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July 6, 2021 www.kennedycommission.org 17701 Cowan Ave., Suite 200 Mayor Sarmiento and City Council Members Irvine, CA 92614 City of Santa Ana 949 250 0909 20 Civic Center Plaza P.O. Bo 1988, M31 Santa Ana, CA 92701 Re: Support Item 28. Housing Ad Hoc Committee Progress Report and Recommendations Regarding the Housing Opportunity Ordinance Dear Mayor Sarmiento and City Council Members, The Kennedy Commission (the Commission) is a broad-based coalition of residents and community organizations that advocates for the production of homes affordable for families earning less than $27,000 annually in Orange County. Formed in 2001, the Commission has been successful in partnering and working with Orange County jurisdictions to create effective housing and land-use policies that has led to the new construction of homes affordable to lower income working families. We proudly work in partnership with residents and advocate alongside them for solutions that will address their housing needs. We stand with our partners in support of Item 28: Housing Ad Hoc Committee Progress Report and Recommendations Regarding the Housing Opportunity Ordinance The need for housing affordable to low-wage earners in Orange County, California, is \[1\] enormous. Ranked among the top ten least affordable metropolitan areas in the country, Orange County is suffering from an affordable housing crisis. A resident must earn at least $42.62 per hour to afford a two-bedroom apartment at a fair market rent of $2,216 \[2\] a month. As rents and the number of residents needing affordable homes have continually increased, the number of affordable homes being built for lower income households has not kept up with the demand. The average asking rent in the City of Santa Ana is $2,200, which is an eight percent \[3\] increase from the year before and rents are expected to continue to increase. \[1\] Out of Reach 2020 - The High Cost of Housing, National Low Income Housing Coalition, p. CA 40 \[2\] Out of Reach 2020- The High Cost of Housing, National Low Income Housing Coalition, p. CA 40 \[3\] www.zumper.com/rent-research/santa-ana-ca/downtown-santa-ana.