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| MARCH 2021– I hope you and yours are healthy and safe as we slowly ease our way out of this global pandemic. All Californians age 16 and up will be eligible to sign up to receive a vaccine on April 15. Let’s all do our part to get vaccinated! CITY TO RECEIVE OVER $8 MILLION FROM AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN The city will receive $8,240,916 in federal money due to the passage of the American Rescue Plan. LAGUNA NIGUEL SPENDS TAXPAYER MONEY ON AMICUS BRIEF LATER SHOT DOWN BY OC REGISTER The city council unanimously voted to join an amicus brief with Newport Beach opposing a judge’s order requiring a reduction in the county’s inmate population at current jail sites due to increased COVID-19 infections. Sheriff Don Barnes appealed to cities across the county to join when he frightened the community into believing that dangerous criminals would be released. When he lost his appeal, he just moved the prisoners around to different facilities, allowing for increased social distancing at jail sites (which was the original request). The Orange County Register wrote an excellent OpEd piece calling out the Sheriff’s political move that the City of Laguna Niguel supported. Here is the Register’s OpEd:  STATE-MANDATED AFFORDABLE HOUSING UPDATE The Housing Element of the City’s General Plan will be updated as required by the state. The state has mandated housing for the city through the RHNA (Regional Housing Needs Assessment). The city is required to prepare the path to allow 1,207 more housing units over an 8 year period; 348 must be very low income, 202 low income, 223 moderate income and 434 above moderate income or market rate. To learn more about your opportunity to public comment visit this city web page HERE. ZIGGURAT BUILDING FOR SALE The federal government is selling the Ziggurat (Chet Holifield Federal Building), however the General Services Administration must go through a process to see if the building should be historically designated. If this occurs, the designation will encumber the property and make it difficult to sell since historical designation restricts renovation and demolition. CLARIFICATION ON CITY’S COVID-19 EFFORTS The city of Laguna Niguel has done different things regarding the COVID Pandemic throughout the pandemic, however, did it in pieces. At the January 19, 2021 meeting the first comprehensive Resolution regarding COVID-19 was passed. Sincerely,  |
