Fullerton joins a host of OC cities who are rethinking their approach to homelessness by using social workers instead of cops to respond to calls under a county funded program.
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 inHousing & Homelessness
Is There a Better Approach to Converting Motels Into Housing?
As motels turn to housing in Orange County under a statewide program, one county supervisor questions whether the rules are flexible enough to build better designed housing.
Posted inHousing & Homelessness
Santa Ana Moves to Crack Down on Public Intoxication, People Asleep on Sidewalks
The issue centers on a debate about how to best handle intoxicated people: Clinics or jail?
Posted inTransportation
Is Orange County’s Coastal Train Entering its Final Days?
While local leaders are spending millions of dollars shoring up the rail line from environmental threats, conversations are starting on potentially moving the line away from a shifting coast.
Posted inEconomy
Will Hard Financial Straits Turn Westminster Into A City of Lights?
Billboards can be an unsightly consequence of local government inaction – one that’s opened up yet another city in SoCal to towering digital screens.
Posted inWater, Power & Waste
Will SoCal Regulators’ New Approach to Storm Drain Pollution Protect the Ocean or Polluters?
A regionalized approach to curbing stormwater pollution has environmentalists raising alarms about loopholes and lack of public input.
Posted inCOAST
‘I Expected Worse:’ Measuring OC Beach Health After Wet Winter
While a wet winter spelled problems for beach pollution throughout California, Orange County’s coast managed to stay clean, even if knocked off the honor roll.
Posted inHousing & Homelessness
Old Sears Building At Buena Park Mall to be Turned Into 1,300 Housing Units
All sides of the state housing debate collided in Buena Park on Tuesday, resulting in unanimous council approval for a project that could house nearly 3,000 new residents.
Posted inHousing & Homelessness
OC’s Most Progressive City Follows Surf City Questioning Sacramento Housing Mandates
On the heels of Huntington Beach’s much-publicized battle with Sacramento housing goals, Santa Ana – a leader in homebuilding – asks when enough is enough.
Posted inSan Juan Capistrano
San Juan Capistrano Businesses Shocked Over Staggering Proposed Water Bill Hike
After years of neglect under prior city management, water officials say the rate hikes will fund much-needed improvements.
