Mission Viejo residents will have access to constituent services in their own City Hall as soon as next month.
The Mission Viejo City Council on Tuesday, Jan. 10, unanimously approved leasing an office space in City Hall to Rep. Young Kim. The lease begins on Feb. 1 and is set to terminate on Jan. 2, 2025.
The office will be staffed by one full-time person and two others three days a week, according to City Manager Dennis Wilberg. Kim will come in on an as-needed basis, Wilberg said.
Located on the second floor of City Hall, the small office spans 342 square feet. The proposed rent is $770 per month, which includes utilities and maintenance costs.
The lease was reviewed by the city attorney as well as the U.S. House’s administrative counsel, and all parties approved, said Cheryl Dyas, director of administrative services for Mission Viejo.
Dyas said the city was contacted by Kim in December requesting office space to conduct business and meet with constituents. Kim, whose previous district offices were in Placentia and Diamond Bar, ran for a new House seat after political boundaries were redrawn in the redistricting process.
The city used to provide the same office space to former Rep. Gary Miller prior to Kim, Dyas said.
And Mission Viejo also provides space for the county assessor as well as the Association of Orange County Cities in City Hall, Wilberg said.
“It’s not necessarily unique,” Wilberg said. “We have this arrangement with a number of other agencies.”
Rep. Mike Levin has a district office inside Dana Point’s City Hall. Reps. Katie Porter and Linda Sánchez have theirs inside office complexes while Rep. Lou Correa uses the Rancho Santiago Community College District building. Rep. Michelle Steel has a new office opening in Cypress later this month.
Mayor Pro Tem Trish Kelley said she is glad Kim has approached the city with interest in having an office.
“I think it is a really good way to provide a service for our residents and much easier access to our congressmember so I do support this,” Kelley said.
Councilmember Wendy Bucknum said, “I appreciate Congresswoman Kim being interested in placing importance on the city of Mission Viejo by physically being here.”
Kim will have a second district office in Anaheim Hills, according to her office. It is not yet open.
