CORRESPONDENCE- 75B_Received by Planning Commission

Home Browse Search

Letter to the Planning Commission RE: Opposition — Zoning Ordinance Amendment No. 2020-03. August 3, 2020 There is a scarcity of quality affordable housing units in the City of Santa Ana. Amending the Housing Opportunity Ordinance does not support the efforts by the City of Santa Ana to meet the Strategic Plan Goal No. 5, Objective No. 3.6 If the Planning Commission votes to approve Zoning Ordinance Amendment No. 2020-03, it will halt the development of diverse housing opportunities and it will not support efforts to improve livability in the City of Santa Ana, at a critical time for the City of Santa Ana's residents of lower -income means who are vulnerable due to devastating effects of the Coronavirus. Moreover, the City of Santa Ana will need to meet an increased need in affordable housing for those who live in low-income communities, and that should be met through the HOO. For the forthcoming 61h Cycle of the Housing Element, SCAG proposes to increase the City of Santa Ana's RHNA number to include 583 very -low income units. Because the number of units exceed the RHNA under the current 5fl' Cycle of the Housing Element of 405 very -low income units, and the City of Santa Ana will need to accommodate 360 units of low-income housing, it is important that the City of Santa Ana keep its program to develop affordable housing, the HOO, strong. Additionally, the proposed Amendment to the HOO undermines the efforts of the City of Santa Ana to accomplish Goal 2 of its current Housing Element, as follows: "A diversity of quality housing, affordability levels, and living experiences that accommodate Santa Ana's residents and workforce of all household types, income levels, and age groups to foster an inclusive community." 7 The City can only accomplish this goal with the funding created by the HOO and cutting that funding undermines the City's ability to accomplish this Housing Element goal. For these reasons, we urge the Planning Commission to vote against approving Zoning Ordinance Amendment No. 2020-03. Should the Planning Commission move forward with the Zoning Amendment No. 2020-03, we would propose the following changes: 1. Remove the priority on acquisition and rehabilitation and amend Zoning Amendment No. 2020-03 to prioritize construction of new units. If the Planning Commission declines to do this, amend the Zoning Amendment No. 2020-03 and jointly prioritize acquisition/rehabilitation and construction of new units to help address the housing crisis faced by residents in the City of Santa Ana who are in the lowest economic bracket and in need of affordable housing. 2. Where a rehabilitation project results in displacement of tenants, require the developer to pay relocation costs in line with the requirements of the California Relocation Assistance Act, Government Code section 7060 et seq. to ensure that the developer pays displaced tenants the proper amounts to relocate because of the displacing activity.8 3. Expand the concessions under proposed section 41-1904.1, subdivision (b) to include the development of low-income units and a surrounding community benefit to ensure that 6 Santa Ana Strategic Plan, Goal 5, https://www.santa- ana.org/sites/default/files/Documents/CommunityHealthLivabilityEngagementandSustainability.pdf (last visited on August 1, 2020). City of Santa Ana Housing Element (2014-2021), Goal 2, p. 45. s Proposed Zoning Ord. Amend. No. 2020-03, §541-1906(c)(4). 601 Civic Center Drive West -Santa Ana, CA 92701-4002 • (714) 541-1010 - Fax (714) 541-5157