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A group that advocates for more homebuilding and lower-cost housing in Orange County started a petition in support of a state plan to find space by 2029 for about 1.34 million homes in Southern California, including about 183,000 in Orange County.
The petition is in response to a lawsuit filed by the Orange County Council of Governments that takes issue with the state-mandated figure. The planning agency, which is made up of Orange County cities, claims in the lawsuit that the county’s share should be only 651,000 housing units.
“This lawsuit runs counter to the interest of the most at-risk for displacement and homelessness,” the petition says. “Orange County needs more housing. We need subsidized affordable housing for low & very-low-income families and service sector workers. We need ‘missing-middle’ townhomes and condos near jobs for millennial-aged teachers, healthcare workers, and emerging professionals.
Anaheim declines to mandate hero pay for grocery workers
A cashier helps a customer at the checkout stand in a Vons grocery store.
(Luis Sinco)
May 19, 2021 3:30 PM PT
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Anaheim is the latest city in Orange County to deny a mandate to require hero pay for grocery and pharmacy workers.
The council’s decision on Tuesday to not increase grocery workers’ pay by $3 an hour for 60 days came as no surprise. Last week, four of the council’s seven members said they were not in favor of the wage increase while having an initial discussion of the proposal.
Councilman Jose Moreno brought the item forward with the support of council members Avelino Valencia and Jordan Brandman.
Anaheim Moves Forward with Hero Pay Ordinance
The measure would provide such workers with a $3 per hour pay boost for 60 days.
Councilmember Jose Moreno initiated the “hero pay” ordinance, also known as hazard pay, with support from councilmembers Jordan Brandman and Avelino Valencia.
“We know there’s a tsunami of economic hardship coming their way,” Moreno said.
“Many of them have had to defer their rents, have had to defer credit card bills, car payments, forbearance on mortgages … That’s why this is important to still consider in a temporary and modest way so that our city can avoid an economic catastrophe by our workers who stepped up for us over the last 14 months.”
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A majority of Anaheim’s City Council members are not in favor of approving hero pay for local grocery and pharmacy workers who many argue have put themselves in harm’s way during the pandemic to provide essential services to the community.
The council discussed the issue on Tuesday night at the request of Councilman Jose Moreno. Members did not vote on the matter, though the item will be brought back before the council at the next meeting.
Orange County cities that have approved hazard pay for grocery workers include Irvine, Santa Ana, Buena Park and Costa Mesa. Those cities mandated hero pay for a temporary period starting in February and March.