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<br /> <br />The existing language in the Affordable Housing Funds Policies and Procedures allow for the <br />flexibility for affordable housing developers to evaluate strong potential sites and condition the <br />potential funding upon obtaining the appropriate zoning. This flexibility is essential to ensure that <br />strong potential affordable housing sites are not excluded from consideration prematurely. <br />Eliminating the existing language would restrict or limit the scope of sites where these developers <br />can support the production of affordable units through the funding conditions. Additionally, this <br />flexibility in the guidelines is necessary to assist and incentivize affordable housing since it takes <br />more time and multiple funding sources with different requirements and deadlines to fully fund. <br />Many of these state and federal affordable housing funding sources also look for local government <br />funding commitments before committing their funds. <br />In addition, current state laws such as SB 4 and AB 2011, further encourage property owners, the <br />city and affordable housing developers to partner and be creative in using land not zoned residential <br />to address the affordable housing crisis. The proposed changes to the Affordable Housing <br />Guidelines will contradict CA State Housing Laws, the City’s Housing Element commitments and <br />Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing policies and goals. <br />We urge the City Council to retain the existing language within the Affordable Housing Funds <br />Policies and Procedures to preserve flexibility and maximize opportunities for affordable housing <br />development. Santa Ana has made significant progress toward addressing housing needs, and <br />maintaining these provisions is critical to sustaining that momentum and ensuring that all potential <br />affordable housing sites can be fully evaluated. <br />Thank you for your consideration and for your continued leadership in advancing equitable housing <br />opportunities across Santa Ana. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at (949) <br />250-0909 or cesarc@kennedycommission.org. <br />Sincerely, <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Cesar Covarrubias <br />Executive Director <br /> <br />2