Dear Friends,
have uplifting news to share as we head into the holiday season. It involves keeping people healthy and local care options accessible – through financing we arranged for a vital Orange County non-profit agency formerly known as Community SeniorServ Inc. (CSS).
Each year CSS, which recently changed its name to Meals on Wheels Orange County, provides some 10,000 seniors and low-income people with nutritional and care services. Until a few weeks ago, CSS was in danger of losing its Anaheim location. Then the board of the California Health Facilities Finance Authority (CHFFA), which I am honored to chair, came to the program’s rescue. With CHFFA’s help, CSS is purchasing the Anaheim facilities. Read more on page 3.
The State Treasurer’s Office continues to help Californians adapt to the changing conditions of work and home life during the COVID-19 crisis. For example, on page 4 you’ll find details on financing help available to families through the state’s Residential Energy Efficiency Loan (REEL) Assistance Program. With so many Californians spending more time at home, REEL has seen a surge in the number of homeowners and renters taking advantage of the assistance the program provides them when they upgrade to more efficient, money-saving energy systems.
Housing continues to be a high-level concern for all of us. We have to keep our eyes open for creative solutions, for models that demonstrate the progress we can make when we work together. I highlighted a powerful example of effective regional cooperation and community buy-in underway in Coachella Valley in an opinion article I recently wrote for CalMatters. Read it here.
Lastly, a sincere thank-you to The Bond Buyer and Northeast Women in Public Finance for bestowing on me a Freda Johnson Award for Trailblazing Women in Public Finance. Getting to meet, mentor, and support women in financial leadership roles is one of the most rewarding experiences of my professional life.
In Peace & Friendship,
California State Treasurer Fiona Ma, CPA
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