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Letter of Support re Item 60A Request for Approval of a Density Bonus Agreement to Allow a <br />552 Unit Affordable Rental Project at 2110, 2114, and 2020 East First Street <br />July 16, 2019 <br />p. 4 <br />Further, the denial of the Unit violates recently enacted state legislation that codifies the directive <br />imposed by the Fair Housing Act on jurisdictions to affirmatively further fair housing. (Gov. <br />Code §65583) The City's current Housing Element underscores the need of the City to ensure its <br />legal compliance with the requirement to further fair housing opportunity. In the housing <br />element, the city notes that 58% of its renters pay more than 30% of their income on rent.6 <br />These conditions ...lead to a number of hardships for the households and their families, <br />including insufficient income to afford other necessities, undue burden on families, and <br />accelerated use and wear on housing.' As such, the city has identified a deft in housing for <br />extremely low, very low, and low-income households that the law requires it to address. <br />Conclusion <br />There is a scarcity of quality affordable housing units in the City. The City's recent Housing <br />Element noted there is a scarcity of affordable housing units in the City: "[H]ousing affordability <br />is a critical issue for many households. The lack of affordable housing can create undesirable <br />situations, including overpayment and overcrowding."8 Five hundred and fifty-two units of <br />affordable housing could lessen the issues of overpayment and overcrowding by <br />increasing the supply of affordable housing for a community in desperate need of it. <br />Further, as set forth in the many staff reports associated with analysis of the Unit, <br />approval of this item supports the City's efforts to meet General Plan Goal Nos. 3; and 5, <br />and Objective No. 3. The City's residents desperately need help with affordable housing <br />and addition to the aged multifamily housing stock in the City, and they need it now. The <br />Council should approve this Unit now. <br />Sincerely, <br />/s/ <br />Ugochi Anaebere-Nicholson <br />Directing Attorney, Housing and Homelessness Prevention Unit <br />e Santa Ana Housing Element (2014-2021), p. 20. <br />Ibid. <br />a Id. at p. 19. <br />601 Civic Center Drive West • Santa Ana, CA 92701-4002 • (714) 541-1010 • Fax (714) 541-5157 <br />