Disney enthusiasts who want to make that special brand of magic a bigger part of their lives will have the opportunity to fully immerse themselves through Storyliving by Disney. The first of these master-planned communities, Cotino in Rancho Mirage, will feature estates, single family homes, condominiums, a senior section for residents 55 and older, a hotel, shopping, dining and more. Learn more.

Did you know SoCalGas plans to develop the United States' largest green hydrogen energy infrastructure system to help decarbonize LA Basin and accelerate California's climate goals? The proposed Angeles Link would deliver green hydrogen to the Los Angeles Basin for use in dispatchable electric generation, hard to electrify manufacturing, and heavy-duty transportation, creating a cornerstone for California's hydrogen economy. Read more or check out this video to learn more. 

Thanks to generous financial support from the JP Morgan Chase Foundation and research from OCBC's Chief Economic Advisor Dr. Wallace Walrod, the Council is proud to release this report on the state of Healthcare Information Technology and Cybersecurity in Orange County and where the two industries are headed. Read the report, which provides a comprehensive understanding of the demand for these occupations and the skills necessary to be proficient in them.

Changes to electricity bills are coming for businesses in Buena Park, Huntington Beach, Irvine and Fullerton. Business customers will be automatically switched to new energy sources with renewable energy options from the Orange County Power Authority. These changes are effective in April, and the recently released rate structure is 4% to 7% higher than current rates. Business customers can choose to not be enrolled or select an alternative renewable energy sourced plan at a lower cost. Residential customers will face a similar choice later in the year. Learn more. 

OCBC's Workforce Development Committee recently hosted First 5 Orange County for a discussion on how inadequate child care impacts Orange County's economy. First 5 OC's findings show that the lack of child care options in the county creates $4.3B in lost productivity and wages, $372M annually in lost tax revenue and 67,000 lost jobs. Stakeholders at all levels, including the business community, must do more to overcome these shortfalls. Read more in the Orange County Child Care Landscape Analysis. To learn more, contact Jesse Ben-Ron, OCBC's VP of Workforce and Economic Development.

During OCBC's latest Workforce Housing Committee meeting, Steven Thomas, Chief Economist for Reports on Housing, and OCBC's Chief Economic Advisor, Dr. Wallace Walrod, outlined economic factors influencing a "supply catastrophe" that results in new homes being bought at alarmingly fast rates. Laura Archuleta of Jamboree Housing, and Helen O'Sullivan of NeighborWorks OC and Orange County Housing Trust provided updates on numerous significant affordable housing projects in the pipeline, including the Trust's support of the Center of Hope in Anaheim. To get involved, contact Connor Medina, OCBC's Government Affairs Manager.

National CORE's recent issuance of $100M in Taxable Bonds, Series 2022 (Social Bonds) marks only the second time bonds have been made available by a nonprofit affordable housing developer in the United States. The bond proceeds will finance the acquisition, development, and preservation of high-quality affordable multifamily housing. Learn more.