State Senator Dave Min Urges DMV to Keep Laguna Hills Office Open, Announces Concessions From Landlord of the Property

Min and Aliso Viejo Councilmember Ross Chun Met with DMV Landlord to Explore Opportunities for Keeping Laguna Hills DMV Office

(IRVINE, CA) – State Senator Dave Min urged the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to reverse its decision to close a location in Laguna Hills and announced that he had negotiated concessions from the owner of the property to try to keep the DMV office open.

In a meeting yesterday set up by Aliso Viejo Councilmember Ross Chun, Senator Min and David Lee, the Founder and CEO of Value Rock, which owns and leases the property currently used by the DMV, discussed the importance of keeping this office open, particularly for seniors and those who rely on in-person services such as driver’s license renewals and Real ID appointments. The Laguna Hills DMV served nearly 170,000 drivers in 2023 alone, and is a crucial location for over 500,000 local residents, including tens of thousands of seniors who will have difficulty accessing services if this location closes.

In his second letter to the DMV, Senator Min urged the Department to accept the new concessions outlined by the property owner and reverse its decision to permanently close the Laguna Hills office.

“I had a productive meeting with the landlord of the Laguna Hills DMV office to help negotiate a path forward for the thousands of seniors, new drivers, and small businesses who rely on our local DMV. We are hopeful that the DMV will come to the table and come to an agreement to keep this critical office open,” said State Senator Dave Min. “It is imperative that we ensure the continuity of essential DMV in-person services. I urge the DMV to do right by our residents and continue a dialogue to keep the Laguna Hills location open. And finally, I’d like to thank Aliso Viejo City Councilmember Ross Chun for putting this meeting in motion and working so closely with us to remedy a solution.”

“I am grateful to Senator Min for working with the local cities, and the property owner to find a common sense solution to the challenges that the hundreds of thousands of residents will face if the DMV closure is immediate,” said Aliso Viejo Councilmember Ross Chun. I am proud to contribute any effort I can as a City Councilmember to facilitate the discussions further.”

One of only five DMV sites in Orange County, the Laguna Hills office has operated for nearly forty years and serves 900,000 Californians in Central and South county to issue identification cards, license drivers, register vehicles, regulate vehicle manufacturers, and maintain records in accordance to with the law, and more.

A full copy of the letter and proposed terms can be found attached and online at www.sd37.senate.ca.gov.

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