“We were looking to expand and had a ton of requests online to come out to Rancho Santa Margarita, with people saying, ‘We need good pizza out here,’” said Julie Karges, marketing director of Sgt. Pepperoni. “It’s been a match made in heaven, honestly, from this warm and welcoming group of individuals and families in an isolated community who really care for each other.”

Located inside the site of a former Pizza Press, the fourth installment of the pizzeria will feature the same menu fans of the pizza parlor know and love, with more than a dozen pies from which to choose, like the Bronx Bomber (pepperoni, sausage, mushroom and jalapeño) or Grandma’s Pie (a square-shape pizza with mozzarella, marinara and basil); sandwiches, salads, kids pasta and desserts.

ALSO READ: Peace Pizza returns to the Ecology Center on Wednesdays

Sgt. Pepperoni is also known for its pizza of the month, which, come August, will be Thai Chicken.

On the heels of the pizzeria’s newest space — and as joining its existing venues in Aliso Viejo, Irvine and Newport Beach — Sgt. Pepperoni plans on opening its fifth location later this year at John Wayne Airport.

In September, Sgt. Pepperoni’s will host its regular fundraiser for CHOC Children’s Hospital, with all proceeds from the pizza of the month and desserts directly benefitting the children’s hospital.

Established in Newport Beach in 1976, the pizza spot was purchased in 2013 by childhood pals Jeff Roberts, Andy Hong, Rob Dobman and Stan Frazier, a former Sugar Ray band member and drummer.

“All of us grew up around here and came here when we were kids, and now we’re bringing the legend back to its original glory,” Roberts told the Orange County Register in 2013.

The Westlake Ace hardware company signed a lease with property owner Westwood Financial, which bought the retail center in 2007, and more recently updated it. It expects Ace, in a 23,714-square-foot space, to be open by fall.

The 68,085-square-feet Mercado Del Rancho is anchored by Ralphs and also includes Starbucks, Little Caesars, Taco Bell, Verizon, Club Pilates, Pure Barre, the Blind Pig, as well as Belo Hair Salon, Carmelita’s Kitchen, Yamame, Il Sole, Ding Tea, and KD’s Donuts.

Address: 31441 Santa Margarita Parkway.

In other south Orange County news last week, Jonathan Lansner shared news that Costco has applied to build a warehouse store in the Foothill Ranch community of Lake Forest. The new build would replace the shuttered movie theater at Foothill Ranch Towne Center. As it stands, the Costco would not have a gas station but would include a tire center.

Rescue mission needs canned, packaged food

Do you have spare cans of tuna, chicken, fruit and vegetables to give to needy residents?

The Orange County Rescue Mission is “urgently” seeking donations of canned and packaged food for homeless people and families. The call for donations, the nonprofit says, comes after Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed banning homeless encampments and expanding shelter access across California.

“With more people expected to turn to shelters and transitional living communities like OCRM in the coming months, we must be ready,” said Bryan Crain, the nonprofit’s president. “Canned and packaged foods are a lifeline for our residents. Every donation helps us provide nourishment, stability, and dignity to those working to rebuild their lives.”

With low inventory and expectations of rising shelter intakes, OCRM is looking to boost its pantry at the Village of Hope campus and other facilities.

Their list of requests includes canned tuna and meat, fruit, vegetables, spaghetti and sauces, beans, soup, peanut butter, rice, cereal, snack bars, pasta and instant noodles.

Donations can be dropped off at Village of Hope at 1 Hope Drive in Tustin. They can also be shipped their directly (using that same address) from online merchants. The donation warehouse is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

More information can be found at rescuemission.org/items. Email questions to info@rescuemission.org.

Porsche show is June 21 in Dana Point

The 53rd White Glove Concours and Porsche show takes place Saturday, June 21 at Sea Terrace Park in Dana Point.

The car show, presented by the Porsche Club of America, Orange Coast Region, is free and starts at 10 a.m.

Pre-registration is sold out — a first for the club — but Porsche owners can pay to enter the event June 21.

Organizers expect more than 250 Porsches of all types to participate. Some 50 cars will be judged in various divisions.

Sea Terrace Park is at Pacific Coast Highway and Niguel Road in Dana Point.

Bulky item, shred event in Orange

There’s still time to do some spring purging, and the city of Orange is ready to help.

Residents can dump their bulky items, get sensitive documents shredded and finally toss that ancient computer from 2002 at a CR&R event from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., Saturday June 14 at the City Public Works Yard on West Struck Avenue.

You must show proof of city residency at the dump event. Acceptable “waste” includes two banker boxes per car (18 inches long by 14 inches wide and 11 inches high). E-waste includes computers (laptops and towers), computer monitors, laptops, tablets, televisions (larger CRT and flatscreen) video game consoles and printers/scanners and copiers. Stereos and radios also will be accepted.

Bulky items include furniture, mattresses, chairs, washers and dryers and excess green waste.

Fine print: No commercial or self-haulers allowed. Proof of residency includes a photo ID with Orange address and/or a utility bill.

Address: 637 W. Struck Ave.

Golden Spoon coming to FV

On the move

Jeegisha Panchal is the newly appointed chief financial officer at Orange County United Way. The Cal State Fullerton grad and certified public accountant previously was director of Global Client Services at Grant Thornton LLP.

Attorneys Lauren N. Horgan and Daniel Hitzfield recently joined Cummins & White LLP, a Newport Beach-based law firm specializing in litigation, insurance, labor and employment, estate & tax, corporate transactions, IP and real estate. Horgan joins the firm as an associate attorney focusing on intellectual property law. Hitzfield will focus on real estate, finance and corporate transactions.

Christian Peo, vice chair of Audit at KPMG in Orange County, was appointed to the firm’s Management Committee.

Good works

Orange County United Way raised $570,000 at its 22nd annual Women’s Philanthropy Fund Breakfast held May 20 at the Hyatt Regency Irvine. The money raised will go toward OC United Way’s SparkPoint OC center at Paul Revere Elementary in Anaheim; help human trafficking survivors with financial literacy, among other services designed for struggling women and their families.

Milestones

Five Costa Mesa High School students recently were named the winners an annual student video contest hosted by Mesa Water District.

Their submissions focused on the district and “why is it safe to drink Mesa Water straight from the tap” and “what does it mean to you that Mesa Water is 100% local.”

The filmmakers won cash prizes, and their work was presented at a recent board meeting. The winners are: India Howerton and Graydon Sage, first place and $1,000 prize; Alejandro Sanchez, second place and $750; Logan Bell and Diego Perez, third place and $500.

Mesa Water also gave a $500 Amazon gift card for classroom supplies to the instructor of the third-place winners – Sarah Portwood, drama teacher at Costa Mesa High School.

Status Update is compiled and written by Business Editor Samantha Gowen. Submit items and high-resolution photos to sgowen@scng.com. Allow at least one week for publication. Items are edited for length and clarity.

“In the the world of brewing these days, it would be a great deal for a new owner,” said Tony Westfall at Exit Strategies Group, who is charge of the listing. “To step into something like this, ready to go for that price is a deal.” After pouring millions of dollars into the space, which opened in the winter of 2017, “they are hoping to sell it for $750,000.”

The Rancho Santa Margarita location will remain open until a buyer is found.

ALSO READ: Mama Hieu’s new Vietnamese hot chicken sandwich

Laguna Beer Company acquired the the former Cismontane Brewing Company brewery and tasting room in 2016 after the latter beer maker moved its operations to Santa Ana, according to OC Beer Blog. Laguna Beer rebranded the location, found at 29851 Aventura, to “Laguna Beach Beer Company @RSM”

Westfall also said, in a written statement, that Laguna Beer Company is open to contracting a portion of its beer production with the new owner, “offering additional revenue and support during the transition.”

Laguna Beer Company closed its Huntington Beach taproom in 2022 at Bella Terra mall after two years in business.

Founded in 2014 by Laguna Beach residents and friends Brent Reynard and Mike Lombardo, Laguna Beer Company started out as a home garage operation. Its Laguna Canyon Road location remains in operation.

Chapple took the helm as police chief on March 7, following the retirement of Capt. Mihaela Kennedy.

“I am deeply blessed and honored to have the opportunity to serve as chief of Police Services for Rancho Santa Margarita,” Chapple said in a statement. “I am grateful for the trust and support I received from city officials and OC Sheriff leadership as I embark on this new path.”

The SUNY Potsdam alumnus also serves as an associate instructor at Santa Ana College’s Criminal Justice Academy.

He joined the Orange County Sheriff’s Department in 2009, assigned to the Central Men’s Jail before becoming a member of the Jail Compliance and Training Team, where he helped develop policies and trainings for staff, the city said in a news release. He became an investigator in 2018, working in auto theft and general investigations.

More recently, as a lieutenant, Chapple managed operations and personnel at the James A. Musick Facility, which houses minimum- and medium-security incarcerated people in south Orange County, the city said.

“I stand committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity, service and community engagement that the city deserves,” said Chapple.

Rancho Santa Margarita contracts with the county Sheriff’s Department for its police services, the captain assigned serving as the city’s police chief. Services include accident analysis and investigation, general and special investigations, parking enforcement, patrol and traffic enforcement.

Kim, R-Anaheim Hills, said she is an “independent voice” for her district, someone who can appreciate the federal government’s willingness to crack down on abuse, fraud or waste in various agencies but who also wants to ensure key programs, including those in the foreign aid and national security spaces, can still operate.

“I look forward to working with the (Trump) administration to make government more efficient and reduce wasteful spending, but I will not be afraid to push back if I disagree, just as I did with the previous (Biden) administration,” Kim said, pointing to her steadfast opinion that future federal disaster relief aid to California after the recent catastrophic wildfires should not come with any conditions or strings. “My focus is my district, always.”

This year, as legislative work in Washington, D.C., gets underway, we’re reintroducing our readers to the six House members who represent at least a portion of Orange County, veterans and newcomers alike. We asked each lawmaker five questions, tailored to their policy expertise, committee assignments or votes.

Kim, 62, represents California’s 40th Congressional District, which includes Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. She is a former state legislator who was one of the first Korean American women elected to Congress. Prior to politics, Kim worked in the finance industry and started her own women’s clothing business.

Read on to find out more about what Kim thinks of how Congress can provide a check to the executive branch and what a tax plan will need to include before it can get her vote.

Q: At the start of the new year, you were part of a group of Republicans who met with then-President-elect Trump to advocate for a federal deduction on state and local taxes, also known as SALT. With spending negotiations now also including discussions about conditions for disaster relief aid and the Trump administration’s efforts to overhaul whole agencies and to halt outright federal funding, how likely do you think a deal on SALT will be reached? 

A: Republicans would not have the House majority without me and my SALT Caucus colleagues from California, New York and New Jersey. A tax bill cannot pass out of the House without a fix to the $10,000 cap in SALT deductions. Californians pay enough already in state and local taxes in addition to skyrocketing living costs — they shouldn’t be punished even more at the federal level.

A tax bill must provide relief to middle-class families in California I represent in order to get my vote. President Trump has said this is a priority, and I will hold him to that. I will keep fighting to provide tax relief to our community.

Q: You are now the only Republican House member representing any Orange County communities. Does that change how you approach your work this year? 

A: I remain focused on delivering for my community and finding common sense solutions to the pressing crises facing Californians and all Americans. I am proud of my record of effectiveness and bipartisanship and will continue to work across the aisle to get things done.

Q: President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk and billed as an effort to reduce wasteful government spending, has upended agencies and raised several legal questions. How can Congress keep Musk and his team’s work in check, particularly if any of his work ultimately breaks the law? 

A: The role of Congress is to conduct oversight of the executive branch, and I will do exactly that. I have proven that I am an independent voice for our communities.

I look forward to working with the administration to make government more efficient and reduce wasteful spending, but I will not be afraid to push back if I disagree, just as I did with the previous administration, and like I have been in the fight for wildfire aid for Southern California. My focus is my district, always.

Q: As a member of the House’s China panel, which investigates and gives policy recommendations to Congress on China’s economic, tech and security developments, what is your stance on tariffs as a tool for countering China, especially given concerns that it could lead to rising costs for local businesses? How do you weigh the economic impact of these tariff policies against the need for a tough approach on China? 

A: I want to strengthen America’s economy, expand our domestic supply chains and create jobs, but we can accomplish these goals while also promoting free trade with like-minded partners and allies.

We also need to hold our adversaries accountable. Tariffs often end up being a tax on the American consumer that will force families to stretch budgets even more and hurt the bottom line for small businesses as prices go up due to tariffs on imported goods. Tariffs imposed on our partners and allies often lead to retaliation, harming industries that sell their products abroad and strain important relationships.

Q: In a series of social media posts about USAID — the U.S. agency that delivers humanitarian assistance overseas — you said, “Reforms must be done with precision and care so that America’s standing and ability to project soft power are maintained abroad.” Are you concerned about how fast the Trump administration has moved to dismantle and overhaul the agency? And in your belief, does President Trump have the constitutional authority to just outright eliminate USAID?

A: The Trump administration has rightfully sounded the alarm about misuse of taxpayer dollars at USAID, and unfortunately, the wasteful spending at USAID on some programs takes away from some of the targeted, valuable and effective programs at USAID — such as PEPFAR, the global HIV/AIDS program — to strengthen our national security, promote soft power and project U.S. leadership on the world stage. I am glad that there are waivers being issued for life-saving humanitarian assistance programs. Now, we need to make sure that programs with approved waivers are able to proceed and deliver critical assistance.

When the U.S. is not there for our friends around the world, the Chinese Communist Party quickly sweeps in to fill the void. In fact, we are already hearing that Beijing has shown up and offered to fill the USAID void for some countries, including in Nepal and Cambodia, in the region that I oversee on the East Asia & Pacific Subcommittee. While the administration has the authority to reorganize federal agencies to boost efficiency, Congress must have a say, and I look forward to working with the administration to streamline our foreign assistance, so every taxpayer dollar is stretched as far as possible to further America’s interests.

Q: Bonus question: Anything else you’d like your constituents to know about your plans for the year?

A: I came to Congress to bring common sense, break through the partisan gridlock, and deliver results for my community. I’ll continue to be an independent fighter as I work on policies to make life more affordable, protect public safety, strengthen our national security and keep the American dream alive for future generations.

City Council members, in a meeting last month, expressed concerns about transportation for children and low attendance.

But Mayor Anthony Beall also alleged that the Boys & Girls Clubs was trying to “indoctrinate families” and push DEI (initiatives intended to address possible discriminatory actions) onto children with a since-removed reading list the organization had promoted on its website.  

According to a city staff report, the city pays $120,000 annually for the club. Since 2012, Rancho Santa Margarita has contributed over $1.2 million total, another staff report said.

Beall and council members compared the club to the other sites in Capistrano Valley — Aliso Viejo and San Juan Capistrano — and said the city is paying too much money for the number of children attending Rancho Santa Margarita’s group.

Nicole Watson, CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Capistrano Valley, said about 264 children attend the club in Rancho Santa Margarita each year. She also said comparing this location to other sites in Capistrano Valley is not fair because the club fits the needs of each individual city.

The organization offers after-school programs to support children from first grade through twelfth grade in academics, college prep and leadership skill building, among other skills.

“If the decision is made to not extend the contract, families in Rancho Santa Margarita will need to identify an alternate provider for these programs that is geographically and economically feasible for them,” Watson said in a statement.

About a year ago, Beall criticized the club for publishing a reading list on its website with books including “White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism” and “White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide.” He brought up the reading list during a Jan. 8 City Council meeting, saying he is concerned “that children are being indoctrinated with political philosophy.”

Both books delve into the history of the U.S.

Robin DiAngelo, the author of “White Fragility,” explores the idea that when White people react to their perception of race being challenged, their reactions contribute to how racial inequality is maintained. “White Rage” shares author Carol Anderson’s reframed viewpoint of race and the “forces opposed to Black progress in America.”

“This was a bold, express, written and overt effort to indoctrinate the families in Rancho Santa Margarita with this political point of view,” Beall said. “You may disagree, but I believe that’s wrong and I believe many people in this community believe that’s wrong and it has no place in an operation funded with taxpayer money.”

Beall did not respond to requests for comment.

The books were removed from the Boys and Girls Clubs Capistrano Valley’s website when concerns were first brought up almost a year ago. Watson said the organization was not pushing political ideologies onto the children, and the reading lists were never meant for the club members but rather for parents who were interested.

“Like all Boys & Girls Clubs, Boys & Girls Clubs of Capistrano Valley is a nonpartisan organization rooted in service to youth,” Watson said. “The intent of the book suggestions at the time was to offer adults optional resources for thoughtful reflection, understanding, and exploration of varied perspectives.”

The Boys & Girls Club has been at odds with Rancho Santa Margarita — and its future in the city — for some time now.

In November 2023, the City Council proposed booting the Boys & Girls Clubs out of the bell tower – where it has sat since it opened in 2012 — and replace it with a historical museum.

The museum would have displayed artifacts, maps and city-related documents. The plan was to unveil the museum in celebration of the city’s 25th anniversary at the start of 2025. But the museum plan was voted down in a 4-1 vote, with Beall being the only one who voted no and said that the museum would “better serve the community.”

Watson said the Boys & Girls Clubs and Rancho Santa Margarita city staff have met and are discussing the contract. She said both sides are committed to continuing their conversations.

The contract between the Boys & Girls Clubs is set to expire in July. Just when the council will make its decision on whether to renew it has yet to be determined.

The 5,101 square foot building at 12 Mauchly, Suite A, was sold in mid-December by an unnamed family trust, according to CBRE.

“This was a successful reverse 1031 exchange on a prime industrial building in the heart of the Irvine Spectrum,” said Jeff Carr, a senior vice president at CBRE who said the seller was a repeat client.

The building near the corner of Barranca Parkway and Mauchly includes 3,501 square feet of warehouse space and 1,600 square feet of offices.

CBRE said Apnea Science will occupy the building, which was vacant at the time of sale. The company develops makes and distributes sleep-related products.

Lake Forest building sells for $9 million

Another industrial building, this one at 25742 Atlantic Ocean in Lake Forest, sold Dec. 26 for $9 million, according to CBRE and public documents provided by Property Shark.

The buyer was identified only by its registered limited liability name, 25742 Atlantic Ocean LLC.

“Multiple offers were received on this unique 30-foot clear, freestanding corner industrial building,” said Carr at CBRE.

The 22,612-square-foot building was completed in 2000 and includes 2,500 square feet of office space.

Irvine office building sells for $2.6 million

An office building at 9890 Irvine Center Drive in Irvine recently sold for $2.6 million.

Navigators Advisory Group bought the 4,950 square foot building. CBRE represented the seller, ICD Equities, in the deal.

Carr said the CBRE team got multiple offers and closed escrow just shy of 45 days.

The two-story building includes open and private offices. It was recently renovated, pivoting to a “lofty” creative design with open ceilings, CBRE said.

Cypress West makes first purchase in Tennessee

Cypress West Partners, a healthcare real estate owner and operator in Rancho Santa Margarita, recently acquired a 47,000-square-foot medical office building in Franklin, Tenn.

Terms of the sale were not disclosed.

This firm bought the property in a joint venture with TPG Angelo Gordon, an investing platform. It was the eighth such deal for the partnership and its first acquisition in Tennessee, according to CWP.

The Cool Springs Professional Center was completed in 1996 and includes a host of tenants including Vanderbilt University Rheumatology and Results Physiotherapy, and medical specialties including dermatology, men’s health, oculoplastic surgery, neurology, and plastic surgery.

The joint venture said it’s looking to invest $300 million in medical office properties in the Sunbelt and West Coast markets.

Co-working space opens in Foothill Ranch

SimplerSpace recently opened its fourth co-working office space in the region, this one in Foothill Ranch in Lake Forest.

The space within Foothill Plaza spans 17,000 square feet with 32 office suites, 16 dedicated desks, a training room and conference rooms.

Address: 27422 Portola Parkway, Suite 200.

Other Simpler Space locations are in Chino, Carlsbad and Placentia.

BKM spends $63M on Seattle, Houston properties

BKM Partners in Newport Beach recently made two purchases, once in Seattle for $29 million and another in Houston for $34.1 million.

SeaTac Industrial Park in SeaTac, Washington, for $29 million. The 129,677-square-foot property includes three concrete tilt-up buildings with 18 units with office spaces making up 16% of the footprint.

BKM noted the property “sits within one of the tightest and most sought-after industrial markets in the Seattle metro area.”

The firm said it would spend nearly $2 million in improvements on the property to update deferred maintenance.

In Houston, BKM bought the West Belt Business Park, a 260,887-square-foot industrial park. The deal marked the firm’s first acquisition in Texas.

The property includes five buildings with 30 tenant spaces.

Industry movers and shakers

Anna Britt at CBRE was recently promoted to vice president. Britt is part of the brokerage’s debt and structured finance team. She has been at CBRE for seven years and before that worked for the San Diego Padres and Harrison Street Real Estate Capital in Chicago.

NAIOP SoCal recently named its 2025 executive committee and board of directors. The executive committee includes President Mark Mattis, Avison Young; President-Elect Stephane Wandel, The Orden Co; Vice President Brooke Birtcher Gustafson, Birtcher Development LLC; Treasurer Brian Baker, JP Morgan; Secretary Greg Brown, JLL; Programs and Education Liaison Fran Inman, Majestic Realty Co.; and Past President Eric Paulsen, Kidder Mathews. The board of directors appointees included nearly 30 industry names from the region’s top brokerages and real estate firms.

The real estate roundup is compiled from news releases and written by Business Editor Samantha Gowen. Submit items and high-resolution photos via email to  sgowen@scng.com . Please allow at least a week for publication. All items are subject to editing for clarity and length.

According to a city staff report, the cost of street sweeping services rose over the last few years, leading the city to reduce its street cleanings from twice a month to once a month in April 2024.

But after residents voiced concerns about leaves and trash in the streets, the City Council voted unanimously on Wednesday, Jan. 8 to raise the cleanings back to twice per month.

The increase in street sweeping will begin in February. A set schedule of what streets will be impacted on which days was not immediately available.

During the winter months, weather like the recent Santa Ana winds can bring debris onto the streets, said Councilmember Anne Figueroa.

And Councilmember Bradley McGirr pointed to the Trabuco Canyon Airport Fire that burned over 23,000 acres and the ongoing fires in Los Angeles County.

“How many people have ash all over their house and gutters,” said Councilmember Bradley McGirr. “As I mentioned before, we have a lot of debris, leaves, trash and ash that are filling our gutters and roadways as well.”

Councilmember Keri Lynn Baert said she supports the seasonal change in street sweeping in Rancho Santa Margarita neighborhoods, but more outreach to residents is needed to alert them of the changes so they know when to avoid street parking.

“I had several conversations with residents about street sweeping. Most people weren’t really sure of their designated day or the frequency of the sweeping,” Baert said. “Given that on-street parking is common, I think improved communication can urge more residents to move their vehicles on the street sweeping days.”

The increase in street cleanings will be seasonal, running from October through April. For the current fiscal year, the increased cleanings will cost the city an additional $14,176 for February through April, according to the staff report.

In total, with the seasonal increase, the street sweeping service will cost the city $33,079 annually.

Staff estimated that increasing street sweeping to twice a month year-round would cost the city about $56,707 annually.

Absent child support from her children’s father, the working single mother couldn’t keep up with a barrage of exorbitant medical bills to pay for chronic surgeries, trips to the hospital and other healthcare needs for her 6-year-old.

Booth needed to catch a break, she said. Then, she got one.

“Sometimes you can do it on your own, but sometimes you need a helping hand,” she said.

For Booth, that helping hand was that of Habitat for Humanity, led by the advocacy of the late former President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn.

Since 1988, Habitat for Humanity of Orange County has built 239 affordable homes in 17 Orange County cities. Its first, and one of its largest projects to date, was Carino Vista, a community of 48 condos in Rancho Santa Margarita.

The Carters, tireless Habitat for Humanity fundraisers and volunteers, not only attended the Carino Vista groundbreaking ceremony in 1990, but they also spent the day laboring at the site and talking with the families moving into those homes, including the Booths.

“Carino Vista certainly put Habitat for Humanity of Orange County on the affordable housing map,” said Chris Georgieff, chief communications officer for the Orange County nonprofit. “Not only the scale of the project but having the support of such an influential person who gave so much in support of safe and affordable housing.”

Booth said she remembers the Carters’ kindness to her when they met.

“Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter had a way of seeing the whole picture of people,” Booth said. “They knew people were willing to work and wanted a better life but sometimes just needed a hand.”

Carino Vista opened a year after that groundbreaking ceremony.

Booth, 61, has lived in her home there ever since. It’s where her children grew up and were schooled in Rancho Santa Margarita before heading to college.

“My children are solid,” she said. “They got good degrees. They’re successful in life.”

“Without my Habitat home, I really don’t know what would have happened,” she added. “There was just too much against me.”

Habitat for Humanity homebuyers invest what the organization calls “sweat equity” to help purchase their homes from the nonprofit. They have to help construct, renovate or repair their homes to qualify for a low-interest mortgage to pay for it.

Carter championed that hands-on affordable housing model because of the camaraderie and equality it fostered between the homeowner and the nonprofit.

“Habitat has successfully removed the stigma of charity by substituting it with a sense of partnership,” Carter said. His quote remains prominently displayed on Habitat for Humanity’s website.

After his presidency, he and Rosalynn volunteered with Habitat for Humanity across the U.S. and around the world for more than 30 years, working alongside more than 108,000 volunteers to build or repair more than 4,400 homes in 14 countries.

Of those, Carino Vista was a notable project for helping to get Habitat for Humanity of Orange County off the ground with a large affordable housing project on what was then unincorporated land in south Orange County, an affluent area that, to this day, has unmet affordable housing needs. Rancho Santa Margarita, which was incorporated in the year 2000 and has about 46,000 residents, must plan for an additional 329 low-income and very-low-income housing units by the end of the decade, according to a state housing mandate.

“When President Carter and Rosalynn Carter came and invested their labor to assist on this project, it was a landmark moment for Habitat for Humanity Orange County and also for those families who were able to benefit from the project and enjoy the realization of homeownership in such a unique and spirited way,” said Gaddi Vasquez, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations agencies based in Rome, Italy. In 1990, he served as an Orange County supervisor.

“For me, as an elected official with the responsibility for land use decisions in that area at that time, seeing this come to fruition was a distinct honor, and it resulted in a great benefit to the community at large,” Vasquez said.

Barbara Thomas and Kate Keena had a brother, Jim Thomas, who moved into a Carino Vista apartment with his wife in 1991.

Although the family was raised on the other side of the political aisle as Carter, they admired his humanitarian work, Keena said.

“It was very inspiring to see that side of him and what he brought to the country as far as his attitude, that it doesn’t matter who you are, you roll up your sleeves and get work done,” Keena said.

Since their brother was a quadriplegic, the sisters and their family contributed to the 600 construction hours he needed to qualify for the home.

“That’s a real commitment, 600 hours,” Thomas said. “That was everything from hammering nails to painting walls to working with drywall, you name it,” she said. “All that work made us feel like the home became part of us, part of our family.”

The low-interest loan for the home enabled her brother and his wife to afford to start a family together, Thomas said.

“They saved up, moved on and had a son,” Thomas said. “It was very inspiring.”

Nearly 35 years after the Carters broke ground on Carino Vista, many of the original homeowners have moved on or, like Jim Thomas, have passed on.

But several, including Booth and neighbor Santos Najar, remain.

“For a full year, I worked six days a week at my job and then spent the seventh day here building my home,” Najar, a hotel worker, said.

“So, for a full year while we built Carino Vista, I never got a day off,” he said. “But, it was worth it.”

Najar, a first-generation immigrant from Mexico, sent four children to college, each of whom was raised in his Carino Vista home in Rancho Santa Margarita.

“To not have to worry about my mortgage payment because the rate here was low, that gave me the chance to put my kids through college,” he said. “And they made it.”

Over the years, Booth has seen neighbors move away and new ones move in. Recently, seeing her new neighbors next door come home with a baby born over the holidays has given her pleasure.

“That’s another young child that’ll grow up in a solid home near really good schools,” she said.

“A Habitat home is bigger than just putting a roof over your head,” she added. “It’s a future for your children. It’s stability.”

The city is adding a raised decorative landscape median on Antonio Parkway and a gateway sign that will replace the one that sits in the middle of the three-lane road near the south end of the city. The city will also add plants, including kangaroo paws, blue chalk sticks, octopus agave and California pepper trees.

The new gateway sign will sit along the side of the road on Antonio Parkway with up lighting. The sign will be a stone veneered wall with the city’s name to welcome motorists into Rancho Santa Margarita.

The City Council voted 4-1 on Wednesday, Dec. 11, to approve a construction contract between the city and C.S. Legacy to begin work on the project starting in January. While most of the council expressed eagerness to begin this project — five years after it was first initiated in 2019 — a few residents and one council member are concerned about the price tag.

The contract between the city and C.S. Legacy was awarded for $2,767,430.30. In total, Rancho Santa Margarita has budgeted $3.185 million for the project, including $800,000 for just the monument sign.

The goal, according to a staff report, is to improve city aesthetics. The raised median will stretch about 0.6 miles.

“It is a large dollar amount construction project. It is certainly not a large construction project in terms of the grand scheme of things,” said City Manager Jennifer Cervantez. “Other cities have much larger construction projects that they approve on a regular basis, but for the city of Rancho, this is a larger construction project we have seen in a while.”

But some residents think the project’s price tag is still too high. One resident who spoke during the meeting’s public comment suggested that with a speed limit of 45 mph down Antonio Parkway, people won’t be able to enjoy a new gateway monument fully.

City engineer Joe Parco said the high prices are a result of the number of people needed to complete the project, inflation and an increase in working days.

The amount of time to complete the project has increased from 120 to 150 working days. Parco said this will increase time-dependent costs like bonds, insurance, construction inspections and more.

When the project was first presented up to now, the cost of materials has fluctuated, Parco said.

Cervantez said grants and special revenue funds will be primarily used to cover the costs along with additional funds that can only be used to cover roadway projects. A staff report for the City Council meeting earlier this month said the city is requesting $570,000 in general reserve funds for the project; the city has included the requested reserve funds in the $3.185 million budget for the project.

Right before the COVID-19 pandemic, Rancho Santa Margarita initiated the project and began creating designs. But after lockdown began and everyone was left with uncertainties of what the future may look like, the city deferred the project, Cervantez said.

The design review process began again in 2022. The project and designs were presented to the City Council over five meetings, Cervantez said. The plans were finalized in May, and the project was put out for bid in June. The council voted in August to rebid the project and reach out to more contractors.

The bid that the council approved with C.S. Legacy is about $1 million less than the one it received in the summer and is the lowest bid it has received for the project overall.

Rancho Santa Margarita’s current city sign sits in the middle of the road with no median, Cervantez said, and has been hit multiple times by motorists.

Constructing the new sign off to the side of the road will reduce the chances of needing to replace it and save the city money, she said. Replacing the sign cost between $16,000 and $20,000, she said.

Mayor Anthony Beall said that spending the money for the project will be a benefit for the city, adding that it is a one-time cost.

“When you think about it, and you take into account who are we spending that money on,” Beall said. “We’re spending it on 50,000 people. It’s benefiting every resident of this city.”

Councilmember Keri Lynn Baert was the only one to vote against the approval of the construction contract. This was her first City Council meeting after winning the race for District 3 against former Mayor Carol Gamble.

Baert said she was concerned about the cost of the sign and voted against the project.

“My council members made very good points about the project, but for me, coming in the first time, I wasn’t comfortable with it,” Baert said.

Construction on the project is slated to begin in January and is expected to be completed by October.

The construction is expected to cause traffic congestion, but two lanes in each direction will remain open, Parco said.

“Rancho Santa Margarita is home to 50,000 people, and I believe that these improvements are going to be a benefit to each of those 50,000 residents and business owners. And it will benefit them every day,” Beall said.

The City Council typically meets on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at City Hall, 22112 El Paseo. Meetings are not streamed live online.