Step into this palatial home with 360-degree ocean views, a rooftop waterfall, and a master bathroom replete with its own spa. 
Safari newcomer Natural Selection is setting a new standard for luxury adventure with the debut of its first lodge.
The 7,000-square-foot party pad features an epic swimming pool and outdoor entertaining area. 
Canadian retailer Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) says it is optimistic about the remainder of the year, despite widening its net losses in the second quarter, as its restructuring efforts, designed to generate more than CAD350m (US$282.6m) in savings, is “proceeding as expected”.
Microscopic plastic fibres, thought to be shed by clothes and flushed into water systems through washing, are finding their way into tap water globally, a new study has found.
Chemical products with the Eco Passport by Oeko-Tex programme and the ToxServices Full Materials Disclosure programme have become the first accepted certification standards with the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) Foundation.
German organic fashion brand Cotonea is calling on the Global Organic Textile Standard International Working Group to investigate claims its GOTS-certified cotton from India contains Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO).
In the most recent second-quarter filings from US apparel and footwear brands and retailers, PVH upped its full-year guidance based on strong second-quarter results, while Guess saw its results boosted by solid growth in both Europe and Asia. Oxford Industries, meanwhile, saw mixed results as earnings fell but sales edged up.
LAKE FOREST – The city plans to explore options for affordable housing with an emphasis on the city’s veterans after the city council and Housing Authority voted to enter into an exclusive negotiation agreement with National Community Renaissance at its Sept. 5 regular meeting.
The city council voted 3-0-2. Councilman Andrew Hamilton abstained because he wanted more information on the subject, and Councilman Jim Gardner left minutes before the final vote of the night to tend to other matters.
National CORE, of Rancho Cucamonga, is a nonprofit affordable housing developer that provides a variety of services, including site acquisition, planning and development, construction, property management and compliance, according to a staff report.
In June, the city council issued a notice of funding availability for affordable housing development with an emphasis on serving veterans. The city received statements of qualifications from six nonprofit affordable housing developers and providers. Of those six, National CORE ranked the highest among a panel of four city staffers.
In the staff report, the city said it has up to $3.7 million in available funds from affordable housing developer in-lieu fees and the Housing Authority’s low/moderate income housing asset fund.
The non-profit boasts other affordable housing projects, including the 19-unit Las Palmas Village project in San Clemente and the 69-unit Oakcrest Terrace project in Yorba Linda. National CORE has 25 years of experience in providing and developing affordable housing, Amanda Wicker, a management analyst with the city, told the council.
National CORE will have a site selection process that is compatible with the community, said Michael Ruane, executive vice president of the non-profit, adding the nonprofit will engage the community to find a suitable site for affordable housing.
The non-profit partnered with Innovative Housing Opportunities and selected RRM Design Group for architectural services. In addition, other organizations like Hope through Housing Foundation, the “Strong Families, Strong Children Collaboration,” Mercy House and Families Forward would provide supportive housing services – including nutrition, senior services, behavioral health and recovery, as well as assisting job seekers with workforce training opportunities – according to the staff report.
“When we address homelessness and low-income housing, we have to work with partnerships,” Mayor Scott Voigts said. “That makes me happy that you’re doing that. We get farther when we’re working in partnership with other agencies and organizations. I’m excited to move forward.”
CITY AGREES ON SHERIFF’S CONTRACT STUDY
The city council also voted unanimously to join 12 other cities – most in South Orange County – in conducting a study into the annual rising cost of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department contract in hopes of finding ways to be more efficient, share services and cut costs.
The unanimous vote enters Lake Forest into a memorandum of understanding with the other cities. The city will also pay no more than $45,000 to help in the cost of the study.
Over the past four years, Lake Forest has seen its contract costs with the sheriff’s department rise by 24 percent from $14.2 million in 2014-15 to nearly $17.6 million in 2017-18.
“I don’t want to see one aspect of the service that we provide consuming our entire budget,” Councilman Dwight Robinson said. “I’m pretty sure the sheriff and the department understand that if that continues to occur it’s going to put many cities on the road to financial disaster.”
In some cities, such as Rancho Santa Margarita and Aliso Viejo, the annual contract accounts for more than half the city’s annual budget.
The city of Mission Viejo is heading the study, which comes after six months of meetings between city managers, OCSD Sheriff Sandra Hutchens and Orange County Supervisor Lisa Bartlett.
City Manager Debra Rose told the council the contract model had been around since most of the cities in South Orange County incorporated in the 1990s, but it had never been examined closely, adding the city managers said this may be the time to have a study to go in depth to see what is the cost structure and what is growing the contract.
Other cities involved in the discussions have plans to vote to enter the memorandum of understanding by the end of September. Mission Viejo would be responsible for hiring a project manager and consultant to oversee the study.