Positively Impacting Orange County's Communities
The Kennedy Commission has been successful in working with all 35 Orange County jurisdictions to create effective housing policies and tools that have led to the new construction of homes affordable to lower income households.
CITY OF ANAHEIM's AFFORDABLE HOUSING STRATEGIC PLAN
In 2005, the City adopted a five-year strategic plan, which was extended out to 2014, that called for the development of 2,800 affordable units. Over 2,000 affordable units were developed under the plan.
CITY OF COSTA MESA
The Kennedy Commission challenged the City’s approval of a proposed plan to demolish a 236-unit motel that provided last-resort housing to many lower income households to make way for a new 224-unit luxury rental development, of which 20 were proposed for moderate income households.
In April 2017, thanks to the collaborative efforts of the Kennedy Commission, Public Law Center, Legal Aid Society of O.C., Western Center on Law and Poverty, and Bird Marella, the Judge ruled the proposed development circumvented the state’s Density Bonus Law. The law allows developers to increase density and build more units than what is permitted if some of the units were set aside for lower income households.
CITY OF SANTA ANA'S HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES ORDINANCE
Applies to residential developments that requests discretionary approval and requires 15 percent of new homes to be affordable for low and very low-income households.
COUNTY OF ORANGE'S HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES OVERLAY
County of Orange’s Housing Opportunities Overlay: allows for the development of affordable homes on non-residentially zoned land (commercial, industrial & some residentially-zoned arterial highway frontage parcels) by-right in areas located in unincorporated County of Orange. The proposed development is required to be a rental and 100% of the apartment homes must be affordable to low and very low-income households.
Since 2006, over 4,280 new affordable homes for lower income households including families, seniors, veterans and those living with special needs were constructed in Orange County.
“Estamos feliz de estar en una casita.”
“We are happy to be in this home.”
- Maria & Jesus
Triada Village, Santa Ana