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low-income families are struggling to remain housed. This is especially true for the majority of Santa Ana's low- <br /> income households that are suffering with the impacts of housing cost and economic uncertainty. According to <br /> the City's local data, 70 % of Santa Ana renters are low and very low-income renters. 80% of renters in Santa <br /> Ana fall into the moderate, low- and very low-income categories and 84 % of residents hold low-income <br /> occupations that pay less than $53,500 per year. Santa Ana's households are predominantly families comprising <br /> 8 1% of households. These households are also rent burdened and live-in overcrowded conditions. <br /> While the City has seen increased production of affordable housing there has been a disproportionate production <br /> of above moderate housing with a total of 3,274 above moderate units produced between 2013-2021, the City <br /> exceeded its RHNA allocation by 3,638% per the City's RHNA progress reports submitted to the state. With <br /> average rents of$2000 - $4000, none of these above market rental units are affordable to most of Santa Ana's <br /> working families. Housing costs in Santa Ana have been out of reach and will continue to be out of reach in this <br /> current economic climate. Households in Santa Ana must earn $44.83 an hour to afford two-bedroom housing. <br /> The proposed amendments further incentivize housing units with market rate rents and are not affordable to the <br /> majority of the City's residents. <br /> The Commission supports 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 residents. The in- <br /> lieu fees have generated over $21 million in funding (and helped leverage millions of federal and state <br /> housing resources)to help the City fund the development of new housing opportunities and address housing <br /> insecurity. The City's February 2021 Quarterly Report for Housing Division demonstrated that, some of <br /> these in lieu fees supported the Santa Ana Arts Collective, Tiny Tim Plaza, Link Interim Emergency <br /> Shelter, Legacy 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 Ana. This will <br /> continue to facilitate the development of affordable housing in various areas of the city. The Commission also <br /> recommends that the HOO apply to all residential developments in the City. At a minimum the HOO affordable <br /> housing requirements should apply to all residential and mixed use developments that are asking for zone changes, <br /> upzonings, following city initiated specific plans, general plan updates or those asking for other development <br /> incentives. <br /> In addition, the HOO should apply to all developments taking advantage of City initiated land use and zoning <br /> changes, specific plans and general plan updates and amendments. Land use changes may create higher land <br /> values, profit, and incentives for market rate developers. At the same time many of these market developments <br /> are not affordable to the majority of Santa Ana's residents. In exchange for these development incentives, new <br /> affordable housing for Santa Ana residents must be <br /> created. <br /> The City must also ensure that the Inclusionary Housing Fund monies prioritize the construction of affordable <br /> housing for extremely low- and very low-income families. These are the families that have the most pressing <br /> needs in the City of Santa Ana. In addition,the fund should also prioritize addressing housing insecurity, eviction <br /> prevention, and housing legal assistance for residents that would directly help current Santa Ana residents with <br /> the exception of code enforcement. Diversion of these funds to other programs unrelated to housing and direct <br /> help for 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 Housing <br /> Opportunity Ordinance. These recommendations will help the city increase affordable housing options for <br /> residents and help the city meet equitable housing production goals. <br /> 2 <br />