Families moving to Newport Beach after losing homes in L.A. fires to be welcomed during a meetup Saturday
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Newport Beach welcomes families who fled wildfires that consumed their Los Angeles County homes and invites them to meet their new neighbors while learning what the community has to offer during an informal event Saturday morning at the Oasis Senior Center.
The gathering begins at 9 a.m., and there’s no need to RSVP. Representatives from a variety of city departments will be on hand to help those uprooted from Pacific Palisades, Altadena and other communities find fertile soil in Newport Beach. Mayor Joe Stapleton and members of the City Council also plan to attend to introduce themselves to new additions to the “Newport family.”
“The idea is to welcome people who are going to be living here full time,” Stapleton told the Daily Pilot Sunday. “It’s happening. I’ve got a lot of friends who are Realtors, and they’re getting a lot of calls from renters and people looking to buy permanently.”
The Newport-Mesa Unified School District saw an increase in enrollment as displaced families have begun to resettle, NMUSD spokeswoman Annette Franco said. Officials from the district will be at Saturday’s meet up to help parents guide their kids as they acclimate to their new classrooms.
“We look forward to partnering with the City and offering resources and a warm welcome to families,” Franco said in a statement Tuesday.
Members of the city’s Recreation Department will also be there to help new residents with children learn about after-school activities, parks and more. Representatives from the police and fire departments will be in attendance so people can meet the first responders they might find themselves turning to in an emergency. An assortment of clubs and organizations will also be present to offer newcomers opportunities to expand their social circles locally.
“I can’t imagine losing your home, losing everything and being dropped into a community not knowing anybody,” Stapleton said.
Stapleton acknowledged that people originally from the L.A. area may experience some degree of culture shock as they adjust to coastal Orange County’s distinct political and social climate. But he described both Pacific Palisades and Newport Beach as “family forward” communities that share many of the same values.
The average price of a home in Pacific Palisades and Newport Beach as of Tuesday was over $3.4 million and $3.2 million, respectively, according to the housing listing website Zillow.com.
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