Mayor's Welcome

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Today, Garden Grove Mayor Steve Jones delivered his final State of the City address before a full house at the Hyatt Regency Orange County. The program, modeled after the “Back to the Future” movie, featured a DeLorean Time Machine and highlighted current City accomplishments and future developments founded on the community’s 150-year history.

Garden Grove Mayor Steve Jones will deliver his last official address at the 2024 State of the City luncheon, hosted by the Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the City of Garden Grove. The event takes place on Thursday, April 11, 2024, at 12:00 p.m., at the Hyatt Regency Orange County, located at 11999 Harbor Boulevard. Tickets are $85 per person before March 15 and $100 after. Registration and networking will begin at 11:00 a.m.

Nominations for the City of Garden Grove’s home beautification program, Garden Grove Gems, that recognizes residents for their home’s outstanding front yards, take place now through Wednesday, April 24. From all the nominations received, four will be selected at random to receive $100 Home Depot gift cards. Gift card winners will be announced the week of April 29. To nominate your home, complete an online application and photo submission at www.ggcity.org/gems.

Garden Grove residents graduating from a college or university this year are invited to submit their information for the annual Garden Grove College Graduates’ Reception on Tuesday, June 25, 2024. All attending graduates will be entered into opportunity drawings for cash prizes. The deadline to submit information online for the free event is Monday, June 3 at www.ggcity.org/grads.

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month and a time to put safety in the driver’s seat. The Garden Grove Police Department will be actively looking for drivers throughout the month who are in violation of the state’s hands-free cell phone law.

Garden Grove City Manager Lisa Kim has named Matt West, a 25-year public service professional, to the position of Assistant City Manager. West, a former city manager for the City of Tustin, had served as Garden Grove’s Interim Assistant City Manager since January 2024. West will assume his official role on Monday, April 1, 2024.

Due to inclement weather, Garden Grove’s annual “Eggscavation” event scheduled for Saturday, March 30, 2024, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., at Atlantis Play Center, located at 13630 Atlantis Way in Garden Grove Park, is canceled. Ticket holders will be contacted for ticket refunds.

CalOptima Health has teamed up with Orange County’s four Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) to streamline the Medi-Cal application process and enhance health care access for residents. This partnership aims to ensure that individuals receiving or applying for rental assistance can swiftly apply for Medi-Cal and access community support services.

The City of Garden Grove has updated the First-Time Home Buyer Program that now enables income-eligible homebuyers looking to purchase a home in Garden Grove to borrow up to $110,000 with 0% interest rate. A minimum down payment of 3% is required.

To qualify for the City’s First-Time Home Buyer Program, prospective homebuyers must attend a first-time home buyer workshop with a HUD-approved counseling agency. For the list of agencies, visit www.ggcity.org/fthb.