There have been a number of success stories originating from the Costa Mesa Bridge Shelter, this is George’s story.

The Community Outreach team was recently given a client referral of a Costa Mesa man named George who was on the verge of homelessness. The staff, who work daily with individuals experiencing homelessness, learned that George would be homeless within the month because he was in poor and frail health. He could no longer adequately cover his monthly rent expenses solely on his Social Security income, and was running out of time and options.

The new Donald Dungan Library in Lions Park is set to open on Friday, May 24 immediately following a ribbon-cutting ceremony that starts at 10 a.m.  The public is invited to attend the event that will feature formal presentations, light refreshments, live entertainment and more.

In 2017, the City of Costa Mesa broke ground on Phase 1 of the $36.5 million Lions Park projects, resulting in a new Donald Dungan Library. Phase 2 will include a revamped Neighborhood Community Center and significant improvements to the Lions Park playground area.

The library is named after Donald Dungan, who was Costa Mesa’s first city attorney, serving from 1953 to 1966. He was also a Harbor Court judge for 16 years and served on the Newport Harbor High School Board of Trustees.

The original Donald Dungan Library was built in 1986. The facility is owned by the city and library services are provided by Orange County Public Libraries.

The new 23,615-square-foot library was designed by the Southern California-based architectural firm Johnson Favaro and the construction was managed by Costa Mesa’s Public Services Department and the Tovey/Shultz construction firm.

The LEED Gold constructed building features a main collection with numerous seating and reading areas, a children’s collection with interactive play area, a teen space with exclusive amenities, two rooms with advanced audio visual presentation capabilities that can be used for conferences or assemblies, two dedicated study rooms with presentation monitors and a Friends of the Costa Mesa Libraries work room and showcase.

Phase 1 of the project also includes a one-acre park with 25,000 square feet of programmable grass area. Upon completion of Phase 2, a total of 225 new trees will have been planted in Lions Park.

As part of the Lions Park Projects, the city will plant a total of 225 new trees in Lions Park. That number includes a proposal to plant 68 new trees as part of the park’s playground improvements. Given that proposed number, which is almost three times the number of existing trees currently in the playground, there will be dense reforestation of the area.

The City’s Arborist has recommended some trees for removal because they are either dead or dying, which has caused concerns for some residents.

Click here to read the arborist’s findings and recommendations for removal of 25 trees in the playground.

In addition to the 68 trees planned for the playground, the city planted 157 trees as part of the Library and Community Center projects for a total of 225 trees. The total trees in place before these projects was 105. Also, the New Zealand Christmas Tree that was planted by the Lions Club will be protected and stay part of this beautiful new park.

City staff is always interested in protecting Costa Mesa’s urban forest and is very sensitive to removal of any tree in public right-of-way. Staff carefully evaluates any request for removal of trees and takes necessary steps to mitigate the impact of removal. The City’s arborist conducted a detailed inspection of every tree in Lions Park Playground.

Furthermore, instead of planting the standard 24-inch box trees, the city is planting trees between 36 inch to 48 inch box-size to provide immediate benefit of a mature tree.

The completed project will bring a significant benefit to children and residents in the area, reducing issues with falling branches, limbs and tree failures.

Sara is the Mercy House Program Manager for the Costa Mesa Bridge Shelter. She has been a part of the Mercy House Living Centers team since 2011 and has served in a number of different roles, including Case Manager, Community Resource Coordinator, Leasing Agent, Outreach Coordinator, and now as Program Manager.

When the Costa Mesa Bridge Shelter opened in early April, one of the first people to enter was a senior named Sylvia.

Sylvia had previously owned her own business in town along with her children, but she later realized they were not contributing equally to the business expenses and were relying on her for their livelihood. Sylvia decided for her own survival she needed to leave the business and have her adult children fend for themselves.

This decision resulted in Sylvia becoming homeless.

Through the Bridge Shelter and her assigned case manager, Sylvia was able to make contact with an old family friend who she had once helped.

The family friend was able to return the favor to Sylvia by offering her a place to live in another state with a much lower cost of living. Sylvia remained upbeat and positive during her stay at the shelter. She saw it as a safe haven for nearly a month until she was eventually able to secure transportation, via train, to move to her new home.

We are happy to report Sylvia has been reunited with her old friend in the Pacific Northwest and has begun her new life. Congratulation Sylvia!

What: Crews will demolish a portion of the existing sound wall adjacent to southbound I-405 near Moon Park to create access to the bridge from the freeway. This work will be performed at night. Please be advised that this work may be loud.

Where: Southbound I-405, adjacent to Moon Park.

When: As early as 9 p.m. Friday, May 10 to 6 a.m. Saturday, May 11. This work will be performed concurrently with partial demolition of I-405 bridge over the Santa Ana River and will require freeway lane closures, which can only be done at night. The sound wall will be removed and replaced in its entirety at a later date as part of the project. The 405 Community Outreach Team will notify the community adjacent to the wall before this activity begins.

Note: Dates and times may change due to unforeseen operational factors or inclement weather.

Why: As part of the I-405 Improvement Project, which adds a general purpose lane and a tolled Express Lane facility in each direction, several sound walls will be replaced.

After a four-month, nationwide search, the Costa Mesa City Council voted at its Tuesday May 7 meeting to name Lori Ann Farrell Harrison, the Assistant City Manager from nearby Huntington Beach, to be the next City Manager.

“Ms. Farrell Harrison’s background in government as well as the private sector is extensive and diverse. Her resume impresses, as well as her thoughtful, inclusive and collaborative approach to governance,” Mayor Katrina Foley said. “Her experience as a finance director for a larger city prepared her for the challenges ahead to ensure Costa Mesa plans for a fiscally sustainable future, with quality services and facilities for the community, and no increased taxes on residents. We look forward to introducing her as our leader to take Costa Mesa to the next level as we work to restore our neighborhoods and parks, improve public safety, modernize, and develop a plan for fiscal sustainability.”

Farrell Harrison, a local government expert with 28 years of experience in the public and private sectors, has been the Assistant City Manager in Huntington Beach since 2017. In that role, she was responsible for coordinating complex initiatives in many aspects of city government with an emphasis on fiscal sustainability, transparency and process improvement.  She also worked with the City Manager in the daily oversight of the city’s 10 non-elected departments including police, fire and public works.

Additionally, she has served as chief advisor to the City Manager, the seven-member City Council and the elected City Attorney, City Treasurer and City Clerk. She has also been a leader in citywide homelessness efforts, and has led successful labor negotiations with the city’s eight employee associations covering 987 full-time employees.

“It is an extraordinary honor and privilege to be offered the position of City Manager for the City of Costa Mesa, known for its cutting-edge initiatives, commitment to public safety, emphasis on transparency in government, and dedication to the arts,” Farrell Harrison said. “I am truly excited about the opportunity to put my 28 years of experience to work in leading such an excellent organization under the direction of Mayor Foley and the City Council.”

Prior to her role as Assistant City Manager, Farrell Harrison served as the Chief Financial Officer for the City of Huntington Beach for seven years, overseeing a total budget of $344 million. She was instrumental in helping the City reduce its unfunded liabilities, bringing certain retirement benefits essentially to 100 percent funded status during her tenure.

She is also attributed with achieving a “AAA” rating for the City from Fitch Ratings due to her leadership, financial acumen and expertise.

She previously served as the City Controller, and later as the Chief Financial Officer, for the City of Long Beach, the sixth largest City in California.  In that capacity, she was responsible for working with 23 department heads in managing a City Budget of $2.3 billion.

Earlier in her career, she worked for the State of New York and later the City of New York’s Administration for Children’s Services overseeing the $2.0 billion budget for child protective, adoption and day care services.

In addition, she currently serves on the Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners, the five-member governing body for the Port of Long Beach.  The Port of Long Beach is the second largest container port in the country, responsible for $180 billion in international trade.

Her leadership skills have resulted in numerous awards including the Association of California Cities-Orange County Chapter’s Golden Hub of Innovation Award and the California Society of Municipal Finance Officers’ Innovation Award for her plans to reduce pension-related unfunded liabilities.  She was also nominated for CFO of the Year by the Orange County Business Journal in 2016.

Farrell Harrison holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and a Bachelor’s Degree from Barnard College of Columbia University. She is fluent in Spanish. In her free time, she enjoys skiing and snowboarding and traveling with her husband and their four teens.

Farrell Harrison anticipates starting her role as City Manager by the first of July.

On Thursday, March 28, 2019, the Cannabis Enforcement Unit, which is made up of the city’s Code Enforcement Unit, the Costa Mesa Police and the Bureau of Cannabis Control, served a search warrant on “Costa Mesa Beach Buds,” an unlicensed cannabis dispensary located in Costa Mesa.

The Bureau of Cannabis Control is part of the state’s Department of Consumer Affairs.

The search warrant was served at 1651 Placentia Ave., which resulted in the seizure of over $1.4 million in cannabis products.

The enforcement action is part of the city’s ongoing partnership with the state to track down and close these illicit facilities. 

“Illegal dispensaries harm and burden surrounding business owners and taxpayers,” Mayor Katrina Foley said. “Allowing them to illegally operate in the city creates an unfair advantage over our lawfully permitted green zone businesses. We are so grateful for the efforts of the Bureau of Cannabis Control to address illegal dispensaries in Costa Mesa.”

All commercial cannabis activity in California requires a state-issued license from one of the state’s three cannabis licensing authorities.

Costa Mesa Beach Buds is one of seven dispensaries the city has shut down for illegal operations. Click here for a list of dispensaries currently under investigation.

Selling cannabis goods without a state license is a violation of state law.

To file a complaint against illegal activity, click here – https://bcc.ca.gov/consumers/file_complaint.html.

To check and see if a cannabis retail location is licensed, visit www.CApotcheck.com.

Sara is a recent Bridge Shelter client. Currently employed as a Certified Nursing Assistant in north Orange County, she found herself living on the streets and in various motels due to chronic illness and the inability to obtain a consistent and affordable housing situation.

Sara entered the Costa Mesa bridge shelter several weeks ago and was provided a safe place to sleep, new clothes, the opportunity to work with a case manager on a housing plan and access to consistent transportation to her job.

We are excited to share that just this week Sara was able to secure and enter into a shared living situation/room rental and has plans to continue her stabilized housing situation.

Stories like Sara’s are impactful and life-changing and we look forward to sharing more stories of success with the community.

Acting City Manager Tammy Letourneau presented Neighborhood Improvement Manager Stacy Lumley with the City Manager Leadership Award at the monthly Meet and Greet on Thursday April 25.

“Stacy’s hard work and passion for helping the less fortunate in our community was a key factor in the successful opening of our new Bridge Shelter,” Letourneau said. “She worked tirelessly to get the shelter open and she continues to serve our clients on a daily basis. I am so proud of her and delighted to give her this award.”

As Letourneau presented her with the award, she noted the words to describe Lumley are “Leadership, Commitment, Compassion.”

In her role, Lumley manages the city’s Community Outreach Team and the city’s Network for Homeless Solutions, balancing the needs of individuals experiencing homelessness with the needs of residents and businesses.

Hired as a part time Costa Mesa Outreach Worker in 2014, Lumley has helped to link and house hundreds of homeless individuals to medical, mental health, substance abuse and housing opportunities.

Working alongside the city’s community policing officers, she used her crisis skills and helped police officers by defusing potentially volatile situations by linking homeless clients with services, which would free up officers to attend to other matters.

Under the guidance of the City Manager’s Office, she also developed monthly police briefings to keep law enforcement informed about homeless coordination policies, helped develop partnerships within the community and assisted in managing, developing and evaluating new programs designed to stabilize clients and provide them with additional housing resources.

She also took on the responsibility of participating in the 211 OC Coordinated Entry (CE) Permanent Supportive Housing Program. She also trained other workers to complete housing assessments and became one of the key players in the Coordinated Entry program throughout the County.

In 2016, she became a full-time employee and in 2018, she was promoted to manager and has been an integral member of the leadership team as it worked through issues surrounding the OC Catholic Worker lawsuit.

Prior to coming to the City, Stacy had 19 years of administrative social service experience serving children, families and seniors.

In addition to honoring Lumley, Letourneau honored employees who are new hires or were recently promoted.

In Development Services, Amber Miranda is a new part-time Office Specialist II working in the Housing & Community Development and Evelyn Castorela is a new part-time Permit Process Specialist in our Community Improvement Division.

Angela Madsen is the new Executive Secretary working in the Finance Department, Brooke Dunn is a new Intern in the Fire Department and Doreen Penfill is a new full-time Outreach Worker working in our Network for Homeless Solutions division.

In the Police Department, Joanna Hart and Madison Munguia are new Police Records Technicians, and George Letourneau (no relation to Tammy) is one of our new Police Officers, and Andrea Granados Valdez is a new Office Specialist II working in the Engineering Division of Public Services.

Those promoted include David Nguyen who has been promoted to Deputy City Clerk in the City Clerk’s Office and Mark Geiger has been promoted to Fire Engineer.

Council Member Allan Mansoor has been named the Ambassador to this year’s Tour de OC Bike-a-Thon and will be hosting the Opening Ceremony of the event on Saturday April 27 at the race’s starting line at Vanguard University.

The Tour de OC is run by a group of volunteers who are raising awareness and funds to send abused and neglected foster children to a weeklong camp in the San Bernardino Mountains and provide them with a year-long Mentorship Program. The event is held in April, which is National Child Awareness month.

“It is my honor and pleasure to be the Ambassador for this event,” Council Member Mansoor said. “As a father, I know how important it is for children to have a loving and stable household and I am grateful to the Tour de OC volunteers and participants who do so much for the many foster children in need of our help.”

Registration is still open for the bike ride through Orange County or to sponsor a rider  http://TourdeOC.org.  Being a 100% volunteer organization, 100% of the proceeds donated will be applied to the charity.

Tour de OC’s Metric Century (62 miles) with relentless hills including Santiago Canyon and Newport Coast, with lots of rolling hills through south Orange County has over 3,000 feet of vertical gain and has a five-star rating according to the Bicycle Rider Directors Association of America (BRDAA).  There will also be a Family Fun 25-mile route.

Check in begins at 6:00 a.m. on Saturday.

The 62-mile race starts at 7 a.m. and the 25-mile Family Run begins at 7:30 a.m. Both start and finish at Vanguard University. Both routes take riders on a scenic tour through Orange County.

Tour de OC sponsors include The Promise Child, South Coast Toyota, Rack N Road, Two Wheels, One Planet, Crown Plaza Hotel,  The Unlikely Cyclist, Newport Rib Company, Flightdeck, Simple Green, MedPost Urgent Care,  Farthing Development, Surfside Sports,  El Ranchito Restaurants, Davey’s Locker, Shirley’s Bagels, Wingnuts, Hanks Electric, Ganahl Lumber, Pasta Connection, BJ’s Restaurants, El Matador, MARC Chick-fil-A, Newport Mesa Church and OCTA.