The case could impact federal protections for religious groups seeking to feed homeless people over local government objections.
Author Archives: Brandon Pho
As a Voice of OC reporter, Brandon Pho covered north/central Orange County, as well as broader regional issues around law enforcement, transportation, the environment, the OC Fair and Little Saigon.
He joined in 2018 as an intern, shedding light on turmoil and corruption claims in Westminster and uncovering a now-fired OC Fair executive’s suspect fundraising relationship with a nearby, private Christian college that the Fair had sponsored with public money.
Later, he published a number of investigative stories on local law enforcement agencies; detailed political jockeying around a controversial seawater desalting plant proposal in Huntington Beach; narrated a racial reckoning inside one of the county’s largest school districts; and tracked various quality of life issues across the region.
Before Voice of OC, Brandon worked as a reporter and editor at Cal State Fullerton’s independent student newspaper, the Daily Titan, and won a number of accolades for his reporting in 2018, including a 1st and 2nd place Los Angeles Press Club award and 1st place national College Media Association award.
While at Voice of OC, Brandon was a member of Report for America, a national network of local reporters committed to bolstering democracy throughout the U.S.
Posted inHealth & Wellness
Are OC’s Street Vendors ‘Unfair Competition’ or Fuel for the Community?
More OC officials are cracking down on street vendors with some calling these typically immigrant merchants unfair competition to storefronts as opposed to entrepreneurs.
Posted inSafety, Security & Justice
OC to Pay $7.5 Million to Family of Homeless Man Killed During Jaywalking Stop
The settlement comes two-and-a-half years after Kurt Reinhold was killed by a deputy tasked with homeless outreach, and one year after the DA declined to file charges against the deputy.
Posted inGovernment
Considered a Leader in Public Outreach, Santa Ana Wrestles With Lack of Budget Input
It’s one of few OC cities that proactively gather community input on budget priorities, but should less than 1% of Santa Ana’s residents help guide the spending of the city’s new taxpayer budget?
Posted inHealth & Wellness
After Scathing State Audit, is OC’s Health Plan for the Poor Getting the Message?
Responding to a scathing state audit that called out CalOptima’s CEO hiring practices, agency leaders on Thursday approved a new hiring policy that exempts its CEO.
Posted inTransportation
Drivers for Orange County’s Disabled Commuters Go on Strike
The county’s contracted shared-ride service provides around 3,500 trips a day to county residents who need special accommodations.
Posted inPolitics & Elections
Democratic State Senator Dave Min Arrested for DUI
The 47-year-old Democratic OC lawmaker is currently in the running for Rep. Katie Porter’s competitive Congressional seat.
Posted inHealth & Wellness
State Auditor Found $1.2 Billion Laying Around at OC’s Health Plan For the Poor
The California Auditor found CalOptima sat on a $1.2 billion dollar stockpile at a time when homeless people are dying in record numbers on Orange County’s streets – the people who rely on CalOptima’s services.
Posted inHousing & Homelessness
Garden Grove to Build 85-Bed Homeless Shelter for Three Central OC Cities
It comes amidst rising homeless deaths and a cold weather shelter debacle prompted a street medic dispatch this year.
Posted inHousing & Homelessness
OC Activists Went to Sacramento to Push for Rent Control; Cops Were Called Instead
Some OC residents tried to push two local state legislators to tighten rent caps, but instead of speaking with one senator, police were called on them. The proposed rent caps were also gutted.
