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Wednesday, February 13, 2019

SACRAMENTO – California renters who have been drowning in unaffordable housing costs would see much-needed relief under a bill unveiled Wednesday by State Senator Steve Glazer (D-Contra Costa), Assembly members Sharon Quirk-Silva (D-Orange County), Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego), and 28 co-authors.

Tuesday, January 29, 2019

(Sacramento) - Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk Silva (D-Orange County) and the California State Assembly adjourned its January 22, 2019 floor session in the memory of her brother, Raymond William "Billy" Jaso, who died on October 9, 2018 at the age of 52, homeless and addicted to alcohol. “My plea to you is to look at the people on the streets, to know their stories, to understand that we have to do more.” Assemblywoman Quirk-Silva said during her tribute to Billy Jaso.

Thursday, January 24, 2019

Leaders of all faiths and communities join me for a conversation to help begin the healing process, find common ground, build empathy, and promote respect.

Tuesday, January 22, 2019

(Sacramento) - Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk Silva (D-Orange County) and the California State Assembly adjourned its January 22, 2019 floor session in the memory of Fred Mason, a longtime Fullerton resident, civic leader, and pillar of the community. “Fred Mason was very active in Fullerton community life... He was even a board member of the school district that I worked in for almost 30 years.” Assemblywoman Quirk-Silva said during her tribute to Mason.

Tuesday, January 22, 2019

SACRAMENTO — Assemblywoman Quirk-Silva (D - Orange County) issued the following statement after the Supreme Court reinstated President Trump's ban on transgender service members in the military:

“First off, I thank everyone in military service of this great country for sacrificing so much; including the many transgender people already openly serving. They should understand that they have the support of many of their representatives right now in government.”

“Any citizen with the courage and fortitude to don a uniform of the United States military, and put their life on the line to serve their country deserves the opportunity to do so,” said Quirk-Silva. “No one should be banned from engaging in service to their country solely based on gender identity. This is a civil rights issue, and we should speak out against this discriminatory decision.”

Friday, January 18, 2019

Last week, Governor Gavin Newsom released is 2019-20 initial budget proposal, and shared a mult-tiered approach to address the state’s homelessness and housing crisis. The approach the Governor has proposed aligns with the bills authored by Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva, as she continues her efforts to support the needs of Orange County, and address their homeless and housing issues.

“I look forward to partnering with the Governor in this effort to confront our housing crisis.  Housing affordability is the biggest public policy issue affecting our state today.  Every day, communities are being torn apart as more and more people struggle with affordable housing, and stave off homelessness.” said Quirk-Silva. “This is why I authored affordable housing and homelessness legislation immediately after being sworn-in to serve Orange County in 2019 and 2020. Not responding immediately would continue to create dire consequences on our quality of life and our economy.”

“For California to lead the nation in tackling homelessness and housing shortages, we must use all possible resources at our disposal to combat this crisis on all fronts,” said Quirk-Silva.

Assembly Bill (AB) 139 updates California Housing Element law to reflect the state’s homeless crisis and the need for every community to better assess the number of individuals and families facing homelessness and implement more targeted transition strategies to long term permanent housing for these Californians.

AB 143 expands emergency housing to include homeless shelters and permanent supportive housing when Orange County, or cities within Orange County, declare a shelter crisis.  This will allow for streamlining California Environmental Quality Act processes, a key point of Governor Newsom’s call to action.

AB 146 would authorize CalTrans to lease airspace under state highways or excess real property acquired for highway purposes to provide emergency shelter or feeding programs.  This program has proved effective in communities across the state, and Governor Newsom called for this strategy to be implemented statewide.

AB 148 expands the scope of the Sustainable Communities Strategy to track and report on real housing development as part of implementation.  This includes the development of affordable housing, and provision of emergency shelter beds.  The Governor declared the need for statewide goals, not just target figures set by state agencies, and regional planning focused on housing development.

Monday, January 14, 2019

(Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva of Orange County, and Assemblymember James Ramos of San Bernardino, present Navy veteran James Ramos with a resolution to commemorate his brave service in WWII and his 96th birthday)

Saturday, January 12, 2019

Mr. Sherman is a Purple Heart recipient and joined the Navy in 1942 after the attack on Pearl Harbor. He served on the USS Lamson Destroyer DD367 for 3.5 years fighting in the Phillipines at the Battle of Ormok Bay and Leyte Gulf. On December 7, 1944, his ship was hit by a kamikaze plane and received a Purple Heart for his heroism during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. He still carries shrapnel in his back from when he was hit as he jumped into the Pacific. Duane Sherman continued his service as a SONAR instructor for the Navy during the Korean War.

Thursday, January 10, 2019

SACRAMENTO – Moments ago, Governor Gavin Newsom released his 2019-20 Budget Plan which proposes to fully fund two years of free community college in California at a cost of $40 million.  These funds were proposed in the 2019-20 state budget, from the $200 million voter-approved Proposition 98 General Fund. This proposal extends the California College Promise to waive enrollment fees for first-time, full-time students for a second academic year.

Assembly Bill 2 (AB 2), jointly authored by Assemblymembers Sharon Quirk-Silva, Miguel Santiago, David Chiu, Kevin McCarty, Rob Bonta, Laura Freidman, Lorena Gonzalez, and Sabrina Cervantes was introduced to strengthen the California College Promise policy. This budget proposal takes an important step towards guaranteeing a completely free community college experience for California students. 

“We must be sure that California’s students have access to higher education, yet high tuition costs deny students and their families the dream of obtaining a degree,” said Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva (D – Orange County). “Expanding the College Promise Program will give working class students, and their families, assurance that the cost of higher education, and the American Dream, will be within their reach. A reinvestment in our students is an investment in California; its educated students, skilled workforce, economy, and its future.”

Tuesday, January 8, 2019

SACRAMENTO  - California State Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva is pleased to announce the committees that she is assigned to for the 2019-20 legislative session. The reelected Assemblywoman has been assigned to the following high-profile committees by the Speaker of the State Assembly, to address the needs of the State of California: Housing and Community Development, Accountability and Administrative Review, Communications and Conveyance, Governmental Organization, and the Assembly Committee on Rules.

The jurisdiction of the Housing and Community Development Committee includes building standards, common interest developments, eminent domain, farm worker housing, homeless programs, housing discrimination, housing finance (including redevelopment), housing, natural disaster assistance and preparedness, land use planning, mobile homes/manufactured housing,
redevelopment: housing, and rent control.

“I am honored that Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon has placed the confidence in me to be involved in these critical policy-making committees that will greatly impact our state,” said Quirk-Silva. “In particular, the Housing Committee is the front line in finding and building constructive solutions for the affordable housing crisis, and homelessness, in our state. I am proud to help lead the focus of this important committee in the years to come, especially for the people of Orange County.”

Assemblywoman Quirk-Silva has met with U.S. District Court Judge David O. Carter, state leaders, and local officials of the county and city level over the past years. Quirk-Silva has also taken the time to tour encampments, and talk one-on-one with the homeless advocates in Orange County.

“I have focused a great deal of my attention on thoughtful and necessary mediation between state and local officials, authored legislation (Assembly Bill 448) to establish an agency consisting of local, concerned entities to provide construction of supportive housing units, and brought millions of dollars in funding to shelters in Orange County, ” said Quirk-Silva. “I will continue to push the state to do more for its people, and the housing needs of our communities.”