In his State of the City speech in March, Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu announced a $250 million plan for neighborhood investment over the next decade. This stood in direct contrast to the previous councils, which mostly focused on the Anaheim Resort. To help kick off this initiative, Sidhu touted the help of Anahei’m First, an advisory committee formed last year.
If the name doesn’t ring a bell, Anahei’m First is a non-profit, non-political organization supported by Visit Anaheim, the Anaheim Community Foundation, and the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce. The initiative is led by the Neighborhood Leadership Council, a group of residents representing each of the six council districts in Anaheim.
Organizational Goals
The main goal of Anahei’m First is to connect with residents in each aspect of the program. This includes expanded fire and police services, development of new infrastructure, maintaining a strong local economy and continuous reinvestment in neighborhoods. Before launching this program, Sidhu conducted a comprehensive Anaheim Community Assessment.
This assessment included topics such as housing availability, quality of roads, parks, wildlands, and streets, public safety, commercial vitality, neighborhood livability, mobility and accessibility, and so on. Thanks to defining the standards for adequate service, the assessment was a vital part of improving the quality of life in Anaheim.
Council Structure
The Neighborhood Leadership Council serves as a liaison between city officials, neighborhoods, and community stakeholders. The council’s main purpose is to give more power to the city’s residents, and it plays a key role in guiding many critical decisions.
The council consists of 100 community leaders. This includes 15 neighborhood representatives from each district, as well as an additional 10 members representing community stakeholders and non-profit organizations. The advisory council consists of AB Abdulrahman, Gloria Ma’ae, Keith Olesen, Norma Kurtz, Dave Bartash, and Sergio Gonzalez.
Plans for the Future
When it comes to what we can expect from Anahei’m First in the future, the first thing that comes to mind is the implementation of the 2030 Neighborhood Investment Program. For example, we know that the members of the Neighborhood Leadership Council will make an effort to attend Quarterly Summits on an annual basis.
In addition to that, council members are expected to host monthly town hall meetings with residents, community stakeholders, and city officials. The outreach to residents will be conducted in several languages, including Spanish, Korean, Arabic, and Vietnamese. Council members will also participate as stakeholders in a Neighborhood Revitalization Assessment.
