Santa Ana officials decided to settle a claim alleging city hall is essentially controlled by the police union instead of fighting it in court before even launching an investigation into the matter.
Author Archives: Hosam Elattar
Hosam Elattar is a Voice of OC/ Report For America reporter covering Anaheim & North Orange County, food insecurity, housing & homelessness, the Arab & Muslim American community and education.
Elattar started at Voice of OC as an intern in January, 2020 and has covered local food banks’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic, School board debates on how to teach history, the decades long push by Arab American business owners to recognize Little Arabia and a corruption scandal at Anaheim City Hall.
He has won several awards from the OC Press Club including Best News Story, Best Political Story and Best Religion Story.
Elattar is Egyptian American and has lived in Botswana, Nepal, Uganda, The Dominican Republic and India.
Posted inHousing & Homelessness
How Are Orange County’s Cities Doing At Building Affordable Housing?
Self-released scorecards from cities highlighted which ones moved forward with thousands of new housing units and which ones failed to build anything.
Posted inAnaheim
Will Anaheim Require Developers to Build Affordable Homes?
A few officials in Anaheim are pushing back again against the idea of implementing an ordinance to require developers to build affordable homes in their projects.
Posted inHuntington Beach
Huntington Beach Barred From Approving Any New Housing Developments
A San Diego Superior Court judge temporarily halted Surf City’s ability to approve new housing sites that don’t meet state density requirements.
Posted inEducation
Two Orange Unified School District Trustees Booted From Office
Voters decided to recall Orange Unified School Board Trustees Rick Ledesma and Madison Miner out of office after the abrupt firing of a superintendent last year and their support for banning the pride flag.
Posted inIrvine
Irvine Struggles to Finish City Council Meetings as Ceasefire Calls Persist
Recently, Irvine City Council meetings have ended early as residents continue months of pressure to get officials to formally call for an end of violence in Israel and Palestine.
Posted inHealth & Wellness
City of Orange Considers Leaving CA League of Cities Over Prop 1
City officials throughout Orange County have voiced concerns over existing drug rehab homes and now the City of Orange could bail out of a municipal lobbying organization for its support of a measure that could exacerbate the issue.
Posted inFeatured Stories
Southern California Hotel Workers Get Raise After Months of Striking
After months of rolling strikes, unionized workers have ratified contracts at 34 hotels across Southern California that will bump up their hourly income.
Posted inIrvine
Another Orange County City Considers Curbing Protests at Homes
Irvine officials will be next in OC to consider an ordinance that critics say stifles First Amendment rights. It comes after pro-Palestinian protests continue to pop up outside a congressman’s Santa Ana home.
Posted inSanta Ana
Santa Ana Deadlocks on Curbing Protests in Front of Homes
After a deadlock vote, Santa Ana officials will not bar protests outside a resident’s home following recent demonstrations outside Congressman Lou Correa’s house.
