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| Protect HB wishes all a season filled with joy celebrated with those you love. Season’s greetings from all of us. |
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| The City of Huntington Beach is in Builder’s RemedyThe City of Huntington Beach is now in a state of Builder’s Remedy. Builder’s Remedy essentially means that a local jurisdiction may not deny certain housing projects for inconsistency with its zoning or general plan standards as long as those plans meet certain requirements set forth by the state regarding affordability.“The Court…hereby mandates that the City approve all applications it receives for builder’s remedy projects,” (Judge) Bacal wrote. “Failure to adhere to the timelines in this paragraph will result in the project being deemed approved.”“Huntington Beach is not above the law. Its leaders must comply with all our laws, including our state’s housing laws,” [CA Attorney General] Bonta wrote in a press release. “We remain fully committed to ensuring that Huntington Beach does its part to address our state’s housing crisis. It has been squandering public money for far too long trying to shirk that responsibility.”Newsom called out the city for “pathetic NIMBY behavior” in his statement.“No more excuses, you lost once again,” Newsom wrote. “It’s time to get building.”Next month there is another hearing to determine what fines the City will be forced to pay as a result of this recent court order. To read the ruling, click here. |
| Current Collection Policy for the HBPL posted!The City of Huntington Beach posted the updated Collection Policy.Pursuant to state law and the city’s municipal code, a new library collection policy has been adopted and posted. This policy is quite different from the previous one that allowed for books to be censored by the now-defunct Parent and Guardian Review Board that the voters overwhelmingly voted against in June of 2025. |
| The new structure for public comments during the City Council meeting met with mixed reviews. Meanwhile, there are still unanswered questions about the International Surf Museum and the Main Street Branch Library sharing the space. Watch the video of the meeting to see the staff presentation and to hear from fellow residents as they share the concerns. |
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| Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center News |
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| We have another jewel right here in Huntington Beach in the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center. This non-profit is dedicated to the rehabilitation and release of injured and orphaned native wildlife. Their website states, “Our mission is to educate the public about human impact on the environment and mitigate that impact through care and rehabilitation of native wildlife. WWCC is open 365 days a year.”We have been informed that the County of Orange is no longer transporting injured animals to the wildlife center due to contract negotiations. Instead, injured wildlife are being euthanized. According to a June 2025 article in the Daily Pilot,this non-profit cared for over 8,000 injured animals last year with over 1,200 coming from Huntington Beach. The City provides no funding for the center. It is a volunteer non-profit and funded by donations and sponsorships. Please consider supporting the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center by making a donation or purchasing items off their wishlist. |
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| Independence Day Celebration Theme Chosen |
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| “This year’s theme captures the profound meaning behind America’s 250th anniversary, a moment that transcends generations. Our new logo embodies the pride, heritage, and forward-looking spirit of Huntington Beach as we prepare for an Independence Day celebration unlike any other,” emphasized Huntington Beach City Manager Travis Hopkins. “We look forward to working hand-in-hand with our community to honor this extraordinary chapter in our nation’s history.” ( City of Huntington Beach, Dec. 2025) |
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| Protect HB and OakView ComUNIDAD are holding a Toy Drive for the children of Oak View in celebration of El Dia de los Reyes in January. You may bring your unwrapped toys to the Oak View donation site on Sundays from 1-2:20 in the HB Police Department parking lot. All donations are tax deductible. |
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| We are gathering again! If you have volunteered before with PHB, look for an invite from Sign-up Genius! Seating is limited to 30 guests, so respond right away if you would like to join us! |
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| An Important Action to Take |
| The Point in Time Count has been confirmed for Tuesday, January 27, 2026 and we would like to have as many volunteers as we can for the City of Huntington Beach. This event is part of a national effort to better understand homelessness in our county. The purpose of this event is to estimate the number of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness on a single night.There are various shifts available including early morning and evening times. If you are interested in helping us with this effort, please follow the link below. Once you go to the link, scroll down to “Deployment Centers” and select Freedom Hall – Mile Square Park. After making the selection, click on sign up. You will then be prompted to enter your email and other information. You will also be given the option to join a “group”. Select Huntington Beach as your group, then select the type of volunteer role you would like to participate in. |
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| We continue to show up for our neighbors in their time of need. Please consider making a donation to our Oak View Community. |
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| Protect HB was originally formed to oppose Huntington Beach’s 2024 Measures A, B and C. Measure A passed and allows for Voter ID requirements at the polls only in HB. The State has taken legal action against HB, which is not yet fully resolved. We agree with the State’s position that state law prohibits a Voter ID requirement in order to vote. (Identification requirements when registering to vote are not in question.)We have become aware that some local groups and paid signature gatherers are pursuing a state law that would make Voter ID a requirement throughout the state. Please be aware of these very aggressive signature gatherers. The proposition they propose would upend the State’s case for enfranchising as many voters as possible. Please do not sign the petition! |
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| We are a grassroots organization and rely completely on your donations to keep us going. We use your donations to hold our elected officials accountable. And, like every organization, we have ongoing monthly expenses that include the website, newsletters, volunteer management, and accounting (to follow all the applicable laws).We sincerely thank both our monthly and one-time donors. It is your support that motivates us to keep moving forward!▪Protect HB Leadership Team |
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| If you have a concern or idea that you want Protect HB to know about, click on the link above to let us know! |
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| We’ve Got a Linktree!In order for us to get traction and sometimes even “go viral,” we need you to SHARE, like, comment, and comment on comments. You can find all of our social media links at linktr.ee/ProtectHB |