Building a Regenerative Economy in Orange County, California

Orange County, California is not an equitable place. Latino, Asian, immigrant, and other communities of color experience disproportionate challenges in housing affordability, economic mobility, and climate vulnerability, even as they form an increasingly vital part of the county’s economic and cultural fabric.

Through extensive community forums, learning sessions, and cooperative development efforts, residents have articulated a clear vision: an economy rooted in care, community power, and collective self-determination. This vision centers the essential labor of childcare providers, domestic workers, elders, and food workers—especially excluded women workers who form the backbone of Orange County’s care economy but are systematically excluded from economic supports.

Orange County has the opportunity to become a national model for inclusive, sustainable economic development. By aligning public investment with community priorities, removing barriers to democratic ownership, and centering the leadership of those most impacted by economic inequality, Orange County can demonstrate how cooperation becomes the foundation of economic life.

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Detailed appendices available for download here.