Santa Ana’s years-long public campaign against becoming OC’s homeless “dumping ground” has advocates for homeless people worrying about what that means for people in the streets.
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 inSanta Ana
Here Are Santa Ana Candidates’ Views on Policing, Homelessness, Open Space
Eight candidates on residents’ ballots this year lay out their approaches to some of the city’s crucial quality of life issues.
Posted inCosta Mesa
Here Are Costa Mesa Candidates’ Views on Housing, Cannabis, and City Finances
At the same time residents pick new city leaders, they’ll decide on a controversial ballot measure that can change the city’s development standards and thus its density and shape in the years to come.
Posted inSanta Ana
Santa Ana City Council Doesn’t Trust its Police Negotiation Process
Councilmember Jessie Lopez is pushing to publicly negotiate a police union contract after she claimed one or more of her colleagues have leaked information to the controversial union president.
Posted inHousing & Homelessness
Is Orange County Gutting Local Homeless Resources Needed by CARE Court?
OC has jumped to the front of the new system’s rollout, while critics openly wonder whether officials here are knocking out its local support beams.
Posted inALL TOP STORIES
California’s CARE Court: A Step in the Right Direction or ‘Terrifying’ Step Backwards? 
The questions come as Orange County looks to implement the new system aimed at addressing severely mentally ill homeless people over the next year.
Posted inSanta Ana
Private Companies or the Public: Who Should Write Santa Ana Police’s Policies?
Some council members are considering bringing police policymaking back in house – a move that they say is worth the extra cost, citing previous use-of-force lawsuit settlements.
Posted inHousing & Homelessness
Gov. Newsom Signs CARE Court, Paves New Path for Conservatorships Over Homeless People
Anyone from family members and social workers to police officers can start the process and petition to put someone without self-decision-making ability through the court.
Posted inALL TOP STORIES
Wealthy OC Political Donor Announces Legal Action Over Newport Back Bay Parkland Dispute
It comes amidst more recent calls by activists to tear down a private fence near coastal parklands – adding to California’s long list of coastal access fights.
Posted inOutdoors
State Won’t Let Garden Grove Walk Away from One of Area’s Last Open Green Spaces
There seems to be a path forward on the property, and it seems focused on the demands of Garden Grove’s neighbor city.
