Steve Churm: Storyteller and Believer in Orange County’s Promise

The Visionary Behind FivePoint Holdings

At the helm of FivePoint Holdings was Emile Haddad, the CEO and founder who spun the company off from Lennar Homes, the largest home builder in the USA with a robust presence in California. What Haddad accomplished next would surprise many in the real estate world and forever change the landscape of Orange County.

Through a federal auction, Haddad acquired over 2,000 acres of land that people know today as the former El Toro Marine Base. The Federal Government had put this prime Orange County real estate up for auction after the closing of the Marine base, and in a move that stunned industry observers, Haddad emerged victorious.

“It was a blind auction run by the defense department and conducted in four chunks,” Steve explains. “Emile was the high bidder on all four chunks, so he ended up with all 2,000 acres.”

To put this acquisition in perspective, when people think of Orange County’s major landowners, they typically mention the Segerstrom family, the Irvine Company (which Steve calls “the granddaddy of them all”), and the Moiso and O’Neill families who own Rancho Mission Viejo. For Haddad to collect this property in the heart of Orange County was nothing short of remarkable.

Transforming Vision into Reality

Fast forward to today, and that 2,000-acre acquisition has been transformed into a thriving community featuring homes, schools, affordable housing projects, an amphitheater for live music, and The Great Park—an area that can rival other major parks across the nation.

Steve worked at FivePoint Holdings for seven years, helping the company not only develop Orange County but expand into new opportunities in Valencia and San Francisco. As a corporate communicator for the NYSE-listed company, he worked for an organization with a vision and purpose that literally saw Orange County into the future through this massive development project.

The Next Chapter: Churm360 and Continued Impact

After leaving FivePoint Holdings, Steve reached what many would consider “traditional” retirement age, but as he notes, “traditional-age-retirement is not as applicable today.” Instead of slowing down, he founded Churm360, a boutique PR consulting business in 2022, keeping himself active in the industry he’s passionate about.

Philanthropy in the Blood – Human Options

Steve’s commitment to giving back runs deep, with philanthropy literally in his blood. His mother, Cynthia Churm, co-founded Human Options, a women’s shelter in Irvine that holds the distinction of being the very first organization in Orange County to address domestic violence. Today, Human Options is recognized as a national leader in promoting healthy relationships.

“People with experience have a responsibility to teach and share with others,” Steve reflects, explaining his continued deep investment in Orange County’s future.

The Tale of Two Counties

After over four decades working as a journalist, media owner, storyteller, corporate communicator, and philanthropist, Steve sees Orange County in 2025 as being at a remarkable crossroads. “The OC” has emerged from its 1980s and 1990s identity into a true stand-alone community of stature, impact, and importance—not just in Southern California or California, but in America itself.

The numbers tell an impressive story: Orange County is the 6th largest county in America, home to over 3.2 million people across 34 cities. Only Los Angeles County and tech-rich Santa Clara County have greater total economic output. “Orange County is a BEAST,” Steve emphasizes.

While Orange County is frequently showcased through Hollywood’s cinematic lens for its undeniable beauty—the people, real estate, sunsets, and lifestyle—Steve points to another side that demands attention. Nearly 33% of Orange County residents fall under low-income or poverty levels, creating what some call “the tale of two counties.”

“On one hand, there’s the coast and what people see in magazines and films,” Steve explains, “but there’s another side of Orange County with a workforce that is struggling because of soaring rent and cost of living just to live here. But we need them.”

He points to essential workers at companies like Disneyland, healthcare organizations like Hoag Hospital and The City of Hope, who need nurses and other working-class professionals. Many of these essential workers can’t afford to live in Orange County and must drive great distances to get to work. The stark reality is that Orange County has one million people on the line of poverty—a number that shocks most people when they hear it.

United Way: A Beacon of Hope

For the last 14 years, Steve and his wife Cinda Churm have served on the Board of the Orange County United Way, with Steve chairing the board for four years. The organization, led by CEO Sue Parks, recently celebrated its 100-year anniversary and plays a crucial role in collaborating with other nonprofits to address and solve problems weighing down the community.

One of United Way’s most innovative services is 2-1-1-OC, a social service hotline acquired by Orange County United Way in 2023. Steve describes it simply: “When you have an emergency, you call 9-1-1 for first responders, but when it’s not life or death but you need programs or services, you call 2-1-1.”

The hotline is staffed with community care agents who field over 500,000 calls each year from people searching for help—not just low-income residents, but anyone who needs social assistance. The demand for 2-1-1-OC is currently double or even triple what it can service, prompting Orange County United Way to raise funds to meet those demands.

These funds will support not only the agents who take the calls but also technology investments to enhance the database and document issues, enabling better information sharing with hospitals, first responders, and nonprofit agencies working to improve the county.

A Model for the Future

“2-1-1-OC is an example of a program that mature, thoughtful, dynamic, and forward-thinking communities can do for their residents,” Steve observes. It represents the kind of innovative thinking that gives him hope for Orange County’s promise.

As Steve Churm continues his work as a storyteller and believer in Orange County’s potential, his message is clear: while the county has achieved remarkable success and recognition, how it leverages its assets over the next 25 years to address the needs of all residents—not just those in the spotlight—will be the true measure of its promise.

“No one’s above needing some help,” Steve reminds us, encapsulating both his personal philosophy and his vision for a more inclusive Orange County future.