeless services manager assigned full-time to homeless outreach, temporary shelter beds at the Costa Mesa Bridge Shelter, access to mental health care and substance abuse treatment, benefits counseling, referrals to community-based programs and services, and new local ordinances designed to help unhoused people exit the streets permanently.
Through the City’s Good Giving program, we are working to reduce panhandling and provide resources to help people stay housed and employed.
For more information on the City’s homeless response efforts, please visit our website at https://www.newportbeachca.gov/trending/community-issues/homelessness.
Beach Access Improvements Underway at 38th Street, Lake Avenue
Construction has begun on a project to improve the beach area at 38th Street and Lake Avenue, near the bridge connecting Newport Island with the Balboa Peninsula. The project will improve the appearance of the 38th Street beach area and provide better beach access.
Improvements include new stairs, a landscaped planter area with a fence, a foot-wash station, and beautification of the existing retaining wall.
During some working days, travel lanes in the area may be reduced. Residents and visitors are asked to exercise caution near construction zones.
Caltrans Update on PCH Repaving Project
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has scheduled the following overnight lane closures on Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach starting Monday, August 19 through Friday, August 23. Work will be conducted overnight, from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday through Thursday, and 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. on Friday. At least one lane of traffic will be open during the closures.
Monday, August 19
- Dover to Jamboree – Southbound #2 and 3 lanes (middle)
Tuesday, August 20
- Dover to Jamboree – Southbound #2 and 3 lanes (middle)
- Jamboree to Dover – Northbound #1-3 lanes (left)
Wednesday, August 21
- Dover to Jamboree – Southbound #2 and 3 lanes (middle)
- SR-55 to Dover – Southbound #2 lane (middle)
Thursday, August 22
- SR-55 to Dover – Southbound #1 lane (left)
Friday, August 23
- Jamboree to Dover – Northbound #1-3 lanes (left)
- Dover to SR-55 – Northbound #1 & 2 lanes (left)
Please note there may be loud noise due to construction.
Please obey all posted signs and traffic instructions for the safety of Caltrans crews and travelers. Electronic changeable messages signs will notify drivers of the closure. For more information and updates, please contact the Caltrans District 12 Public Information Office via email at D12PIO@dot.ca.gov or on social media: X, Facebook and Instagram.
City Firefighters Return from Park Fire Deployment
Firefighters from the Corona del Mar station have safely returned to Newport Beach after a two-week deployment to the Park Fire.
The Park Fire is now the fourth largest fire in California recorded history, covering more than 429,000 acres in four counties (Butte, Tehama, Shasta and Plumas). It is 40 percent contained as of Friday, August 16.
As recent events demonstrate, natural disasters such as wildfires and earthquakes can strike at any time. The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program educates volunteers about disaster preparedness and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, and medical operations.
The Newport Beach Fire Department will be offering two CERT program courses this fall, in September and October.
Please visit their webpage for more information and to register: https://newportbeachca.gov/government/departments/fire-department/life-safety-services-division/community-emergency-response-team-nbcert.
Marian Bergeson Memorial Bridge Dedication Ceremony Set for Sept. 13
On Friday, September 13, Assemblymember Diane Dixon (R-Newport Beach) will honor former Assemblymember and Senator Marian Bergeson by dedicating the Upper Newport Bay Bridge in her memory.
The 10 a.m. dedication ceremony will be open to the public at the Balboa Marina Public Pier, 151 E. Coast Highway.
Bergeson (1925-2016) was the first woman to serve in both the California State Assembly and California State Senate. She served in the State Legislature from 1978 to 1995, was a member of the Orange County Board of Supervisors from 1995 to 1996, and was the California State Secretary of Education from 1996 to 1999.
She served two terms on the California Transportation Commission from 2004 to 2012. She began her political career when she was elected to the Newport-Mesa Unified School District Board of Education in 1964, where she served for 12 years.
If you would like to attend the dedication ceremony, please RSVP by calling Assemblymember Dixon’s office at (949) 798-7221.
County HHW Facility in Huntington Beach to Temporarily Close Beginning August 20
The Orange County Waste & Recycling household hazardous waste (HHW) collection facility in Huntington Beach – which is often frequented by Newport Beach residents – will be closed for renovations between August 20 and October 18.
There are three other facilities in Orange County where Newport Beach residents may safely dispose of household hazardous waste for free. They are located in Irvine, Anaheim and San Juan Capistrano.
For more information, please visit the OC Waste & Recycling website: https://oclandfills.com/hazardous-waste/locations-and-hours-operation.
Newport Coast Pickleball Fall League Begins August 24
Newport Beach residents are invited to compete in the City’s upcoming fall Pickleball League beginning the week of August 24.
League play provides teams of 2-4 players a chance to compete in a 10-week season, including playoffs. Beginning and intermediate levels are offered in women’s, men’s and co-ed divisions.
For more information on fall league dates and registration, please contact pickleball@newportbeachca.gov or visit www.newportbeachca.gov/sports.
Mayor’s Youth Council Accepting Applications Through Sept. 3
The City is now accepting applications for the 2024-2025 Mayor’s Youth Council, an unpaid internship program. The Mayor’s Youth Council aims to educate high school students about the significance of civic duty.
Participants are paired with City staff and spend a minimum of four hours during the year learning about their mentor’s job responsibilities. Additionally, participants will assist with City special events and create their own service projects.
Applications are due Tuesday, September 3.
For more information, click here: https://fs23.formsite.com/cityofnb/ygnwdiy4go/index.
Be Well Mobile Response
The Be Well mobile crisis response team operates in Newport Beach 12 hours a day, seven days a week to respond to mental and behavioral health crises. The mobile unit is staffed with mental health specialists and works closely with the City’s police and fire departments.
This week, the Be Well team:
- Transported a person to the Yale Navigation Center for temporary shelter.
- Transported a person to a crisis stabilization unit for treatment.
- Transported three people to homeless service providers.
- Transported a person to the Be Well sobering station for treatment.
- Collaborated with the Newport Beach Fire Department for a medical transport.
The mobile crisis team is dispatched through the Newport Beach Police Department. To request service, dial 911 or call the Police Department’s non-emergency line at (949) 644-3717.
Homelessness Update
This week, the City’s homeless outreach and response teams:
- Transported a person to the Costa Mesa Bridge Shelter.
- Sheltered a person in a motel to prepare for job interviews and housing appointments.
- Continued to shelter people. 26 people who had been experiencing homelessness in Newport Beach are sheltered in the Costa Mesa Bridge Shelter.
Click here to view the latest homeless dashboard, which includes key monthly and yearly data on the City’s homeless response: https://www.newportbeachca.gov/trending/community-issues/homelessness/monthly-homeless-count.
Click here for information on the City’s Good Giving program: https://www.newportbeachca.gov/trending/community-issues/homelessness/how-you-can-help.
