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Grand Avenue Widening Project Environmental Impact Report Section 6.0 indicates that there are no current intentions of doing so at the time of the Housing Element was updated. According to recently published United States Census 2000 findings (Los Angeles Times, Orange County Edition, July 11, 2000), the housing shortage in Orange County affects Santa Ana dramatically for a number of reasons. Santa Ana is the most populous city in Orange County and over the last decade its population increased, while it had a net loss of housing units. Santa Ana also has the highest average population per household (4.33) in the State (State average is 2.59 per household). In addition, with the overall shortage of housing in Orange County, the price of housing in all price categories is relatively high because of the demand. This pricing problem causes increases in densities in available housing especially in areas where there is an unmet need for low income and affordable housing. For these reasons, the loss of single and multiple family housing, and the displacement of over 260 residents as a result of the proposed Grand Avenue widening would only contribute to the already existing housing/rent/density problems that Santa Ana is already experiencing. Based on information from the City's Community Preservation Division (Housing Element, page A-18), approximately 8,000 multiple family and 8,600 single family units in the City are estimated to be substantially substandard and in need of repair. Finally, as discussed in the Housing Element, the cost of housing in much of southern California increased dramatically in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In addition, since the late 1990s, housing costs in southern California have again risen dramatically and, in early 2002, are continuing to experience regular substantial increases throughout much of southern California. As a result of this wide range of factors, the availability of moderately priced housing in the City of Santa Ana is substantially limited. Housing unit characteristics for the City for 1990 and 2000, for a variety of types of housing, are provided in Table 6-3. The Land Use Element EIR recognizes that public projects, such as the proposed Grand Avenue widening, may result in the acquisition of property which could result in the acquisition of residential units and the displacement of residents. The Land Use Element EIR specifically states that "Displacement impacts created by publicly funded projects under the proposed Land Use Element will be lessened by local and State relocation regulations." In summary, the Land Use Element EIR determined that the proposed Land Use Element would not result in any significant unavoidable adverse impacts related to population and housing. In support of the goals and policies in the Land Use and Housing Elements related to housing, there are a number of programs available through the City of Santa Ana and/or the County of Orange related to the provision and protection of decent and safe housing for all groups in the City, including: Section 8 Rental Assistance: This Federally funded program subsidizes rents to low income families, individuals, seniors and the disabled. F.-WROJ-ENMGrand eirWew Text - GrandlSection 6.0-new.doe Page 6-6