6From: Alejandra Perez Matus <alejandrap@kennedycommission.org>
Sent: Tuesday, May 13, 2025 5:18 PM
To: Theresa Bass <TBass@anaheim.net>
Subject: [EXTERNAL]
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Hi,
I am writing on behalf of the Kennedy Commission to submit a public comment letter regarding Item
number 6 for tonight's City Council Meeting Agenda.
Thanks,
Alejandra Perez Matus
Pro·ect Mana
May 13, 2025
Mayor Ashleigh Aitken
Members of the Anaheim City Council
200 S. Anaheim Blvd.
Anaheim, CA 92805
RE: Agenda Item #6 – Declaration of Exempt Surplus Land at 1301 N. Anaheim Blvd. & 401
W. Carl Karcher Way
Dear Mayor Aitken and Honorable Members of the City Council,
The Kennedy Commission (the Commission) is a broad-based coalition of residents and community
organizations advocating for the production of homes affordable for families earning less than
$30,000 annually in Orange County. Since 2001, we have successfully partnered with jurisdictions
across the county to create housing and land-use policies that increase affordable housing
opportunities for lower-income working families.
We are writing regarding the City’s proposal to declare approximately six acres of city-owned land
as exempt surplus land, pursuant to the Surplus Land Act. We support the City of Anaheim’s efforts
to advance the development of affordable housing on publicly owned land and encourage the City
to maximize affordability on this site as a public asset. City-owned properties offer a unique and
powerful opportunity to directly address the housing needs of lower-income residents and to ensure
long-term affordability by retaining land control and leveraging public investment.
While we appreciate that the exemption category requires 25% affordability, we respectfully ask the
City to go beyond the minimum threshold and increase the required percentage of affordable
housing on this site. This site’s location—adjacent to community-serving institutions, medical
services, and transit access—makes it especially well suited for deeply affordable,
multigenerational, and inclusive housing. Increasing affordability here would not only support
Anaheim’s Housing Element goals, but also strengthen the City's leadership in meeting urgent
housing needs in a high-opportunity area.
We look forward to continuing to work with the City of Anaheim to ensure that affordable housing
is prioritized on public land and that future development serves the residents who need it most. If
you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at (949) 250-0909 or
cesarc@kennedycommission.org.
Sincerely,
Cesar Covarrubias
Executive Director
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