Category: irvine

Irvine City Council Backs Proposal for ‘Hero Pay’ Wage Hikes at Grocery Stores

A proposed city ordinance that would force grocery and drug store chains in Irvine, California, to pay their workers an extra $4 an hour in hazard pay for the next four months has cleared its first hurdle. On Feb. 9, the Irvine City Council passed the first reading of Mayor Farrah Khan’s proposal by a…


Orange Considers Banning Short-Term Rental Housing 

The City of Orange will decide whether to ban short-term rentals within city limits during a city council meeting Feb. 9. The decision comes as numerous Orange County cities begin prohibiting or tightening restrictions on short-term rentals, which are defined as stays lasting less than 30 days. Garden Grove, Yorba Linda, Tustin, and Irvine specifically prohibit short-term rentals in residential…


Battle for Orange County’s CoreLogic Leads to Private Equity Takeover  

Commentary Irvine-based CoreLogic Inc. (NYSE: CLGX) is being purchased by two private equity funds for about $7.7 billion, a figure that includes about $6 billion—or $80 per share—buyout for current stakeholders. The purchase price also includes $1.7 billion in debt owed by CoreLogic.  The acquisition will be funded with $2.5 billion already invested in the…


Irvine Will Consider ‘Hero Pay’ for Grocery Store Workers 

Irvine city council will consider boosting the pay of grocery store workers during the COVID-19 pandemic at a Feb. 9 meeting. If approved, the ordinance would increase employee pay by an extra $4 an hour at any large franchise company—not including managers, or supervisors—for 120 days. The ordinance would go into effect immediately. “I am very supportive…


Critics Question Constitutionality of Irvine’s New Equity Resolution

The Irvine City Council has unanimously passed a resolution to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in city hiring practices, a policy opponents say is unconstitutional and could lead to quota-based mandates. The council voted 5-0 to approve its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) resolution on Jan. 26. The measure calls for the formation of a…


Activists in Irvine Calling for Monthly Stimulus Checks Deliver Invoice to Congresswoman

Community activists in Irvine demanding $2,000 monthly stimulus checks delivered a “past due” invoice on Feb. 4 to the office of Rep. Katie Porter (D-California). Monica Lazo, the regional field director for the Economic Security Project, handed approximately 10,000 signed petitions to Cody Mendoza, a senior field Representative for Porter, calling for monthly payments to…


Irvine Affordable Housing Development to Offset Hot Housing Market

To meet a growing demand for housing in Orange County’s strong market, a new affordable housing development in Irvine is underway. The Irvine Community Land Trust has almost completed its Salerno Apartments, which is scheduled to open in March. Located on the corner of Nightmist and Sand Canyon Avenue, the development will provide 80 units of affordable housing units for renters making no more…


Irvine Wants to make Ordering In More Affordable

Facilitating takeout deliveries could soon become cheaper for restaurants in Irvine, where councilors are considering capping the amount third-party delivery companies can charge. A motion set for discussion during Irvine’s Feb. 9 city council meeting could limit the amount companies such as GrubHub and Door Dash charge customers and restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic. The…


Applications Arrive in Record-Setting Droves for UCI’s Fall Semester

The University of California–Irvine (UCI) received a record number of applications for fall 2021 and continued to be the top choice for in state-first generation students, the university said. “The word is out: UCI is a place that welcomes and supports our state’s very best students, regardless of their economic circumstances, and provides them with an…


Orange County Cancels Plans for Vaccination Site at Irvine’s Great Park

Orange County has decided to relocate a vaccination site planned for the Great Park in Irvine, California, due to concerns over traffic flow. County officials contacted city representatives prior to a Jan. 26 Irvine City Council meeting, where they were expected to approve a licensing agreement with the county for the site, to inform them…