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of the law than established landlords and may also be more likely to act upon their implicit biases <br />in renting units. <br />c. Review existing zoning policies and explore zoning changes to facilitate the development <br />of affordable housing. <br />In several jurisdictions in Orange County, the prevalence of single-family residential zoning makes <br />it harder to develop housing that would disproportionately serve members of protected classes. <br />Many cities across the country are increasing higher density zoning near transit. Increased higher <br />density zoning near transit in high opportunity areas, coupled with an affordable housing set -aside, <br />would provide additional mixed -income rental housing. <br />d. Align zoning codes to conform to recent California affordable housing legislation. <br />California passed several affordable housing bills that became effective on January 1, 2020. <br />Examples include as AB 1763, which expands existing density bonus law for 100% affordable <br />housing projects to include unlimited density around transit hubs with an additional three stories <br />or 33 feet of height, and AB 68, which allows two ADUs on a single lot, as well as multiple ADUs <br />on multifamily lots with limited design requirement that cities can impose and an approval process <br />of 60 days. This and other legislation necessitate changes to each jurisdiction's zoning code. <br />II. Goal 2: Prevent displacement of low- and moderate -income residents with protected <br />characteristics, including Hispanic residents, Vietnamese residents, seniors, and people with <br />disabilities. <br />a. Explore piloting a Right to Counsel Program to ensure legal representation for tenants in <br />landlord -tenant proceedings, including those involving the application of new laws like <br />A.B. 1482. <br />Thousands of residents in the county are displaced annually due to evictions. According to legal <br />services and fair housing organizations, many evictions occur because tenants do not understand <br />their rights and/or their obligations. It is estimated that only a small percentage of tenants facing <br />eviction have legal representation, and those without representation almost always are evicted, <br />regardless of a viable defense. Recently, other high cost cities such as New York, San Francisco, <br />Philadelphia, and soon Los Angeles have guaranteed a right to counsel at eviction hearings. New <br />York, which was the first city to have a right to counsel program, has seen a 30% reduction in <br />evictions. There are several legal providers in the county such as Community Legal Aid SoCal and <br />Public Law Center that are well -positioned to serve low-income tenants with financial support. <br />Although there would be an up -front investment, legal representation is less costly than serving <br />homeless families. <br />III. Goal 3: Increase community integration for persons with disabilities <br />a. Conduct targeted outreach and provide tenant application assistance and support to persons <br />with disabilities, including individuals transitioning from institutional settings and <br />individuals who are at risk of institutionalization. As part of that assistance, maintain a <br />database of housing that is accessible to persons with disabilities. <br />275 <br />75A-554 <br />