Owen Newcomer was appointed by Supervisor Don Knabe to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Commission in 2002.

Owen also serves on the Whittier City Council, having been reelected for a second term in April 2004. From 1989 to 2000, he served as a trustee to the Whittier City School District.

Owen retired in June 2005 as a Political Science Professor at Rio Hondo College, where he has taught since 1975. He now teaches part-time at Rio Hondo College. Owen earned his undergraduate and Master's Degree from California State University, Northridge in Political Science, and his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Southern California. He is the author of Governing California and Los Angeles.

In addition to serving on the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority Commission, Owen Newcomer also serves on the following organizations:

• LA County Division of the League of California Cities, Secretary
• City Selection Committee, Commissioner
• Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District, Commissioner
• Gateway Cities MTA Service Sector, Commissioner
• LA County Sanitation Districts, Commissioner