February 2023

Andy's Updates brings you news about Anaheim each month. We're bringing you February's edition early to share upcoming news as well as recent events.

This month's issue includes:

Return of the Black History Parade & Unity Fair
Demolishing a Beach Boulevard motel
City Council appointment for District 4
Water rate update

Find more about the city of Anaheim at Anaheim.net

Join us: Black History Parade

One of the most fun Anaheim events all year returns this Saturday as the Black History Parade & Unity Fair comes to downtown.

The parade and street fair is like one big family gathering with a procession of marching bands, dancers and double Dutch squads, as well as music, food and a car and motorcycle show.

The event, put on by the Orange County Heritage Council and now in its 43rd year, celebrates Black History Month and the contributions of African Americans to our city, region and nation.

Anaheim has proudly been the parade's host city since 2011.

Everyone is welcome!

What: Orange County Black History Parade & Unity Fair
When: Saturday, Feb. 4
Time: 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Parade: 10 a.m.
Unity Festival: noon
Parking: City Hall, Center Street parking structures
Cost: Free! Food and crafts for purchase

If you're not joining us, plan on avoiding the downtown Anaheim area Saturday with morning road closures around Pearson Park and on Anaheim Boulevard between Lincoln Avenue and Water Street. Center Street Promenade will be closed to traffic for much of the day.

City Council District 4 appointment

A City Council vacancy for District 4 has been filled.

Norma Campos Kurtz was appointed Jan. 24 to the Anaheim City Council representing District 4. She was among 13 candidates who applied and came forward with interest in filling he seat.

Campos Kurtz is set to be sworn in and join the City Council at its next meeting on Feb. 7.

Since 2021, Campos Kurtz has served on the Anaheim Public Utilities Board, a seven-member board that makes recommendations to the City Council about the electric and water operations of Anaheim Public Utilities.

Campos Kurtz recently served for eight years on Housing and Community Development Commission, which advises the City Council on community development and use of federal housing funding.

She is a 20-year resident of Anaheim.

Anaheim’s District 4 seat was made vacant by the December resignation of former Council member Avelino Valencia.

In November, Valencia was elected to the California Assembly representing the 68th district, which includes Anaheim.

The City Council voted on Dec. 20 to move forward with an appointment as called for by Anaheim's governing city charter.

Per Anaheim’s charter, the City Council had until Feb. 2 to appoint a representative to fill the vacancy.

If the Council had not made an appointment, a special election would have been required at an estimated city cost of $206,000 to $227,000.

District 4 covers central-south Anaheim and includes neighborhoods as well as the theme parks, convention center and other businesses of The Anaheim Resort.

Until Council Member-appointee Campos Kurtz is sworn in, residents and businesses are welcome to reach out to the city manager’s office, the mayor’s office or any Council member for help or assistance.

Beach motel demolished

Anaheim demolished a closed Beach Boulevard motel on Jan. 11 as part of a larger effort to rebuild the 1.5 miles of Beach Boulevard running through the city.

The former two-story, 70-room Covered Wagon Motel was torn down after being closed by the city in March 2022 for public health and safety violations and inhumane living conditions.

Anaheim bought the closed motel for $6.6 million in December.

The site is set to be redeveloped as affordable apartments and townhomes for sale with planning in 2023 and potential construction in 2024.

Once a thriving route to the coast, Beach Boulevard today suffers from serious problems, including human sex trafficking, devastating drug abuse and distribution, illegal gambling and commercial theft rings, among other issues.

While Beach today includes some well-run motels, limited travel demand has brought prostitution, drugs and other illegal activity to others with impacts across the area.

This is the third Beach motel to be demolished since 2017 and the fourth since 2002.

Anaheim is working to rebuild Beach as an inviting, walkable, livable street with new homes and thriving businesses.

You can see all we’re doing at Anaheim.net/RebuildBeach.

Water rate update

Safe and reliable water is something every Anaheim resident and business enjoys in our city.

And we have a long history of building, operating and maintaining a water system that supports our city's needs.

Anaheim Public Utilities is proposing a modest increase in water rates to help continue our efforts to provide safe and reliable water.

The proposed increase equates to less than $2 per month for the average household using about 12,000 gallons per month.

The rate change would go into effect March 1.

In the past two years, we’ve been hard at work building more water treatment facilities that will allow us to better utilize our underground water supply and rely less on more expensive imported water, which also stands to see more restrictions in the years ahead.

While these facilities have been under construction, we have taken a number of steps behind the scenes to absorb the increased costs of supply issues, construction and water purchasing. These cost-savings steps include operational changes, delaying non-critical projects and deferring purchases.

As a public agency that supports everyone’s daily life, we’re well aware of the recent price increases in other life necessities such as groceries and gas, which is why we don’t take rate increases lightly.

We stand ready to help anyone struggling to pay their utility bill. We have programs that provide bill payment assistance, free water usage assessments and rebates on appliances and outdoor watering.

You can find more ways to save money at Anaheim.net/WaysToSave.

More at Anaheim.net