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While the City has seen increased production of affordable housing there has been a <br /> disproportionate production of above moderate housing with a total of 3,274 above moderate units <br /> produced between 2013-2021, the City exceeded its RHNA allocation by 3,638% per the City's <br /> RHNA progress reports submitted to the state. With average rents of$2000 - $4000,none of these <br /> above market rental units are affordable to most of Santa Ana's working families. Housing costs <br /> in Santa Ana have been out of reach and will continue to be out of reach in this current economic <br /> climate. Households in Santa Ana must earn $44.83 an hour to afford two-bedroom housing. The <br /> proposed amendments further incentivize housing units with market rate rents and are not <br /> affordable to the majority of the City's residents. <br /> We support the amendments to update the in-lieu fee to $15 per sq ft to be in line with a fee <br /> that is fair and allows the City to fund much needed affordable housing for Santa Ana <br /> residents. The in-lieu fees have generated over $21 million in funding (and helped leverage <br /> millions of federal and state housing resources)to help the City fund the development of new <br /> housing opportunities and address housing insecurity. The City's February 2021 Quarterly <br /> Report for Housing Division demonstrated that, some of these in lieu fees supported the <br /> Santa Ana Arts Collective, Tiny Tim Plaza, Link Interim Emergency Shelter, Legacy <br /> Square, Habitat for Humanity "Lacy & Vance", Westview House, Wise Place Steps to <br /> Independence Public Service Program, and the City's Down Payment Assistance Program. <br /> We also support the wider application of the Housing Opportunities Ordinance in the City of Santa <br /> Ana. This will continue to facilitate the development of affordable housing in various areas of the <br /> city. We also recommend that the HOO apply to all residential developments in the City. At a <br /> minimum the HOO affordable housing requirements should apply to all residential and mixed use <br /> developments that are asking for zone changes, upzonings, following city initiated specific plans, <br /> general plan updates or those asking for other development incentives. <br /> In addition, the HOO should apply to all developments taking advantage of City initiated land use <br /> and zoning changes, specific plans and general plan updates and amendments. Land use changes <br /> may create higher land values, profit, and incentives for market rate developers. At the same time <br /> many of these market developments are not affordable to the majority of Santa Ana's residents. In <br /> exchange for these development incentives, new affordable housing for Santa Ana residents must <br /> be created. <br /> The City must also ensure that the Inclusionary Housing Fund monies prioritize the construction <br /> of affordable housing for extremely low- and very low-income families. These are the families <br /> that have the most pressing needs in the City of Santa Ana. In addition, the fund should also <br /> prioritize addressing housing insecurity, eviction prevention, and housing legal assistance for <br /> residents that would directly help current Santa Ana residents with the exception of code <br /> enforcement. Diversion of these funds to other programs unrelated to housing and direct help for <br /> families would not increase or improve the supply of affordable housing. <br /> We urge you to take into consideration the amendments and proposed recommendations to the <br /> Housing Opportunity Ordinance. These recommendations will help the city increase affordable <br /> housing options for residents and help the city meet equitable housing production goals. <br />