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By Grace Leung, Newport Beach City Manager
The Newport Beach Fire Department (NBFD) has updated the City of Newport Beach’s “Ready, Set, Go!” web resource with important information on wildfire and evacuation preparation, including:
- How to “harden” your home by creating a line of defense against airborne embers, and other steps to defend your property against wildfires.
- How to plan and prepare in advance for evacuations.
- Safety measures to help protect your home when wildfires are approaching.
- How to evacuate your home safely and efficiently.
- Evaluating the wildfire risk to your home through a self-assessment tool, along with strategies to mitigate those risks.
- Scheduling a thorough, detailed home evaluation with an NBFD fire inspector.
- Obtaining a permit through the SAVERS (Screen and Vent Electronic Reporting System) program. Homeowners can obtain a permit through online self-certification to present to their insurers.
Taking steps now to become more prepared will greatly benefit you, your family and your community in the event of a wildfire or other natural disaster.
City Manager, Grace K. Leung
Visit the Ready, Set, Go! website at https://www.newportbeachca.gov/government/departments/fire/fire-prevention-division/ready-set-go.
Balboa Island Bridge to Close Nightly, Oct. 22 – 25
The Balboa Island Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic every night, from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., from October 22 through October 25, as a City contractor works to replace the main water line that services the island.
The City has made arrangements for the Balboa Island Ferry to run throughout the night during the bridge closure periods to provide access to and from Balboa Island. Arrangements have been made to maintain emergency vehicle access on the bridge.
June Treasury Report Now Available
The June 2023 Treasury Report is available on the City’s website at www.newportbeachca.gov/treasury.
As of June, the City’s investment portfolio totaled $384.4 million when measured at amortized cost. The current market value of the City’s portfolio of $374.3 million incorporates price fluctuations, due to the changing interest rate environment, that are typically irrelevant since the City usually holds its securities to maturity and receives the full principal value at that time.
The City’s Liquidity Portfolio is sized to meet the City’s cash flow needs over the next 12 months. Approximately $46.5 million, or 12 percent of the portfolio, was invested in liquid investments available for day-to-day operating expenses and the costs associated with ongoing construction projects. An additional $56.4 million, or 15 percent of the overall portfolio, was invested in a portfolio of securities with targeted short-term maturities, which earns a higher yield than the City’s more liquid investments.
Balboa Island Bench Replacement Completed
The City recently finished replacing 58 ageing teak benches around the perimeter of Balboa Island. The old teak benches have been replaced with new jatoba wood benches, similar to those on Marine Avenue.
The older teak benches were previously donated to the City. Donors have the opportunity to retrieve their benches and/or dedication plaques. Unclaimed benches may be auctioned off or disposed of at a future date.
If you are a donor and would like to claim a bench or plaque, please call the City’s Public Works Department at (949) 644-3055.
Be Well Mobile Crisis Response Update
The Be Well mobile crisis response team operates in Newport Beach 12 hours a day, seven days a week to respond to mental and behavioral health crises. The mobile unit is staffed with mental health specialists and works closely with the City’s police and fire departments.
This week, the Be Well team:
- Collaborated with the County of Orange Crisis Assessment Team to place a person into a psychiatric facility for treatment.
- Transported two people to a crisis stabilization facility to resolve mental health crises.
- Transported two people to the sobering station at the Be Well campus for treatment.
To reach Be Well: The mobile crisis team is dispatched through the Newport Beach Police Department. To request service, dial 911 or call the Police Department’s non-emergency line at (949) 644-3717.
Homelessness Update
This week, the City’s homeless outreach and response teams:
- Continued to shelter people. Twenty-four people who had been experiencing homelessness in Newport Beach are sheltered in the Costa Mesa Bridge Shelter.
- Transported a client to tour apartment complexes and assisted the client in applying for an apartment unit.
- Enrolled two clients into City Net’s social services.
Click here to view the latest homeless dashboard, which includes key monthly and yearly data on the City’s homeless response: https://www.newportbeachca.gov/trending/community-issues/homelessness/monthly-homeless-count.
Click here for information on the City’s Good Giving program: https://www.newportbeachca.gov/trending/community-issues/homelessness/how-you-can-help.
