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<br />Ordinance No. NS-XXX <br />Page 1 of 18 <br />ORDINANCE NO. NS-________ <br /> <br />ZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENT NO. 2021-03 AN <br />ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF <br />SANTA ANA REPEALING AND REENACTING IN ITS <br />ENTIRETY ARTICLE XVIII.I. OF CHAPTER 41 OF THE <br />SANTA ANA MUNICIPAL CODE REGARDING THE <br />HOUSING OPPORTUNITY ORDINANCE <br /> <br /> THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA HEREBY ORDAINS AS <br />FOLLOWS: <br /> <br /> Section 1. The City Council of the City of Santa Ana hereby finds, determines, <br />and declares as follows: <br /> <br /> A. On November 28, 2011, the Santa Ana City Council adopted Ordinance No. <br />NS-2825, known as the Housing Opportunity Ordinance and appearing as “Article XVIII.I. <br />– Housing Opportunity Ordinance” (“Housing Opportunity Ordinance”) of Chapter 41 of <br />the Santa Ana Municipal Code. The Housing Opportunity Ordinance was adopted to <br />implement the City’s Housing Element Goal of providing affordable housing within the <br />City. <br /> <br /> B. On September 1, 2015, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. NS-2881, <br />which amended the Housing Opportunity Ordinance in various respects, including <br />applicability, options to satisfy inclusionary requirements, and calculation of the in-lieu <br />housing fee. These amendments were intended to make the inclusionary housing <br />requirements more predictable for housing developers and to incentivize the production <br />of more affordable housing. <br /> <br /> C. In response to impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the development and <br />construction of housing in the City, including the reduction of housing starts, the City <br />Council adopted Ordinance No. NS-2994 on September 1, 2020. Ordinance No. NS- <br />2994 further amended the Housing Opportunity Ordinance to lower the in-lieu housing <br />fee for all projects from $15 to $5 per square foot, adjust the trigger of the ordinance, and <br />expand the eligible uses of in-lieu fees collected by the City. <br /> <br /> D. On March 2, 2021, at the direction of the City Council, an Ad Hoc Committee <br />for Housing was formed. The Ad Hoc Committee reviewed the Housing Opportunity <br />Ordinance and recommended certain changes. The Ad Hoc Committee’s <br />recommendations were presented and discussed at the City Council Meeting on July 6, <br />2021. <br /> <br /> E. On July 26, 2021, the City Council conducted a work-study session to <br />further evaluate the Committee’s recommendations and to receive input from key <br />stakeholders and members of the public. The City Council provided direction to staff to <br />prepare amendments to the Housing Opportunity Ordinance concerning the applicability