Press Releases

This week the County of Orange received an upgrade in its Issuer Default Rating (IDR) from Fitch Ratings to AAA and a reaffirmation of its Issuer Credit Rating (ICR) from S&P Global Ratings of AA+.

Orange County Treasurer-Tax Collector Shari L. Freidenrich, CPA, announced that her office has mailed approximately 15,800 delinquent notices totaling $19.3 million to taxpayers who have unsecured property taxes outstanding as of September 1, 2018.

On Tuesday, October 23 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Library of the Canyons in Silverado, officials with multiple agencies will participate in a collaborative town hall meeting to update residents about the Holy Fire impacts and preparations for potential debris flows.

Orange County Treasurer Shari Freidenrich announced that over 850,000 secured property tax bills have been mailed to the names of the property owners shown on the most recent tax roll. The secured property tax bills are now available online at ocgov.com/octaxbill.

As two storms have made their way from the Pacific Ocean to Southern California, the latest forecasts are predicting rainfall across Orange County starting late Tuesday, October 2, with the heaviest rainfall expected on Wednesday, October 3. Local agencies continue to closely monitor weather conditions and are strongly advising residents of the potential risk of mud and debris flows originating from the Holy Fire burn area.

On October 3, beginning at around 11:18 a.m., Orange County residents will receive a test emergency alert to their mobile devices from the federal government testing the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) capabilities. In addition, those who have opted into AlertOC will receive a second alert testing the County’s mass notification system. There is no cause for alarm when receiving the alerts.

With two storms making their way across the Pacific Ocean and expecting to bring rainfall across Orange County next week, local agencies are closely monitoring weather conditions and are strongly advising residents of the potential risk of mud and debris flows originating from the Holy Fire burn area.

Join the County of Orange for its first Career Expo and Open House – a free, family-friendly event open to all.

Date: Saturday, September 29, 2018

Time: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Location: Irvine Ranch Historic Park
13042 Old Myford Rd., Irvine, California 92602

On September 25, 2018, the public is invited to participate in the release of the County of Orange 2017 Hate Crimes Report. The report will also be available online upon release at www.occommunityservices.org/oc_human_relations_commission.

Orange County Treasurer-Tax Collector Shari Freidenrich reminds those with unsecured property taxes due for Fiscal Year (FY) 2018-19 relating to business property, leased equipment, boats and aircraft to submit payment by Friday, Aug. 31, 2018 to avoid late charges.

County of Orange officials gathered today to commemorate the “topping out” of the new Building 16, as the final beam was placed on top of the first building to be constructed as part of the first phase of the County’s multi-phase Civic Center Facilities Master Plan for the Civic Center area in Santa Ana.

Yesterday the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the Option and Master Lease Agreements for the revitalization of Dana Point Harbor (“Harbor”) with Dana Point Harbor Partners (“DPHP”).

Today the Board of Supervisors voted as part of the approval of the FY 2018-19 budget to re-establish the Internal Audit Department, reporting directly to the Board of Supervisors, removed the Auditor-Controller and Internal Audit augmentations while also cutting $656,570 of funding from the Auditor-Controller’s base budget.

Today the Orange County Board of Supervisors approved a County directive to expedite 11 housing projects in the pipeline for Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) funding, unveiled a Housing Funding Strategy to develop 2,700 housing units and paved the way to receive approximately $15.5 million in state Emergency Homelessness Aid Block Grant funding by declaring a Homeless Shelter Crisis.

During a County of Orange Board of Supervisors meeting on May 22, the Board approved the Orange County Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) Plan Update FY 2018/2019, directing staff to execute updates that include adding 58 MHSA-related positions to the Health Care Agency (HCA). The County's estimated year-end balance, as of June 30, 2018, is $81 million, with no funds subject to reversion to the State of California.

The County of Orange received a total of 13 awards in May 2018, including nine Achievement Awards from the National Association of Counties (NACo) and four Golden Hub of Innovation awards from the Association of California Cities-Orange County (ACC-OC).

The County of Orange's Fiscal Year (FY) 2018-19 Recommended Budget has been released for review by the Board of Supervisors and the public. It is available online at http://www.ocgov.com/gov/ceo/deputy/finance/budget.

The Offices of the Orange County District Attorney/Public Administrator (OCDA/PA) and Treasurer-Tax Collector (Treasurer) will be recognized by the National Association of Counties (NACo) with a 2018 Achievement Award in the category of Financial Management for their participation in the Medallion Signature Guarantee Stamp Program.

As of April 10, the OC Health Care Agency (HCA), in partnership with the City of Santa Ana Police Department, completed all assessments of homeless individuals residing in the Civic Center.

The County of Orange, in cooperation with the host cities of Fullerton and Santa Ana, is extending the County's Cold Weather Armory Emergency Shelters in Santa Ana and Fullerton an additional 90 days.

To provide an update on steps being taken by the County of Orange to help address growing mental health needs, OC Health Care Agency (HCA) staff will present an overview of changes to the proposed FY 2018-19 Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) Plan at the Orange County Mental Health Board's public hearing Wednesday, April 11.

A portion of the Santa Ana River Trail from Memory Lane in Santa Ana to Taft Avenue in Orange was closed to the public on January 22, 2018, for an environmental remediation project. It was anticipated to remain closed for up to three months. The County has made significant progress on the project, and a modified public access route will be restored April 7, 2018.

Orange County Treasurer-Tax Collector Shari Freidenrich today reminds Orange County taxpayers that the second installment of property taxes is due no later than Tuesday, April 10, 2018. Payments not received by the deadline, unless postmarked by April 10, will incur a 10 percent late penalty plus a $23 fee.

As of March 28, 2018, the County of Orange concluded its 30-day motel program for individuals previously encamped along the Santa Ana Riverbed. The program, which began at the end of February 2018, involved 697 individuals and 51 motels throughout Orange County.

Please join the County of Orange for a public, family-friendly grand opening of the new OC Animal Care facility in Tustin.

The County of Orange Board of Supervisors voted March 13 to approve the appointment of Kevin Rogan as the Executive Director of the County's Office of Independent Review (OIR).

Orange County Treasurer-Tax Collector, Shari L. Freidenrich, announced that the Top Twenty Property Taxpayers for Fiscal Year (FY) 2017-18 in the secured and unsecured categories in the County of Orange are as follows:

As of 2 p.m. today, all individuals encamped along the Santa Ana River Trail in the project area between Ball Road in the city of Anaheim and Memory Lane in the city of Orange have voluntarily complied with the request to relocate. The Orange County Sheriff's Department will now actively enforce state trespass laws and will maintain high visibility patrols in the area. This active enforcement of trespass laws will enable the County to complete the environmental remediation project and restore the area to its intended purpose.

The County of Orange has expanded temporary shelter capacity at Bridges at Kraemer Place in Anaheim – providing accommodations for an additional 52 individuals inside the facility and an additional 13 individuals in two temporary structures on the facility property.

Orange County Treasurer Shari L. Freidenrich announced that the next tax auction is at 1 p.m. Wednesday, March 21, in the Board of Supervisors Hearing Room at 333 W. Santa Ana Blvd., Building 10 in Santa Ana. "We currently have 15 improved parcels and six unimproved parcels to auction, and expect to actually auction off between five and 10 parcels," stated Treasurer Freidenrich. The Treasurer will not auction off properties that have paid all delinquent taxes and penalties in full by 5 p.m. Tuesday, March 20 or are otherwise ineligible for sale. The current list of parcels, a link directly to the parcel on a GIS map and other information on our upcoming tax auction are available at ocgov.com/taxauction. The list of parcels is updated every week.

Pursuant to the approvals given by the Orange County Board of Supervisors during a special Board meeting today, the County of Orange will be providing additional motel stays, shelter spaces and related services for individuals presently encamped along the Santa Ana Riverbed between Taft Avenue/Ball Road in Anaheim and Memory Lane in Orange (also referred to as the "Project Area" for the County's environmental remediation project).

The pilot phase of the Restaurant Meals Program (RMP) will officially launch in Orange County on February 1, 2018 in participating restaurants in the cities of Anaheim and Santa Ana. Upon launch, Orange County will become the ninth county in California to offer this program to eligible participants.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) approved a Settlement Agreement January 19 with the City of Newport Beach and the County of Orange defining flight paths from John Wayne Airport (SNA).

On January 23, 2018, the Orange County Board of Supervisors approved the formation of the newly restructured Commission to End Homelessness, representing a transition to a regional, systems-based approach to solving homelessness.

The Treasurer-Tax Collector has been notified that only a few taxpayers have requested a lowering of their property taxes due to damages from the Canyon Fire 2. Those taxpayers who lost their homes should consider applying to temporarily lower their property taxes.

Supervisor Andrew Do, First District, has been chosen unanimously by his colleagues to serve as Chairman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors for 2018. Supervisor Shawn Nelson, Fourth District, will serve as the Board's Vice Chair.

With coordination and support from the California Military Department and in conjunction with the County Office of Emergency Services, the Orange County Cold Weather Armory Emergency Shelters (armories) located in both Santa Ana and Fullerton will operate with extended hours on Tuesday to provide shelter and protection to the homeless community during the upcoming storm.

The County of Orange Board of Supervisors approved the purchase and sale agreement with Fountain Valley School District for purchase of an office building for the OC Health Care Agency (HCA) at 265 S. Anita Drive in the City of Orange.