Speaker Rivas' Swearing-in Ceremony | |
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Our founder, Curt Pringle, served as the 61st Speaker of the Assembly in 1996. Recently, Curt had the distinct honor of joining Speaker Robert Rivas’ escort committee during the State Capitol’s Oath of Office ceremony for the 71st Speaker of the Assembly. There has been a long-standing tradition for Speaker-Elects to invite all former Speakers of the Assembly to the event.
Congratulations to the 71st Speaker of the Assembly, Robert Rivas!
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New CP&A Intern
We are excited to welcome our new intern for the 2023 school year, Lourdes Rosas. Lourdes is a fourth-year college student attending California Polytechnic State University Pomona. Next May, she will graduate with a Bachelor's of Science in Political Science, and intends to obtain her Masters in Public Administration. Mrs. Rosas has a background in child development and education. She has enjoyed working alongside CP&A team members, researching legislation and public policy issues, and gathering valuable knowledge and expertise over the past semester.
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Legislative Staffer Luncheons | |
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We hold immense gratitude for the dedicated work carried out by legislative staff members. Their unwavering commitment, along with that of legislative officials, significantly enriches our communities day in and day out.
One of our unique traditions is to periodically host Legislative Staffer Luncheons across Orange County. These are great opportunities for staffers to hear about different organizations and the policies that affect them. Take a look at the highlights below from our summer and fall series of luncheons that took place this year.
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In June, CP&A partnered with Cypress College for a Legislative Luncheon. Attendees were warmly welcomed by the College's President, Dr. JoAnna Schilling. Following a delightful lunch, guests were treated to an in-depth tour of the campus, which included a glimpse of the newly established Veterans Resource Center, Aviation Simulation Lab, Health Science Labs, Mortuary Science facilities, and an engaging Planetarium demonstration!
Cypress College's transformation over the years has been remarkable. Back in 2014, the college was the beneficiary of a substantial $574 million bond through Measure J. This funding paved the way for the construction of state-of-the-art facilities, solidifying the college’s status as a premier educational destination for Orange County students!
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CP&A collaborated with The Salvation Army of Orange County for July’s Legislative Luncheon. The event featured three dynamic and inspirational speakers including Ben Hurst, Managing Director of the Center of Hope, Kelly Bruno-Nelson, Executive Director of Medi-Cal/CalAIM, and Grace Stepter, Director of Housing and Community Development for the city of Anaheim.
Legislative staffers around Southern California flocked to the event to get a sneak peak and special tour of the Center of Hope Campus in Anaheim. The Center of Hope is a 325-bed low barrier emergency shelter with 72 permanent supportive housing apartments that will soon include a state-of-the-art Center for Applied Research and Innovation (CARI). CARI's funding partners include the Samueli Foundation and CalOptima.
All eyes are currently on Orange County, as lawmakers and residents across the state want to understand and replicate the Salvation Army’s unique and dignified approach to homelessness. Their "homeless throughput system" gradually rehabilitates and reintegrates people back into the community, always focusing on the soul and spirit of each individual.
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In September, CP&A had the privilege of partnering with the Friends of Santa Ana Zoo to host another Legislative Staffer Luncheon! We heard from Steven Mendoza, Assistant City Manager of Santa Ana, Nathan Hittle, Board Member of the Santa Ana Zoo, Ethan Fisher, Director of Santa Ana Zoo, and Cat Decker, Executive Director of Friends of Santa Ana Zoo. We were given a brief history of how the zoo got started, the various educational programs they host for kids, and the new Education Hub building which will continue to help expand their outreach capabilities. We also learned more about their co-host, the Friends of Santa Ana Zoo, who help bring financial support, growth, and community awareness to the zoo.
Following this, we got an in-depth tour of the zoo. Attendees explored their butterfly sanctuary, fed domesticated camels, and toured the veterinary office where staff members take care of sick and injured animals. At the end of the tour, we learned about forthcoming attractions at the Santa Ana Zoo like the Giant River Otter and the future Primate Forest Habitat.
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This past October, CP&A partnered up with BayWa r.e. Americas, located in Irvine, for another exciting luncheon! BayWa r.e. is a leading global renewable energy developer and distributor that works with businesses and organizations worldwide to provide renewable solutions that reduce carbon footprints and reduce energy costs, all while operating 100% carbon neutral.
Attendees for the luncheon were greeted with a company introduction by CEO of BayWa r.e. Wind, Gordon MacDougall. This was followed by a riveting discussion on BayWa r.e.’s legislative and policy priorities, led by Antonia Castro-Graham, Director of Energy Policy and Strategy, Americas. The meeting concluded with a comprehensive look of BayWa r.e.’s operations and services management and technology before touring the company’s very own Remote Operations Control Center (ROCC), which allows for 24/7 monitoring and response for active projects all around the globe.
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Circuit in Huntington Beach | |
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CP&A’s Senior Vice President Paul Simonds advocated for the city of Huntington Beach to continue its partnership with our client, Circuit, the micro-transit solution operating in and around the downtown area and throughout Southern California.
On a 7-0 vote, City Council adopted its FY 23/24 budget, allowing Circuit’s service to remain as an alternative mobility option in Surf City. CP&A would like to thank the city’s leadership for ensuring Circuit’s ability to provide a safe, reliable, and green option for tourists and the community at-large.
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Over the past year, CP&A has had the pleasure to assist OCCOG, Orange County’s sub-regional planning organization, with its Regional Early Action Planning (REAP) 1.0 housing-related efforts. This dynamic collaboration has resulted in the development of numerous educational and outreach resources including:
1) The development of a bi-monthly Housing for All newsletter, which highlights key housing efforts and policies within the Orange County.
2) One-on-one community outreach support for OCCOG member jurisdictions as they navigate their 6th housing cycle.
3) A comprehensive community outreach toolkit, devised to support cities in their housing efforts.
In addition to the resources above, we would like to encourage OCCOG member jurisdictions to utilize all other REAP 1.0 materials (developed by OCCOG and its team of terrific consultants). Overall, our partnership with OCCOG has been a testament to the power of collective planning. Our team looks forward to future partnership opportunities.
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SoCal Development Market Overview | |
CP&A President Curt Pringle was the featured keynote speaker at the 2nd annual SoCal Development Market Overview, which was co-hosted by AO Architects and CBRE. The event was a who’s-who of building industry leaders where a panelist of speakers discussed multifamily and mixed-use development. | |
BIAOC NextGen Public Policy Panel | |
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CP&A Vice President, Katie Cawelti, proudly moderated a panel of speakers at the Builder’s Industry Association of Orange County’s NextGen Committee. The NextGen Committee is a prestigious group of young building industry professionals within the BIAOC. The Committee fosters professional development and growth among its members.
Panelists included: Adam Wood (BIAOC Chapter Vice President & BILD Chief Administrator), Wendy Bucknum (Division Director, Murow Development Consultants), Eric A. Nelson (VP of Community Development, Trumark Homes). The panel discussed the importance of advocacy and getting involved in the public policy process. There was even a mock city council public comment portion to the event.
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With decades of collective experience, CP&A is a skilled practitioner in leading various entitlement efforts for private, public, and non-profit sector projects. There is no project too big or too small for us to work through, and we pride ourselves on our deep connections to city staff as well as appointed and elected officials.
- City Services
- Public Education
- Land Use Entitlements
- Community Outreach
- Local Advocacy
- Traditional Government Affairs
- Strategic Council & Planning
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