Six Questions with Director Tammy Kim
The OCCOG Governing Board includes 18 Orange County elected officials and nine ex-officio non-voting members who work together to represent Orange County’s interests in regional planning policy. Let’s meet Director Tammy Kim:
Q1: What area of Orange County do you represent for OCCOG?
A1: I represent SCAG District 14, which includes the City of Irvine.
Q2: What is your favorite thing about living in Orange County?
A2: Too many to list, but the fact that you can take a 20-minute drive and enjoy miles of pristine beaches is something I am very grateful for. I love the diversity. Also, the food options here are excellent.
Q3: What issue got you interested in becoming a city council member?
A3: My decision to run was rooted in my concern for our community. I wanted to leverage my experience as a business owner, a non-profit leader, a community advocate, and mother, to serve our residents. I believe our city council should reflect and uphold a bold vision - a city that is well planned, innovative, sustainable, and supports a high quality of life for EVERYONE. I served as Finance Commissioner for the City of Irvine, Chair of the Language Access Committee for the Orange County Registrar of Voters, a member of the City of Irvine Complete Count Committee for the 2020 Census, and on the Steering Committee for the Irvine Global Village Festival. Because of my passion to serve my community in a higher capacity, I decided to run for city council. I was honored to win my seat and become the first Korean American woman to serve on the council with more than 43,700 votes, the highest vote count for any City Council candidate in the city’s history. I currently represent the City of Irvine on the boards of the Orange County Public Libraries and the Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control. I also serve on the Board of Irvine’s Green Ribbon Committee and Irvine Child Care Project, as well as the liaison committee for Irvine Unified School District.
Q4: What is Irvine doing about the affordable housing issue?
A4: Irvine has been a leader in Orange County on affordable housing, including our 2003 Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance requiring 15% percent of all housing units developed in the City to be made affordable to very-low-, low-, and moderate-income households. Irvine adopted our Affordable Housing Strategy and Implementation Plan in 2008. We have worked to establish the Irvine Community Land Trust (ICLT), a nonprofit organization committed to producing housing available to very-low-, low-, and moderate-income households (which remain affordable in perpetuity). We regularly collaborate and partner with the Irvine Company and FivePoint Communities to provide a full spectrum of housing opportunities, including numerous affordable housing projects. These actions have resulted in the development of over 4,500 affordable housing units in the City, with over 1,000 additional units in the planning or construction phases, the highest number of affordable housing units of any city in Orange County. It is important to note that 80% percent of these units are reserved for households earning less than 50% percent of the Orange County area median income (AMI).
Q5: What is Irvine’s best kept secret?
A5: About one-third of Irvine – including Quail Hill, Bommer Canyon, and Orchard Hills – is permanently preserved for parks, trails, and open space. There are so many opportunities in Irvine for outdoor activities!
Q6: The Winter Olympics are now underway in Beijing, China. What will you be watching?
A6: I look forward to supporting Southern California native and snowboarding rockstar Chloe Kim as she takes on the halfpipe!