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funds to assist these individuals. The number of persons assisted during the report period is <br />highlighted throughout this report. <br />^ The City's housing and public service programs provided substantial resources to assist the <br />community's Extremely Low-Income residents. Accomplishments are highlighted <br />throughout this document. Examples include housing rehabilitation and rental assistance, <br />public safety, medical/dental care, and family counseling. <br />2. ACTIONS TO FOSTER & MAINTAIN AFFORDABLE HOUSING <br />By leveraging federal funds with private, local Redevelopment, State, tax credit and affordable <br />housing bond funds, the City has been able to increase and preserve its supply of affordable <br />rental housing during the Consolidated Plan cycle. Additionally, the City's owner-occupied <br />rehabilitation program helped preserve housing units occupied by lower income households. <br />Homeownership opportunities for low- and moderate-income first time buyers were available <br />via the City's participation in the American Dream Downpayment Assistance grant. HOPWA <br />funds helped foster and maintain housing for persons with HIV and AIDS via homelessness <br />prevention, emergency/transitional housing, and tenant based rental assistance programs. <br />Additionally, the Santa Ana Housing Authority provided rental assistance vouchers to very-low <br />income households. Participants in the Authority's Family Self-Sufficiency program were <br />provided classes on how to prepare for homeownership -some households began investment <br />into an escrow account that was used for a down p y ent -during the past year one <br />participating family utilized their escrow account (approximately $20,00) to purchase a home. <br />3. ACTIONS TO ELIMINATE BARRIERS TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING <br />The 2005 - 2009 Consolidated Plan identified several barriers to the development of affordable <br />housing including the following: <br />^ Governmental constraints such as property taxing, land-use controls (e.g., density and <br />zoning restrictions), building codes, building permit fees, on-site/off-site improvement, <br />prevailing wage regulations, and ADA requirements. <br />Market constraints primarily involve the availability, cost, and competition for land. Other <br />constraints include limited funding sources, finance costs, and the costs of construction. <br />Available land in the City mostly consists of small parcels that must be assembled for <br />significant new construction projects. Relocation costs and housing replacement <br />requirements for redeveloping improved properties often presents barriers to the <br />development of affordable housing. During the past year, the sub-prime mortgage market <br />crisis has also made home buying more difficult especially for buyers with limited income <br />and marginal credit histories. <br />26 Draft 8/26/2009 <br />19F-32 <br />