So much for the California exodus?
Figures from the California’s Department of Finance, released at the end of April, note that for the first time since 2020, the state experienced positive population growth in 2023.
California’s population grew by just over 67,000, or roughly 0.17%, to 39.1 million last year, its data shows.
The state said the growth was a result of fewer deaths compared to the early years of the pandemic, and “a rebound in legal foreign immigration.”
OC outperformed the state last year, seeing 0.3% year-over-year growth for 2023; the county’s population now stands a little over 3.15 million. It remains the third-most populated county in the state, following LA and San Diego.
By percentage growth, Stanton saw the largest increase among OC cities in 2023. Its population now tops 40,000, after seeing a 3.6% boost in residents last year, state data shows.
With nearly 2,000 new residents, Garden Grove ranked No. 5 among cities in the state with the largest numerical boost, among cities with less than 300,000 residents.
Irvine, which passed Santa Ana to become OC’s second-biggest city a few years ago, again saw the largest total growth last year among OC cities, adding more than 3,000 residents.
Its population now stands at over 314,000.
The state estimates Irvine to have more than 126,000 homes and apartment units, up 1% year-over-year. OC is estimated to have nearly 1.16 million homes and apartment units, a 0.7% boost from 2022.
Irvine is not planning for a slowdown in population growth any time soon.
The city’s Planning Commission is taking under consideration the approval of nearly 58,000 new residential units to Irvine’s General Plan by 2045.
Such a figure would ensure the city complies with state directives to boost the supply of housing in the state, it says.
The IBC area in the vicinity of John Wayne Airport could see 15,000 new units approved under the proposed plan, while the Greater Spectrum area could accommodate over 26,000 new units, and land around the Great Park could hold more than 5,200 units.
The new additions would “promote higher density residential and residential mixed-use” delvelopment in those three areas, according to city documents.
State regulations require Irvine to update its plan to accommodate the additional housing by February 2025, city filings note.
Evolus CFO Sandra Beaver, honored by the Business Journal this month at the CFO of the Year Awards, in the public company sector (Nasdaq: EOLS), is an ultra-marathoner, having run a couple 100-mile races.
She’s also known as a prolific fundraiser for nonprofits, having helped a variety of organizations after she said she was overwhelmed by kindness shown to her family when her daughter Kiley was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 2.
Since she and her family moved to Orange County, she’s looking to give back by helping local nonprofits. Thus far, she’s involved with two organizations that help people with their health and other needs: Orangewood Foundation and U-Vol Foundation.
See the front page for more on her story, as well as profiles of other CFO of the Year Awards throughout this edition.
