Did You Know?
Many voters in Huntington Beach are busy making a living, raising children, caring for aging parents, maintaining their homes, and so on. They have a limited amount of time left to stay informed about our city government and our local elections.
ProtectHB developed the “Did You Know’ program to help our neighbors become better-informed voters.
We set up DYK (Did You Know) tables in numerous locations around the city so that we can meet potential voters near where they live. We provide handouts with the type of information that Huntington Beach residents may not be aware of, and that’s useful in making our city government more accountable for its decisions and actions. It’s information you can use when deciding who to vote for that will represent the interests of you, your family, and your local community.
Approximately every two months, the DYK team selects a topic that we feel is important to HB voters. We attend City Council meetings, research newspaper articles, local and state press releases, legal documents, and city records. ProtectHB then creates the handout that we distribute at the DYK tables.
The DYK tables are staffed by ProtectHB volunteers. If you would like to help your neighbors learn more about our city, please click on this link {link to volunteer sign up on website} and join the ProtectHB volunteer team. You will work with like-minded people who want to make the city of Huntington Beach a better place for all of us.
Learn About Our City Lawsuits
DID YOU KNOW THE HB CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZES SPENDING A LOT OF TIME AND MONEY ON POLITICAL LAWSUITS, WHILE CONTINUING TO LOSE MOST OF THEM?
Check this timeline to learn more…
1. Housing Element Compliance (City sued State)
(LOST 3 TIMES: OC, State and Federal levels)
2. Voter ID Requirements (CA and Bixby lawsuits)
(LOST 2 TIMES: OC and State levels)
3. State Audit of Airshow Agreement (CA)
(PENDING)
4. Airshow Agreement (Bixby and Clayton-Tarvin joint lawsuit)
regarding public release of Agreement details through State
approved CPRA request
(LOST)
5. Freedom to Read Act Compliance (ACLU/Alianza lawsuit)
(LOST) (City Appealing)
6. Sanctuary City Compliance (City sued State)
(LOST)
7. Symphony of Flowers Lease Agreement and inadequate
EIR
(PRIVATELY NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT) (No light shows to be
allowed at Central Park in foreseeable future)
8. Parents Right to Know Municipal Ordinance (City sued
State)
(LOST)
10. Boardman/Bixby jointly sued City over Airshow Agreement’s
improper gift of taxpayer dollars
(PENDING)
11. Southwest Voter Education Project – City Council Districts
– Vote by District vs. At-large
(LOST)
DID YOU KNOW THE HB CITY COUNCIL VIOLATED CALIFORNIA’S HOUSING LAW?
Check this timeline to learn more…
October 2021 – Deadline for HB to submit a compliant housing element plan.
March 2023 – State sues HB for failing to timely adopt a compliant housing element.
March 2023 – HB sues CA claiming “charter city status” exempts it from state housing law.
November 2023 – U.S. District Court rules against HB’s claim of exemption. (LOSS)
May 2024 – Superior Court rules that HB violated California’s Housing Law. (LOSS)
April 2025 – U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals denies HB’s petition for rehearing of its lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of certain California housing laws. (LOSS)
September 2025 – CA 4th District Court of Appeals confirms that HB cannot use its “charter city status” to delay or avoid adopting a compliant housing element. The Appellate Court also directs the Superior Court to enter a new order to remedy the violation by HB. (LOSS)
December 2025 – CA Supreme Court rejected a Huntington Beach petition and refused to review the September appellate court ruling. (LOSS)
Savable Handout Version
DID YOU KNOW THE CITY OF HB WAS SUED BY PROTECTHB TO STOP THE SYMPHONY OF LIGHTS SHOW FROM PROCEEDING IN HB’S CENTRAL PARK?
Check this timeline to learn more…
February 18, 2025: HB City Council Meeting: Despite significant public comments and concerns raised during this meeting, Councilmembers voted unanimously to ignore them and approve a 3-year lease agreement with Flowers of the Sky, LLC. The City Council voted without any previous public outreach (town hall) meetings. Further, the City Council short-circuited a new “full” CEQA (environmental) study by claiming only a minor ‘addendum’ to our Central Park’s Master EIR was needed.
September 2025: ProtectHB’s legal action succeeded in protecting our Central Park by halting the operators of the Symphony of Flowers from proceeding with their event in 2025/2026, and likely all future events.
March 7, 2025: The CA Dept of Fish and Wildlife delivers a letter to the City (requested by ProtectHB supporters) outlining substantial deficiencies in the Project’s El, citing ‘significant’ potential for harm to known endangered wildlife and a lack of adequate investigation and consultation efforts to identify and mitigate them.
March 27, 2025: ProtectHB filed a lawsuit to halt the “Symphony of Flowers” Project from proceeding in Huntington Beach Central Park. ProtectHB was compelled to both fund and file a lawsuit against our City for violating State of California CEQA requirements.
In ProtectHB’s spokesperson Cathey Ryder’s words, “The community deserves transparency, meaningful input, and a legal and proper environmental review. This project would close off public access to over six acres of cherished parkland for half the year, disrupting sensitive wildlife habitats–including that of bald eagles and monarch butterflies–and impacting it with 500,000 LED lights and amplified symphonic music. That’s not what our community wants, and it’s not what CEQA allows.”
September 2025: ProtectHB’s legal action succeeded in protecting our Central Park by halting the operators of the Symphony of Flowers from proceeding with their event in 2025/2026, and likely all future events.
Savable Handout Version
DID YOU KNOW THE HB VOTER ID MEASURE VIOLATES STATE LAW?
Check this timeline to learn more…
April 2024 – State sues HB alleging that the Voter ID/Measure A is preempted by state law and invalid.
November 2024 – OC Superior Judge Dourbetas concludes that the lawsuit is “not ripe for adjudication” and Measure A “is permissive and…presents no conflict with state election laws.” Judge dismisses the state’s case without a final order. (Win)
January 2025 – State files appeal to reverse Judge Dourbetas’ decision.
February 2025 – CA 4th District Court of Appeals orders Judge Dourbetas to issue an appealable ruling in the State’s Voter ID lawsuit against HB. State lawsuit against HB goes forward. (LOSS)
March 2025 – OC Judge Dourbetas follows the guidance from the Court of Appeal and reverses his previous dismissal of the state’s Voter ID lawsuit against HB. State lawsuit against HB goes forward. (LOSS)
April 2025 – State and HB resident (M. Bixby) submit petitions to OC Judge Dourbetas to invalidate the HB Voter ID charter amendment.
April 2025 – Judge Dourbetas denies the requests to invalidate the Voter ID charter amendment. (Win)
November 2025 – CA 4th District Court of Appeals rules that the HB measure requiring Voter Identification at the polls violates state loss. (LOSS)
Savable Handout Version
DID YOU KNOW THE HB CITY COUNCIL DELAYS ABIDING BY ELECTION RESULTS AND COURT RULINGS THAT ARE NOT IN THEIR POLITICAL FAVOR?
Check this timeline to learn more…
June 2025 – HB Republican Women group challenged the shelving/appropriateness of some books in response to the upcoming special election results.
July 1, 2025 – City Council adopted a resolution reciting the facts of the special election and declaring the results – Measures A & B passed.
August 19, 2025 – City Council adopted a resolution affirming that the prior resolution establishing the children’s library policy and book review board was no longer in effect.
September 5, 2025 – Erin Spivey, 2 local teens, & non-profit Allianz prevailed in a lawsuit against Huntington Beach. The court confirmed that the City must abide by state law and, in accordance with “The Freedom to Read Act,” return restricted books to the youth section of the library, and reestablish the teen section.
October 21, 2025 – City Council voted to appeal the Freedom to Read Act decision. Youth puberty books REMAINED IN A RESTRICTED AREA, where an adult was required to access.
April 28, 2026 – The City of Huntington Beach loses this lawsuit to the tune of $1 MILLION for restricting minors’ access to library books. Thanks to the judge’s decision, the remaining books are being reprocessed to be put back on their shelves.
Savable Handout Version
DID YOU KNOW HOW MUCH THE AIRSHOW ACTUALLY COSTS YOU?
Check these facts to learn more…
The City has already paid Pacific Airshow, the airshow promoter, $3M from the lawsuit settlement, with at least $2M more due over the next 4 years.
The City has given away parking revenues of up to $420K to Pacific Airshow. (Your annual beach pass won’t be valid on airshow days for the next 10 years, or more.)
The City paid approx. $250K for a CEQA study that would typically be paid by the promoter, Pacific Airshow. The City is also on the hook for any future CEQA or Coastal Commission studies required by proposed changes or expansions to the show, as well as CEQA studies every 10 year. (Estimated cost:$500k per study!)
The City agreed to absorb all costs for police, fire, marine safety, public works, refuse collection, and utilities for a minimum of 10 years in support of the airshow.
That’s at least $3.7 Million, to date, of your tax dollars being given to Pacific Airshow, a Code 4 company. Plus, the parking revenues and the cost of all services in the last bullet item.
Savable Handout Version
DID YOU KNOW THE CITY OF HB HAD TO BE SUED TO RELEASE THE AIRSHOW SETTLEMENT DETAILS?
Check this timeline to learn more…
May 2023 – Public Records request submitted to HB to obtain the full settlement between HB and the Pacific Airshow operator
June 2023 – HB denies the records request is sued to release the details of the secret settlement (Lawsuit #1, Clayton-Tarvin v HB)
May 2024 – OC Judge Jonathan Fish rules that the City of HB must release the full settlement with Pacific Airshow LLC (LOSS)
October 2024 – California State Auditor sues HB for refusing to comply with a state audit into the airshow settlement (Lawsuit #2, CA Auditor v HB)
January 2025 – OC Judge Fish orders HB to pay $180,000 in attorney’s fees after failing to release the details of the airshow settlement (LOSS)
January 2025 – Mark Bixby & Connie Boardman filed a lawsuit in OC Court seeking to cancel the settlement and refund money already paid out to the air show operator (Lawsuit #3)
November 2025 – OC Superior Court Judge Carmen Luge indicated that she would overrule the City’s demurer, a legal motion filed to dismiss the case (LOSS)
Savable Handout Version
DID YOU KNOW THERE ARE A VARIETY OF WAYS YOU CAN GET INVOLVED TO HELP US AT PROTECTHB?
Learn about volunteering with us at ProtectHB.
Volunteer for DYK Tabling! Speak to HB Citizens about current events, hand out flyers, and represent us around town.
Get Out The Vote and Voter Outreach! Come canvassing with us for current and upcoming elections!
Stay Informed! Follow us on Facebook, Bluesky and Instagram to know when to come to City Hall and other civic (and social) meet-ups!
DID YOU KNOW THERE ARE WAYS TO STAY IN THE LOOP WITH PROTECTHB?
ProtectHB uses SignUpGenius to gather leaders, movers, and shakers, and WE’D LOVE TO HAVE YOU ON OUR TEAM!
Sign up for our email list to get the ProtectHB Newsletter, sent out every Sunday at 3 pm, chock-full of events, opportunities to get involved, volunteerism, local HB news, lawsuit updates, and chit-chat for all things HB!