Newport Beach City Manager Update: Operation Christmas, Holiday Recycling

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Grace Leung

By Grace Leung, Newport Beach City Manager

The City of Newport Beach is once again partnering with Operation Christmas to collect toys, DVDs, sporting equipment and other gift donations to support military service members and their families this Christmas.

Please consider donating an unwrapped gift to Operation Christmas at City facilities throughout Newport Beach during regular business hours, now through Monday, December 16 at 5:30 p.m.

Drop boxes are located at the Civic Center, Police Department, OASIS Senior Center, fire stations, community centers and all library branches.

Newport Beach City staff and elected officials will deliver the donated gifts to Operation Christmas for distribution to families of military service members.

As in past years, uniformed service members will arrive at City Hall with decorated military vehicles to collect the toys for distribution to families. The drive supports the families of active duty and reserve military units, National Guard members and the U.S. Space Force.

Last year more than 2,000 gifts were donated by the public at Newport Beach drop boxes. Please consider making the 2024 holidays brighter for our troops and their families through a gift donation!

Please visit our website for a full list of drop box locations: https://www.newportbeachca.gov/Home/Components/News/News/43362/2720.

Homeless Count Down Significantly Following New Anti-Camping Ordinance

A recent census of homeless individuals has identified 11 people living on the streets or in cars in Newport Beach, a dramatic reduction from the 70 individuals counted in a similar effort last year.

The census was conducted on November 21 by PATH (People Assisting the Homeless), which works with the City under contract to provide homeless outreach. The PATH contract includes a thorough annual census. The 2023 census was conducted in a similar manner by the City’s former contractor, City Net.

The City’s new anti-camping ordinance took effect on October 10. Among other activities, the new ordinance bans sleeping in public places and sleeping in cars overnight. City staff and contractors made a concerted effort to inform and educate the city’s unhoused population about the new laws prior to implementation. The City continues to provide street outreach daily to connect individuals with services and shelter.

For more information on the recent census, visit the City’s website at https://www.newportbeachca.gov/Home/Components/News/News/43364/2720.

To follow the City’s homeless response efforts, visit the Homeless Data Dashboard at https://www.newportbeachca.gov/trending/community-issues/homelessness/monthly-homeless-count.

Recycle Right Over the Holidays!

The holiday season has arrived, and with it comes an increase in recyclable waste appearing in homes. To keep our holiday season merry and bright, here are some tips to keep you recycling right:

  • Your black trash cart is for general trash, such as chip bags, pizza boxes, tissue paper, cellophane wrapping, pet waste, and flocked Christmas trees.
  • Recyclables go in your blue cart. Many popular holiday waste items can be recycled, such as holiday cardboard boxes, paper gift bags, most wrapping paper (without plastic or glitter flakes), clean cans, glass bottles, plastics numbered 1-7, and paper. To prevent contaminating this cart, empty liquids from bottles, rinse out food jars and only place recyclable items into the blue cart.
  • Your green cart collects compostable organic waste, including leftovers, lawn clippings, and unflocked Christmas trees. Food scraps should be collected in a compostable bag, newspaper, or brown paper bag before being placed in the green cart. Do not place loose food scraps or plastic bags in the green waste cart.

A kitchen food scrap pail is an easy way to collect food scraps. Make sure to line your pail with a compostable plastic bag, newspaper, or brown paper bag and properly dispose of them in the green cart.

To request a free kitchen food scrap pail, please contact CR&R’s Customer Service Department at (949) 667-4158 or email newportbeach-recycles@crrmail.com.

Sorting your waste correctly makes a big difference. So, as we enjoy the holidays, let’s give some thought to our trash. Keep contaminants out, and let’s all pitch in to make our recycling efforts count.

Download and print this flier for a handy guide to proper recycling during the holidays and beyond: https://www.newportbeachca.gov/home/showdocument?id=75850&t=638689225199417772&.

New Utility Bill Schedule to Begin in February

Beginning in February 2025, the City of Newport Beach will transition to monthly utility billing from bi-monthly. This includes charges for water, sewer, recycling and more.

Customers will receive a utility bill, known as the Municipal Services Statement, 12 times a year instead of six. The transition will begin in February and be completed by March (individual transition dates depend on the current billing cycle).

If your account is set up for automatic payments, no additional steps are needed. You will be charged automatically each month, five days before your due date. To set up or adjust automatic payments, visit www.onlinebiller.com/newport.

The benefits of monthly billing include:

  • Creates consistent payment cycles with most other bills.
  • Reduces late payments.
  • Helps promote water conservation by allowing customers to more quickly detect leaks or other increased water use.

For questions, please email revenuehelp@newportbeachca.gov or call (949) 644-3141.

Join Us for NBPD Mobile Café Dec. 14 at Roger’s Gardens

You are invited to join Newport Beach Police Department (NBPD) officers and staff at the next Mobile Café community outreach event on Saturday, December 14 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Roger’s Gardens, 2301 San Joaquin Hills Rd.

The NBPD Mobile Café provides an opportunity for community members to come together, enjoy some coffee and engage in meaningful conversations with our police officers. This event is part of our ongoing effort to strengthen the relationship between the police department and the Newport Beach community.

For questions or more information please contact Sgt. Steve Oberon at (949) 644-3652 or soberon@nbpd.org.

Homelessness Update

This week, the City’s homeless outreach and response teams:

  • Permanently housed a person who lived in a vehicle for a year.
  • Permanently housed a person after a brief stay at the Costa Mesa Bridge Shelter. He moved to Arizona for a new job and housing.
  • Placed two people in the Costa Mesa Bridge Shelter.
  • Enrolled nine into services.
  • Continued to shelter people. 24 people who had been experiencing homelessness in Newport Beach are sheltered in the Costa Mesa Bridge Shelter.