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June 20, 2023 Mayor Amezcua City Councilmembers City of Santa Ana 20 Civic Cente Plaza, 8th Floor Santa Ana CA 92707 www.kennedycommission.org 17701 Cowan Ave., Suite 200 Irvine, CA 92614 949 250 0909 Subject: Item 32 Resolutions to Exempt Properties from the Requirements of AB 2011 and SB 6 Mayor Amezcua and City Councilmembers: 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 have led to the construction of homes affordable to lower -income working families. As a part of the AB 2011 and SB 6 implementation process we continue to encourage the City of Santa Ana to use land use and planning to ensure a balance of housing development that addresses the true needs for affordable housing for its residents. Additionally, we encourage the city's efforts to ensure development and planning efforts do not cause the displacement and are providing housing opportunities for vulnerable residents. The implementation of state housing laws, the Housing Element and development incentives should aim to create equitable housing opportunities, specially for low income and extremely low income residents in Santa Ana. This is important because the majority of Santa Ana residents are predominantly lower income households. The median household income in Santa Ana is one of the lowest amongst all other Orange County cities. Most residents in Santa Ana do not earn enough income to pay rising housing costs. According to the City of Santa Ana's certified Housing Element, about two-thirds of households earn lower incomes. Approximately 80% of renters and 50% of homeowners earn low income. Meanwhile, 96% of lower income renters experience the highest rate of overpayment. Roughly 60% of jobs for Santa Ana residents earn between $30,000 and $34,000 yearly. Approximately 48% of households experience cost burden where 30% or more of their gross income is used for rent or mortgage payments'. The City of Santa Ana has moved forward with supporting growth by recently adopting the General Plan Update and has identifies housing opportunities on sites for all income segments in the recent Housing Element update. This comprehensive planning will lead to balance housing 1 The City of Santa Ana 2021-2029 Housing Element