FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 16, 2025
Latisha Townsend – Communications Director, Supervisor Foley
(714) 559-8364 | Latisha.Townsend@ocgov.com
OC Supervisor Vice Chair Katrina Foley Releases Statement Following Board of Supervisors Meeting Where the Board Voted on Offshore Drilling, OCHFT MOU, Improving Traffic Safety, Strengthening Oversight, Modernizing County Systems, and more.
ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA — Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley released a statement following the December 16th Board of Supervisors meeting.
Item #S28D (Vice Chair Foley) Resolution Opposing 5-year Plan Expanding New Offshore Oil Drilling: The Board of Supervisors voted 2(yes)-2(no)-1(abstain) on Supervisor Foley's resolution opposing new offshore oil drilling, signaling support of offshore drilling from the Board majority. Supervisor Foley plans to send a letter of opposition with Supervisor Sarmiento to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management regarding the 5-year plan to expand new offshore oil drilling off of California’s Coast prior to January 23, 2026.
“Orange County families are unified: No new offshore drilling. Orange County is defined by our pristine coastline. Oil rigs have no place in our community. Drilling off our coast would not lower gas prices for Orange County families. Instead, it would devastate our more than $4 billion coastal tourism economy. The unnecessary and reckless federal proposal unravels 40 years of precedent set by President Ronald Reagan, while placing Orange County’s environment and economy at risk,” said Vice Chair Katrina Foley.
“While transnational oil companies reap the profits of offshore drilling, our local communities pay the cost,” added Foley. “The United States has maintained energy independence since 2020, and more than 1,800 current offshore oil leases remain unused by Big Oil. There is no guarantee the oil siphoned off our shores will stabilize the gas prices set by a global market. The 2021 oil spill left lasting damage to our coastline and groundwater. We cannot afford further public safety and public health risk.”
Item #S28B (OC Community Resources) Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Orange County Housing Finance Trust: The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the Amended and Restated Memorandum of Understanding with the Orange County Housing Finance Trust, allowing the County to continue providing select administrative support services to ongoing Orange County Housing Finance Trust operations.
“This MOU saves taxpayers approximately $300,000 annually and ensures the Orange County Housing Finance Trust continues to leverage existing County expertise in trust management, procurement, and compliance,” said Vice Chair Katrina Foley. “By bringing the administrative services of the Trust in-house, the Board strengthens oversight, aligns the Trust with the County’s strategic priorities, and preserves independence in critical areas like loan underwriting to prevent conflicts of interest. Most importantly, it delivers the stability and expertise the Trust needs right now.”
Item #22 (County Executive Office) Legislative Issues: The Board of Supervisors voted to approve the Legislative Bulletin Report, setting the County recommended positions on introduced and amended legislation. This action establishes Orange County advocacy priorities on public health protections, affordable housing delivery, and reforms to the Murphy conservatorship process as state legislative discussions continue.
“Our legislative agenda advances common-sense solutions that protect public health, accelerate housing delivery, and strengthen public safety,” said Vice Chair Katrina Foley. “From closing loopholes that enable illegal nitrous oxide sales by retailers to setting realistic timelines for affordable housing projects and advancing balanced Murphy conservatorship reforms, our legislative recommendations reflect real-world experience and solutions to problems facing our community.”
Item #3 (OC Public Works) Adopt Resolutions and Approve OC Traffic Committee Report for October 2025: The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to approve the latest recommendations by Orange County Traffic Committee to improve traffic safety by installing new all-way and side-street stop controls at 21 intersections in county unincorporated areas, including in Las Flores, and adjusting speed limits on Windmill Avenue in Ladera Ranch.
“Maintaining the safest communities in California starts with listening to residents and incorporating credible traffic data,” said Vice Chair Katrina Foley. “By adding stop controls at high-risk intersections and lowering speed limits near schools and children on e-bikes, we deliver smart, affordable safety improvements that protect pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers alike.”
Item #6 (Internal Audit) Internal Audit Department Status Report for the Quarter Ended September 30, 2025: The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to receive and file the Internal Audit Department’s Executive Summary of Internal Audit Reports for the quarter ending September 30, 2025, keeping the Board informed about ongoing audit activity. The report covers five completed audits with no critical control weaknesses identified, reinforcing transparency, accountability, and sound management of County operations.
“Regular internal audits hold leaders accountable for protecting taxpayer dollars and keeping County programs on track,” said Vice Chair Katrina Foley. “This quarterly report confirms our internal controls work as intended, with staff identifying and addressing issues early and efficiently. This level of oversight strengthens public trust and improves how we serve residents.”
Item #21 (Probation) Renewal of Contract with Waymakers for Outreach, Support and Education: The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to renew a one-year outreach contract with Waymakers to continue outreach, education, and family support services for justice-system-involved youth.
“Supporting families plays an essential role in helping youth succeed and avoid reentering the justice system,” said Vice Chair Katrina Foley. “In 2024, I pushed to raise performance targets from 50% to 75% for Waymakers. Waymakers exceeded that goal. This renewal continues a proven program that strengthens families, improves youth outcomes, and uses public funds responsibly.”
Item #23 (County Executive Office) 2025 Strategic Financial Plan and 2025 Vision Annual Report: The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to approve several key governance and fiscal oversight documents, including the County’s Strategic Financial Plan, the OC CARES Annual Report, the Real Estate Development Policy, and the Orange County Investment Policy. Together, these items align long-term financial planning with the annual budget, track progress on justice and prevention goals, guide responsible development of County-owned land, and ensure prudent investment of public funds.
“Thanks to the County CEO’s office and our Budget team, we continue to deliver more with less even as costs and inflation put real pressure on the County,” said Vice Chair Katrina Foley. “This fiscally disciplined approach protects our employees, safeguards our AAA credit rating and reserves, and reinforces the need to tighten and conserve amid ongoing state and federal funding uncertainty.”
Item #24 (County Executive Office) Approve Contract Amendment with Science Applications International Corporation: The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to approve the County’s master IT services agreement with Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), allowing the County to begin the process of transitioning its phone system to a modern, cloud-based platform. This approval sets the groundwork for a more reliable, flexible system that reduces long-term maintenance needs and future hardware costs.
“This migration provides County employees better communication tools while lowering ongoing support costs once the transition finishes,” said Vice Chair Katrina Foley. “We look forward to delivering real savings for taxpayers, including more than $2 million in free license renewals, as well as avoiding more than $4 million in hardware costs the County would have incurred by staying on the old system.”
In response to the Grand Jury report on homelessness and methods for supporting the unhoused in Orange County, Supervisor Foley reaffirms her commitment to ensuring all residents have access to a safe and secure place to call home. Countywide, developers completed 1,544 permanent supportive housing units, with plans to develop 1,811 more units.
“As the Orange County Grand Jury found: Affordable housing development remains a critical piece to prevent increasing homelessness across the county. Since 2018, the County’s portfolio of Project Based Vouchers (PBVs) increased by more than 327%, from 243 units to an anticipated 1,037 units completed by the end of 2025,” said Vice Chair Katrina Foley.
Vice Chair Foley continued, “As Chair of the Orange County Housing Finance Trust, I continue working with affordable housing developers to identify the red tape that must be cut from the city, the county, the state, and the federal governments to rapidly develop the desperately needed housing supply."
Item #26 (County Executive Office) Grant Applications/Awards Report: The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to approve grant awards and applications totaling $11,320,532.49, including $9,830,809.46 for existing programs and $1,489,723.03 for new public health and public safety initiatives.
- Health Care Agency (HCA) Grant Award ($1,183,836): Funds the Local Oversight Program, which pays for staff, operations, and travel needed to manage cleanup and regulation of petroleum leaks from underground storage tanks.
- OC Public Works Retroactive Grant Application ($73,722,675): Supports the Measure M2 Comprehensive Transportation Funding Regional Capacity Program (Project O) to pay for the construction and completion of Cow Camp Road.
- OC Public Works Retroactive Grant Application ($85,857): Supports the Measure M2 Comprehensive Transportation Funding Regional Traffic Signal Synchronization Program (Project P) to fund traffic and street improvements at Oso Parkway, Pacific Drive, and Glenwood Drive, led by the City of Aliso Viejo.
Sheriff-Coroner Retroactive Grant Application ($1,250,000): Funds the FY 2026 Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) Grant Program to support setting up a real-time public safety monitoring system, including staff training, coordination with regional law enforcement partners, operating procedures, and ongoing tests to ensure the system works effectively.
“This funding package delivers nearly $9.8 million to strengthen existing programs and about $1.5 million for new public health and public safety initiatives. We remain committed to providing direct support for victims of crime, improving community well-being and quality of life, and funding critical transportation infrastructure that ensures residents across Orange County can travel safely and efficiently,” said Vice Chair Katrina Foley.
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Vice Chair Katrina Foley was elected to the Board of Supervisors in 2022 to represent the newly established District 5, which includes the cities of Aliso Viejo, Costa Mesa, Dana Point, a large portion of Irvine, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Newport Beach, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, as well as the unincorporated areas of Coto de Caza, Emerald Bay, Ladera Ranch, Las Flores, Rancho Mission Viejo, Stonecliffe and Wagon Wheel. This is her second term on the Board of Supervisors, where she previously served District 2.
Vice Chair Foley’s 2025 Board appointments include:
Chair – Orange County Housing Finance Trust,
Orange County Audit Oversight Committee,
Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA),
Vice Chair – OCTA Legislative and Communications Committee, Regional Transportation Committee, Los Angeles – San Diego – San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor Agency, Transportation Corridor Agency (TCA), TCA Joint Capital Improvements and Projects Committee, San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) Community Engagement Panel,
Co-Chair – Spent Fuel Solutions Coalition,
Orange County Public Libraries Advisory Board, Coastal Greenbelt Authority, Newport Bay and South Orange County Watershed Executive Committees, Ocean Institute, Orange County Community Corrections
Partnership (OCCCP), Santa Ana River Flood Control Protection Agency,
and the Orange County Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council.
