02, 09, 22Public Comment
From: Cynthia Guerra <cynthiag@ken nedycommission.org>
Sent: Tuesday, June 22, 2021 4:05 PM
To: City Clerk
Cc: Public Comment; Cesar C; paul.mcdougall@hcd.ca.gov; Megan.Kirkeby@hcd.ca.gov
Subject: Letter of Support for National CORE Project - related City Council Agenda Items are 2,
9, 22 (6.22.2021)
Attachments: Ltr_Anaheim_ National CORE Project -Items 2,9,22 _6.22.2021.pdf
Hi,
Please find the attached letter of support from the Kennedy Commission for the National CORE affordable
housing project. Items on today's Anaheim City Council meeting agenda (6.22.2021) related to this project are:
• Item 2: COOPERATION AGREEMENT TO TRANSFER HOME INVESTMENT
PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM FUNDS AND REQUEST TO APPROVE THE ISSUANCE OF
A PRELIMINARY AWARD LETTER FOR THE MIDWAY AFFORDABLE APARTMENTS
• Item 9: COOPERATION AGREEMENT TO TRANSFER HOME INVESTMENT
PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM FUNDS FOR THE MIDWAY AFFORDABLE APARTMENTS
AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF ANAHEIM BOULEVARD AND MIDWAY DRIVE
• Item 22:VACATION/ABANDONMENT OF PORTIONS OF THREE EXCESS SEGMENTS OF
PUBLIC ACCESS AND STREET RIGHT-OF-WAY LYING WEST OF ANAHEIM
BOULEVARD AND DIRECTLY SOUTH OF MIDWAY DRIVE (ABA2019-00396)
Please confirm receipt of this email and let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you,
Cynthia Guerra
Cynthia Guerra
The Kennedy Commission
Research and Policy Analyst
Pronouns: She/Her/Ella
June 22, 2021 www.kennedycoininission.org
17701 Cowan Ave., Suite 200
Irvine, CA 92614
Mayor Harry Sidhu and City Council Members 949 250 0909
City of Anaheim
200 S. Anaheim Boulevard
Anaheim, CA 92805
RE: Letter of Support for the Anaheim Midway Affordable Housing Development proposed
by National Community Renaissance of California (related to items 2, 9, and 22)
Dear Mayor Harry Sidhu and Council Members:
The Kennedy Commission (the Commission), a broad-based coalition of residents and community
organizations, advocates for the production of homes affordable for families earning less than
$27,000 annually in Orange County. Formed in 2001, the Commission has successfully partnered
and worked with Orange County jurisdictions to create effective housing and land -use policies that
have led to the new construction of homes affordable to lower-income working families.
The Commission is in support of the Anaheim Midway Affordable Housing Development
proposed by National Community Renaissance of California (National CORE) and
encourages the City Council to take the steps necessary to ensure this 100% affordable
project becomes reality. The proposed 86 rental units will provide much needed affordable
housing to extremely -low, very -low, and low-income families.
Affordable homes are urgently needed for lower income residents given the increasing cost of
housing in Orange County. According to the California Housing and Community Development
Department, the County's annual median income for a family of four at the extremely low income
level is $40,350 and $67,250 at the very low income level_' The median income for Anaheim
residents in 2018 was $65,313.2 Based on these figures, it is clear that many Anaheim residents are
extremely low and very low income. Given the urgent need for affordable housing, the City
must prioritize the production of lower income housing.
Moreover, the City is currently experiencing a deficit of affordable housing at the very -low and low
income levels. For the City has a RHNA of 1,256 very low- and 907 low-income households. Io-
date, the City has built 308 or 25% of the 1,256 very low-income units and 160 or 18% of the 907
low-income units.3 However, for the above moderate -income units, the City outperformed and
exceeded the RHNA by constructing 7,644 or 306% of the 2,501 above moderate -income RHNA.4
The City has a remaining RHNA need of 1,695 lower income homes for the current planning
period. The City's history over -producing above moderate housing and poor performance producing
lower income housing is an indication that the City needs to focus on prioritizing affordable
housing. One strategy the City can use to meet its lower income housing need is to implement
stronger affordable housing requirements on City -owned land, such as the Anaheim Housing
Authority's site included in the National CORE project.
' California Department of Housing and Community Development "State Income Limits for 2020," p. 9, April 26, 2021.
2 SCAG, "Profile of the City of Anaheim," page 11, May 2019.
s City of Anaheim's 2020 Annual Housing Element Progress Report, March 22, 2021.
4 City of Anaheim's 2020 Annual Housing Element Progress Report, March 22, 2021.
June 22, 2021
Page 2 of 2
We look forward to working with the City of Anaheim to encourage effective housing policies that
will help create balanced housing development and create much-needed affordable housing in our
local communities. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at (949) 250-0909 or
cesarcLkennedycommission.org.
Sincerely,
Cesar Covarrubias
Executive Director
cc: Ms. Megan Kirkeby, Deputy Director, Housing Policy Development, CA HCD
Mr. Paul McDougall, Housing Manager, CA HCD