California is No. 1 for federal jobs facing Trump cuts

• March 7, 2025

Here’s one economic prediction I have complete confidence in: There will be fewer federal workers, as the second Trump administration slashes its way to a smaller bureaucracy.

Others can debate how the White House accomplishes that goal, the logic behind this mission, and what such a job culling means for governance and services. We’ll focus on what these job cuts could mean for the economy, especially in California.

To see where Uncle Sam is a major employer, my trusty spreadsheet looked at job stats for the 50 states and the District of Columbia – using federal job counts, including defense workers, and overall employment numbers.

California, the nation’s largest job market, also ranks No. 1 for federal employment among the states with 253,600 U.S. government workers in 2024. That’s roughly the same size workforce as is found in the state’s real estate businesses, warehouses, or physicians’ offices.

After California comes Texas with 220,200 federal workers, Virginia with 191,900, the District of Columbia with 191,200, Maryland with 161,300, and Florida with 161,200. The fewest federal jobs are in Delaware (6,700), Vermont (6,800), Wyoming (8,200), New Hampshire (9,100), and North Dakota (9,300).

Now while California has significant numbers of federal jobs at risks, the U.S. government workforce is only 1.4% of all Golden State workers. That’s the 13th smallest slice among the states and well below federal workers’ 1.9% share nationwide.

The most significant shares – and the most prominent economic risk – surround the nation’s capitol. The U.S. employs 25% of workers in the District of Columbia, 5.8% in Maryland, and 4.5% in Virginia.

Federal workers are hardest to find in Wisconsin, just 1% of all jobs, then Connecticut, Minnesota, New Jersey and Iowa at 1.1%.

By the way, California’s economic rivals have modest shares, too. Federal jobs account for 1.6% of all workers in Texas and Florida.

Growth story ends

One economic shock will be the loss of Uncle Sam’s hiring mode.

The U.S. government added 166,200 jobs between pre-pandemic 2019 through last year. California had the ninth-largest increase, 5,400 positions or 3% of the nation’s federal job growth.

Florida had the most U.S. government hiring, up 18,300 workers over five years. Texas followed at 16,200, Maryland at 15,800, Virginia at 10,100, and Georgia at 9,200.

Conversely, there were two declines in federal jobs – D.C. was off 4,100 since 2019 and Vermont was down 300.

Now contemplate this hiring on a percentage-point basis.

California’s 2.2% five-year growth in federal jobs ranked No. 45 among the states and was far below the nation’s 5.9% federal staffing increase.

Federal jobs grew fastest in Delaware and Tennessee, up 16%, Nevada, up 15.6%, Florida, up 13%, and North Carolina, up 11%. Texas was No. 17 at 8%

The slowest federal hiring – minus cuts in D.C. and Vermont – were in North Dakota, up only 0.3% since 2019, New York at 0.9%, and Massachusetts at 1.7%.

Bottom line

There will be plenty of heartache among federal workers, in California and across the nation, as the bureaucracy gets a severe pruning.

It’s a sharp reversal as federal positions were 6% of all the jobs created in 2019-24.

But Uncle Sam’s 5,400 added staff in California since 2019 equaled only 0.9% of the 620,100 jobs added by all employers combined. Federal staffing had less influence in hiring in only six spots: New Jersey, D.C., Hawaii, Louisiana, Maryland, and North Dakota.

And the feds were just 1.2% of hiring in Texas since 2019 (No. 43) and 1.9% in Florida (No. 32).

Where might be the biggest economic anxieties?

Well, the U.S. government was 72% of West Virginia job growth since 2019, 17% of Vermont’s hires, 16% of Wyoming, 15% of Illinois, and 11% of Michigan.

Politically speaking

So are federal jobs a bigger slice of the economic pie in the states that supported Trump or elsewhere?

Like many political questions,  there’s no simple answer.

Those “red” states had 1.56 million federal jobs last year, with 117,000 added since 2019. That’s 8% growth. “Blue” states had 1.43 million federal jobs after 49,200 were added in five years, a 4% bump.

In red states, U.S. hiring equaled 2% of 5.43 million jobs added overall in five years. In blue states, federal hires comprised 3% of the 1.63 million jobs added since 2019.

Jonathan Lansner is the business columnist for the Southern California News Group. He can be reached at jlansner@scng.com

​ Orange County Register 

Nonprofits in Orange can apply now for inaugural Fourth of July fireworks permit

• March 7, 2025

Through the end of March, the city of Orange is accepting applications from local nonprofits for permits to sell fireworks this Independence Day.

The city will issue 12 permits for fireworks stands to operate around town from July 1 through 4.

Of those, four will go to the public and private high schools in Orange (El Modena, Orange, Richland Continuation and Orange Lutheran) to support sports teams, booster clubs and other school organizations.

The city will issue the other eight permits in a lottery this spring.

Organizations can apply for the lottery if they represent a nonprofit, charity, school or college located in Orange.

Interested groups can find additional criteria and the city’s application form at cityoforange.org.

This will be the first year that Orange will allow the sale and use of fireworks for the holiday

In November, Orange voters overwhelmingly approved Measure AA, which legalized the sale, possession and use of so-called safe and sane fireworks for the holiday.

Eleven cities in Orange County, including Anaheim, Santa Ana, Garden Grove and Villa Park — which neighbor Orange — also allow the sale of the state-regulated fireworks before July 4.

Proponents say the selling of fireworks helps community groups in these cities raise hundreds of thousands of dollars annually.

​ Orange County Register 

Trump signs executive order to establish government bitcoin reserve

• March 7, 2025

By ALAN SUDERMAN, Associated Press Business Writer

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday establishing a government reserve of bitcoin, a key marker in the cryptocurrency’s journey towards possible mainstream acceptance.

Under Trump’s new order, the U.S. government will retain the estimated 200,000 bitcoin it’s already seized in criminal and civil proceedings, according to Trump’s “crypto czar” David Sacks.

“The U.S. will not sell any bitcoin deposited into the Reserve. It will be kept as a store of value. The Reserve is like a digital Fort Knox for the cryptocurrency often called ‘digital gold,’” Sacks said on social media.

The executive order calls for a “full accounting” of the government’s bitcoin holdings, which Sacks said have never been fully audited. He added that the U.S. government has previously sold off about 195,000 bitcoin over the last decade for $366 million. He said those bitcoins would be worth about $17 billion if the government hadn’t sold them.

Sacks said the order allows for the Treasury and Commerce Departments “to develop budget-neutral strategies for acquiring additional bitcoin.”

Once a skeptic who said a few years ago that bitcoin “ seems like a scam,” Trump has embraced digital currencies and leaned into his unofficial role as the “ crypto president ” in ways that can both help the crypto industry and enrich himself and his family. Wealthy players in the crypto industry, who felt unfairly targeted by the Biden administration, spent heavily to help Trump win last year’s election.

Establishing a bitcoin reserve was one of several crypto-related promises Trump made on the campaign trail last year. Trump is also pushing Congress to pass industry-friendly legislation, and under his administration the Securities and Exchange Commission has started dropping enforcement actions it had taken against some major crypto companies. On Friday, Trump is set to host many key industry leaders at a White House “Crypto Summit.”

Bitcoin is the oldest and most popular cryptocurrency. Created in response to the 2008 financial crisis by an anonymous person or persons, bitcoin has blossomed from an experiment by libertarian cryptography enthusiasts into an asset with a market cap of about $1.7 trillion. While it hasn’t taken off as a way to pay for everyday things, bitcoin has found popularity as a store of value that’s not controlled by banks, governments or other powerful entities.

Bitcoin’s supply is capped at 21 million coins, a built-in scarcity that supporters say makes it a great hedge against inflation. Critics have long said bitcoin lacks any inherent value, but it’s so far defied naysayers with remarkable price increases. Some supporters of a strategic bitcoin reserve said it could one day help pay off the U.S. national debt.

Crypto prices soared after Trump’s victory last year, and when the price of bitcoin first crossed $100,000 in early December, Trump took credit and posted “YOU’RE WELCOME!!!” on social media.

But prices have since cooled off. Trump’s executive order did not equate to an immediate price spike for bitcoin, which was trading around $86,000 shortly after his announcement.

The executive order also creates a “U.S. Digital Asset Stockpile,” where the government will hold seized cryptocurrencies other than bitcoin. On Sunday, Trump sent crypto prices on a short-lived surge after a surprise announcement that he wanted the government to hold lesser-known cryptocurrencies XRP, solana and cardano.

​ Orange County Register 

28 places in Southern California where you can get free help with your income taxes

• March 7, 2025

Let’s face it, doing your income taxes is not as much fun as it sounds. But the good news is that you don’t have to feel all alone. There are plenty of places that will help you do your taxes–for free. Yes, there’s that word. Free. Now, to qualify, you generally have to earn $67,000 or less, be disabled, be age 50 or over, or need help with English to qualify. And, if you’re rich, hire someone.

Most of these free services end April 15, so chop chop. (But note that L.A. County residents have been given an exemption to file until Oct. 15, due to the wildfire disaster.)

Here are some places where you can get free help in 2025, but check the resources below, because there are lots more that we didn’t have room to list. Including walk-in help.

• myfreetaxes.org. There’s online and in-person help from the United Way at myfreetaxes.org. You can file your taxes yourself, get online help or set up an in-person appointment at this website.
• VITA. The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program offers free tax help to people who need to file simple, basic tax returns. Generally, you need to earn somewhere around $67,000 or less to use these services, although if you’re disabled or have problems with English, you may also be eligible.  ftb.ca.gov/help/free-tax-help/VITA_Locator
• Tax-Aide. AARP Foundation offers free tax assistance here called Tax-Aide. Find locations and make appointments here. taxaide.aarpfoundation.org
• AARP Foundation has free software and online live assistance to help you file your own taxes from home. For filers who earn less than $84,000 annually. Learn more at taxaide.aarpfoundation.org/online-self-and-assisted-prep
• OCTaxPrep.com is another source for free tax preparation locations.

Here’s a partial listing (note that you generally have to make an appointment by phone or online):

Anaheim: Senior Citizen Center, 250 E. Center St , Anaheim. 714-765-4510.

Arcadia: Community Center, 365 Campus Drive , Arcadia. 626-574-5130

Brea: Senior Center, 500 Sievers Ave., Brea. 714-990-7750

Canoga Park: NEW Economics for Women, 21400 Saticoy St., Canoga Park. 818-887-3872

Chino (Until April 10): Good Hands Foundation, 14726 Ramona Ave., Suite 415 , Chino. 909-334-4794

Costa Mesa: Senior Center, 695 W. 19th St., Costa Mesa. 714-327-7550

Covina: Public Library, 234 N. 2nd Ave., Covina. 626-384-5380

El Monte: DPSS, 3352 Aerojet Ave., El Monte. elmonte.youcanbook.me

Glendale: CSUN VITA clinic at Grandview Library, 1535 5th St., Glendale. csun.edu/bookstein-institute/csun-vita-clinic

Glendora: Citrus College, 1000 W. Foothill Blvd., Glendora. citruscollege.edu/VITA

Granada Hills: Taxpayers Help Center, 17048 1/2 Chatsworth St., Granada Hills. 818-363-3545

Huntington Beach: Senior Center In Central Park, 18041 Goldenwest St., Huntington Beach. 714-536-5600

La Verne: Community Center, 3680 D St. , La Verne. 909-596-8776

Lancaster: AIMLA LAKE LA AV, 16845 E. Ave M 8, Lancaster. 661-262-9517

Long Beach: Community Action Partnership, 117 West Victoria St., Long Beach. 562-216-4600

Murrieta: Senior Center, 41717 Juniper St., Murrieta. 951-461-6108

North Hollywood: CSUN VITA clinic at Grandview Library, 12311 Vanowen St., North Hollywood. csun.edu/bookstein-institute/csun-vita-clinic

Northridge: CSUN VITA Clinic18111 Nordhoff St., Bookstein Bldg., Northridge. 818-677-3600

Norwalk: St. Raphael Catholic Church, 12366 Rosecrans Ave., Norwalk. Only Saturday, March 22 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.   straphael.youcanbook.me

Pasadena (Until April 10): Villa Parke Community Center 363 E. Villa St , Pasadena, 626-744-6530

Rancho Cucamonga: High School, 11801 Lark Drive, Rancho Cucamonga. 909-518-8851

Redlands: Community Senior Center, 111 W Lugonia Ave., Redlands. 909-798-7579

San Pedro: Toberman Neighborhood Center, 131 N Grand Ave., San Pedro. 310-832-1145

Seal Beach Community Center, 3131 N. Gate Road, Seal Beach. 562-431-2527

Temecula: Mary Phillips Senior Center, 41845 6th St., Temecula. Make appt. at 951-694-6464

Upland: Fridays 9 a.m.-1 p.m. (except closed March 14.) Walk-ins only. George M. Gibson Senior Center. 250 N. 3rd Ave., Upland. 909-981-4501.

Van Nuys: CSUN VITA clinic at YMCA Mid Valley, 6901 Lennox Ave., Van Nuys. 818-677-3600. csun.edu/bookstein-institute/csun-vita-clinic

Whittier (Until April 10): Uptown Senior Center, 13225 Walnut St., Whittier. 562-567-9470

And here’s a list of what to bring to your tax preparation appointment, courtesy of the wonderful folks at the Internal Revenue Service.

​ Orange County Register 

Stock market today: Wall Street heads toward its worst week since 2022 as losses mount

• March 7, 2025

By STAN CHOE

NEW YORK (AP) — More losses are hitting Wall Street at the close of a brutal week, and U.S. stocks have erased earlier gains to fall after a nervously anticipated economic report came in close to expectations.

The S&P 500 was down 1% in midday trading after erasing an early gain of 0.6%. It’s coming off a punishing stretch where it swung at least 1%, up or down, in each of the last six days, and it’s on track for its worst week since 2022.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 340 points, or 0.8%, as of 11:45 a.m., and the Nasdaq composite was 1.4% lower.

The focus was on the job market, where the U.S. Labor Department said employers added 151,000 more jobs last month than they cut. That was slightly below economists’ expectations, but it was still an acceleration from January’s hiring.

U.S. stocks have been struggling, and the S&P 500 has dropped more than 7% from its all-time high set last month on worries that the U.S. economy’s growth may be slowing. Recent, discouraging surveys have shown the mood is souring for U.S. businesses and households because of uncertainty around President Donald Trump’s tariffs, but economists weren’t sure if that was translating into real pain for the economy and the job market.

While Friday’s jobs report did come in close to expectations, economists warned it contained concerning details underneath the surface that could imply more trouble ahead in future months. The number of people working part time who would rather be full time rose 10% in February from January, for example.

“The market might breathe a sigh of relief that the labor market was still looking healthy, but a deeper dive shows that spring could be a more challenging season,” said Brian Jacobsen, chief economist at Annex Wealth Management.

The whiplash actions from the White House on tariffs — first placing them on trading partners and then exempting some and then doing it again — have raised uncertainty for businesses. That sparked fears they might simply freeze in response and pull back on hiring. U.S. households, meanwhile, are bracing for much higher inflation because of tariffs, which is weakening their confidence and could hold back their spending. That would sap more energy from the economy.

The jobs report sent yields down in the bond market, where the 10-year Treasury yield fell to 4.23% from 4.28% late Thursday. It’s been sinking since January, when it was nearing 4.80%, as investors have ratcheted back their expectations for the U.S. economy’s growth.

The yield on the two-year Treasury note also continued its descent, which underscores building expectations among traders that the Federal Reserve will cut its main interest rate at least two or three times this year in order to prop up a slowing economy.

On Wall Street, Hewlett Packard Enterprises slumped 16.2% after reporting profit for the latest quarter that fell just short of analysts’ expectations. CEO Antonio Neri acknowledged that “we could have executed better in some areas in the quarter,” and the company gave a forecast for revenue in the current quarter that was weaker than expected.

Costco sank 7.2% after the retailer reported a weaker profit for the latest quarter than expected.

They helped offset Walgreens Boots Alliance, which rallied 6.9% after the pharmacy and drug store chain agreed to be acquired by private equity firm Sycamore Partners. The buyout would take the struggling chain private for the first time since 1927 and give it more flexibility to make changes to improve its business without worrying about Wall Street’s reaction.

Broadcom rose 3.7% after delivering stronger profit and revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected. The chip company also gave a forecast for upcoming revenue that topped analysts’ expectation, thanks in part to strong demand for its artificial-intelligence offerings.

After rocketing higher in Wall Street’s frenzy around AI, stocks across the industry have hit a wall this year as this year’s downturn hit hardest on the areas of the market that earlier seemed the most unstoppable. Broadcom’s stock had dropped more than 20% so far this year, before Friday, after having more than doubled in 2024.

In stock markets abroad, German stocks dropped 1.8% to give back some of the big gains from earlier in the week following a seismic shift in its policy on debt. The traditionally debt-averse German government appears willing to allow for much more borrowing.

Indexes fell 0.6% in Hong Kong and 0.3% in Shanghai after China reported slower than-expected-trade for January and February, with exports growing just 2.3% and imports sinking 8.4%, the government said. China’s trade data for the first two months of the year are usually combined to make up for distortions from Lunar New Year holidays.

South Korea’s Kospi fell 0.5% after a court ordered impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol to be released from jail, more than a month after he was arrested and indicted over his short-lived imposition of martial law.

AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.

​ Orange County Register 

90,000 Palestinians attend the first Friday prayers of Ramadan in Jerusalem

• March 7, 2025

By IMAD ISSEID and JULIA FRANKEL

JERUSALEM (AP) — In the first Friday prayers of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, about 90,000 Palestinians prayed at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem’s Old City under tight security by Israeli forces.

Thousands made their way from the West Bank into Jerusalem after Israel allowed men over 55 and women over 50 to enter from the occupied territory for the prayers. Tensions have risen in the West Bank in the past weeks amid Israeli raids on militants. There was no immediate sign of frictions in Jerusalem on Friday.

However, Palestinian authorities said Israeli soldiers had stormed eight mosques around the city of Nablus, in the north of the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

In a statement posted to X, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Israeli operations set fire to “large sections” of the Al-Nasr mosque in the old city of Nablus, posting a photo of the interior of the mosque, where walls appeared blackened. The mosque used to be a Byzantine church.

Asked for comment, the military said it was “not aware” of any fire set by soldiers at the site.

For many Palestinians, it was their first chance to enter Jerusalem since last Ramadan about a year ago, when Israel also let in worshippers under similar restrictions. Since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023, the Israeli government blocked Palestinians in the West Bank from crossing to Jerusalem or visiting Israel. Cuts to USAID by the Trump administration have also set back aid groups operating in Gaza.

Last Ramadan, the war was raging, but this time, a fragile ceasefire is in place since mid-January — though its future is uncertain. Since Sunday, Israel has barred all food, fuel, medicine and other supplies from entering Gaza for some 2 million people, demanding Hamas accept a revised deal.

Prayers at the Dome of the Rock and in the rubble of Gaza

In Gaza, thousands gathered for the Friday communal prayers in the shattered concrete husk of Gaza City’s Imam Shafi’i Mosque, heavily damaged by Israeli forces during fighting. During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn until sunset as a sign of humility, submission to God and sympathy for the poor and hungry.

On Thursday evening, Palestinians strung festive Ramadan lights around the rubble of destroyed buildings surrounding their tent camp in Gaza City and set up long communal tables for hundreds of people where aid groups served up iftar, the meal that breaks the daily fast.

At Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, Nafez Abu Saker said he left his home in the village of Aqraba in the northern West Bank at 7 a.m., taking three hours to make the 20-mile trip through Israeli checkpoints to reach Jerusalem. “If the people from the West Bank will be permitted to come, people from all the cities, villages and camps will come to Al-Aqsa to pray,” he said.

“The reward of prayer here is like 500 prayers — despite the difficulty of the road to get here. It brings a great reward from God,” said Ezat Abu Laqia, also from Aqraba.

The faithful formed rows to listen to the Friday sermon and kneel in prayer at the foot of the golden Dome of the Rock on the sprawling mosque compound. The Islamic Trust, which oversees the Al-Aqsa compound, said 90,000 attended the prayers. The Israeli police said it deployed thousands of additional officers around the area.

The compound, revered by Jews as the Temple Mount, and the surrounding area of Jerusalem’s Old City have been the site of clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police in the past. The Old City is part of east Jerusalem, captured by Israel along with the West Bank and Gaza Strip in the 1967 Mideast War. Israel has since annexed the sector, though Palestinians seek it and the territories for an independent state.

Tight security and delays at checkpoints

Thousands of Palestinians coming from the West Bank lined up at the Qalandia checkpoint on the edge of Jerusalem to attend the prayers. But some were turned away, either because they didn’t have the proper permits or because the checkpoint closed. Israeli police said authorities had approved the entry of 10,000 Palestinians from the West Bank, but did not say how many made it into Jerusalem.

“All the young people, elderly people and women were waiting here. They refused to let anyone cross at the checkpoint,” said Mohammed Owaisat, who arrived to find the crossing closed.

The first phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire brought the release of 25 Israeli hostages held by terrorists in Gaza and the bodies of eight others in exchange for the freeing of nearly 2,000 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Hamas has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States, Canada, and European Union.

But an intended second phase of the deal – meant to bring the release of remaining hostages and a lasting truce and full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza — has been thrown into doubt. Israel has balked at entering negotiations over the terms of the second phase. Instead, it has called for Hamas to release half its remaining hostages in return for an extension of the ceasefire and a promise to negotiate a lasting truce.

It says its bar on aid to Gaza will continue and could be escalated until Hamas accepts the proposal — a move rights groups and Arab countries have decried as a “starvation tactic.” Hamas has demanded implementation of the original ceasefire deal.

A Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo on Friday to discuss the implementation of the deal and to push for the second phase, Egypt’s State Information Service said.

Israel’s military offensive has killed over 48,000 Palestinians in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were combatants.

The campaign was triggered by Hamas’ Oct. 23, 2023 attack on southern Israel, in which terrorists killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took a total of 251 people hostage. Most have been released in ceasefire agreements or other arrangements. Hamas is believed to still have 24 living hostages and the bodies of 34 others.

​ Orange County Register 

Real estate news: Warehouse construction begins in Anaheim

• March 7, 2025

Work has begun on a 139,535-square-foot industrial complex in Anaheim.

Hines is building the warehouse on 7 acres at 701 E. Ball Road with Voit Real Estate Services working on the marketing, sale or leasing the facility.

“701 E Ball Road offers an unparalleled location in the heart of Anaheim’s bustling submarket, with close proximity to the Interstate 5 freeway and major ports, making it ideal for national credit tenants, third-party logistics providers, and international importers,” said Tom Lawless, managing director at Hines, in a statement.

The project is due to wrap up by November, Voit reps said.

San Clemente triplex near beach sells for $2.75 million

A three-unit apartment building in San Clemente recently traded hands for $2,745,000.

Morgan Skenderian Investment represented the owner, the Friedman Revocable Trust, in the sale at 514 Avenida Victoria. The buyer was Stewart Alan Davis and Julie Rose Davis.

The three-story, 3,829-square-foot building dating to 1975 is just a block from the beach. It features three apartments with a combined seven bedrooms and seven bathrooms perched over garage spaces on the ground level.

In 2016, the owners renovated units A and B, according to documents provided by PropertyShark.

Lefko tapped partner at Hanley

Jeff Lefko was recently named partner at Hanley Investment Group in Corona del Mar.

“I am excited to welcome Jeff as my partner in Hanley Investment Group,” said Ed Hanley, president of the firm. “Jeff’s expertise, leadership, and unwavering commitment to our clients have been instrumental in our continued success.”

Lefko joined HIG in 2015, averaging more than 100 transactions per year since 2020, and 127 transactions since 2022. All told, Lefko has reaped $3.3 billion in sales for the firm since 2018.

The firm, which turns 20 this year, is also expanding south, opening an office in San Diego where Lefko will be in charge.

On the move

Troy S. Jenkins recently joined Irvine-based Avanath Capital Management, a multifamily property owner and operator, as senior vice president of its Investor Relations division. He will lead capital-raising initiatives for the firm’s affordable housing, development and debt funds. He most recently worked at Avison Young Investment Management.

Ana Cervantes was promoted to director of Resource Services at Ware Malcomb’s Irvine office where she will lead operations for the firm’s domestic production studios. In the industry since 2012, Cervantes has seen multiple promotions in her 10 years at Ware Malcomb. Her work has included corporate office, industrial, healthcare and science and technology.

Justin McMahon has rejoined CBRE as senior vice president in the brokerage’s Orange County office. His specialty is representing owners and tenants of retail properties. He most recently spent five years at JLL, working on marketing and leasing shopping centers while representing retail and restaurant tenants.

Ladera Ranch resident Kent Crandall is the new chief financial officer at Culver City-based Goldrich Kest, a privately owned firm that specializes in real estate investors, developers and property managers. Crandall previous roles include CFO of Lafayette Real Estate in New York, executive vice president of Tricon American Homes in Tustin, and CFO of MBK Real Estate in Irvine.

Milestones

Lawrence R. Armstrong, chairman and former CEO of Ware Malcomb in Irvine, has released his first book, “Layered Leadership.” The book focuses on how leaders can “build more dynamic and successful organizations by blending layers of strategic thinking, creativity, and resilience to address challenges and opportunities.” Armstrong pivoted to chairman from chief executive at the design firm in 2020.

The real estate roundup is compiled from news releases and written by Business Editor Samantha Gowen. Submit items and high-resolution photos via email to  sgowen@scng.com . Please allow at least a week for publication. All items are subject to editing for clarity and length.

​ Orange County Register 

Santa Ana’s Police Oversight Commission at a standstill, members say

• March 7, 2025

The Santa Ana City Council established the Police Oversight Commission in 2022, but nearly three years later, commissioners don’t feel like they’ve really started the work they’ve been tapped to do for the community.

“It’s pretty clear that we’re all a little bit frustrated because there’s not much we can do,” Commissioner Keith Carpenter said.

Aside from meeting and taking complaints, the commissioners have yet to get to what they consider the real work — proposing changes to policing policies and investigating received complaints — and they aren’t sure when they will be able to, Carpenter said. “Unfortunately, we’re in the dark like everybody else.”

Most of the standstill boils down to the lack of an independent oversight director, a new position in the city created along with the commission. The city received five responses to a call for prospective candidates posted in September, however, the City Council has not conducted interviews, let alone made a hire.

City Manager Alvaro Nuñez said at the March 4 City Council meeting that he’ll be bringing two related items to the council soon.

“Hopefully, the scheduling of the candidates for your interview in 30 days, in addition, updates to the municipal code that we think are necessary to make sure that it’s more successful,” Nuñez told councilmembers.

The city manager’s office canceled meetings in November, December and January with little to no explanation to commissioners. City spokesperson Paul Eakins did not respond to further questions about the hiring of a director or meeting cancelations. Nuñez also did not respond to requests for comment.

Councilmember Jessie Lopez said she was told by the city attorney that the cancelations were due to a lack of agenda items.

That wasn’t because of a lack of effort from the commissioners, Commissioner Carlos Perea said.

“Over the last year, via email or from the dais, commissioners have brought ideas, requests and items to be agendized or be brought back to the commission. But that hasn’t happened,” Perea said. “Until the last meeting, it wasn’t clear whether commissioners could agendize items.”

Commissioners were informed by Assistant City Attorney Jonathan Martinez that only the director, with input from the commissioners, can place items on the group’s meeting agendas, Perea said.

Martinez said at the last meeting that in his interpretation of the city’s ordinance, only the director can work with city staff to create the commission’s bylaws, as well as investigate police complaints.

“The City Council needs to reaffirm the commission’s power and scope of what we can cover,” Perea said. “For issues like a police oversight commission, the delay of review of complaints does present a trust issue with the community. How can folks trust the commission with their complaints if they’re not being addressed in a timely manner?”

The commission’s complaint portal was opened to the public nearly a year ago, but without a director in place, city officials have said the commission cannot review possible misconduct cases.

According to the California Peace Officer Bill of Rights Act, no punitive action can be taken “for any act, omission, or other allegation of misconduct” if the investigation of the allegation is not completed within one year of the public agency’s discovery.

“There’s one year from the date of the alleged misconduct that the oversight director would need to complete or begin his investigation,” Martinez said. “If it passes that one-year mark, then the allegation or complaint is time-barred.”

Complaints filed to the Santa Ana Police Oversight Commission are also going to the city’s Police Department for review and investigation, previously raising questions about the true independence of the commission.

Carpenter said complaints could have already fallen off the calendar because of the delay in hiring a director.

“I can’t control when we get a director. The public obviously can’t control when we get a director,” Carpenter said. “How is that equitable when these things are out of our control?”

It took nearly a year for the seven commissioners to be appointed — each appointed by a member of the City Council consecutive with the elected official’s term in office – and they then received months of training on topics such as the Brown Act, the Police Department’s training procedures and use-of-force standards.

Before any real work could begin, one commissioner was not reappointed.

At the Feb. 18 City Council meeting, councilmembers David Penaloza and Phil Bacerra and Mayor Valerie Amezcua voted against reappointing Councilmember Johnathan Ryan Hernandez’s candidate, Amalia Mejia, who needed supermajority support.

“Unfortunately, the commissioner has demonstrated a clear anti-police bias that undermines this responsibility,” Penaloza said, pointing to Mejia’s social media post informing the public on how to report possible misconduct through the commission’s portal following SAPD’s presence at UCI protests last year. “This was not objective oversight, it was a fishing expedition aimed at manufacturing complaints rather than reviewing them fairly.”

“Oversight should be impartial not an activist-driven mission,” Penaloza added.

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Carpenter said he thinks the hiring of an oversight director appears to have become political, and so was the choice to not reappoint Mejia.

“If she didn’t violate any ordinances or Brown Act conditions, I don’t see why that’s an issue,” Carpenter said. “I think she’s very knowledgeable. I think she was a benefit to the committee.”

Hernandez said he thinks the council’s views could be affecting the progress of the Police Oversight Commission.

“You have elected officials who are willing to remove people or not allow them to serve in their capacity as a civilian because of disagreement with their educational background or their policy perspectives. That, to me, is a violation of our democracy,” Hernandez said. “It is disheartening to see that not all opinions are welcomed.”

Diverse opinions on the oversight commission are essential, Hernandez said.

“Perspectives like mine that are pro-justice, they’re rooted in protecting both our officers and the community. Although to be pro-justice means to stand against police brutality and police misconduct, it does not mean that you are inherently anti-police,” he added.

Mejia said her social media post broke no rules or laws.

“I think the community should be concerned about these kinds of tactics and moves,” Mejia said. “It’s actually alarming that somebody in leadership, like Councilmember Penaloza, used the word that I ‘manufactured’ complaints, which is untrue. All I did was educate the public on how to file a complaint if they personally experienced misconduct.”

Not only have the councilmembers removed a critical voice from the commission, Mejia said, but they have also set the group back because a new commissioner will need to catch up on training.

“Now this (new) person has to be trained up. They just can’t start listening to complaints,” Carpenter said. “It just becomes a cycle of constant training so nothing can get done. That, to me, is a big concern.”

Penaloza refutes that his decision was politically motivated.

“If there’s a call for mutual aid and officers are responding to a neighboring agency … they should be able to do that without fear of having a commissioner fishing for complaints,” Penaloza said. “I’m proud that we were able to remove her from the commission because someone that has an agenda that is out to get police and law enforcement shouldn’t serve on that commission that is supposed to be impartial.”

Police accountability should not be a partisan issue, Perea said.

“Councilmember Penaloza and some of the council, including the mayor, have been critical of some of us in the commission for informing the community on where to submit public complaints. To me, that is an abuse of power,” Perea said. “We’re seeing this council do what they can to suppress the voices of those that are calling for strict accountability and transparency of the department.”

Hernandez shares the commissioners’ frustrations, he said.

“Since we have passed police oversight, I believe that there have been significant roadblocks in ensuring that the people have an equitable and dignified oversight commission,” Hernandez said. “This commission is a product of the people’s demands and should be a reflection of the community. In Santa Ana, there’s a wide array of diverse opinions and perspectives that are all equally valued, and I hope that this commission reflects that.”

​ Orange County Register