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HOUSING AUTHORITY AGENDA REPORT
City of Anaheim
HOUSING & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
DEPARTMENT
DATE: MAY 13, 2025
FROM: HOUSING & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
SUBJECT: ADOPT A RESOLUTION DECLARING CERTAIN PROPERTY
LOCATED AT 1301 NORTH ANAHEIM BOULEVARD AND 401
WEST CARL KARCHER WAY (APN 073-083-34, -38, -41, AND -
42) EXEMPT SURPLUS LAND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
SURPLUS LAND ACT AS AMENDED BY ASSEMBLY BILL 1486
ATTACHMENT (Y/N): YES ITEM # 06
GOVERNMENT CODE § 84308 APPLIES: YES
RECOMMENDATION:
That the Governing Board of the Anaheim Housing Authority, by Resolution, declare certain Authority owned property located at 1301 North Anaheim Boulevard and 401 West Carl Karcher Way (APN: 073-083-34, -38, -41, and -42), Anaheim, California (Site) as exempt surplus land, direct the Executive Director to follow the procedures set forth in the Surplus Land Act, California Government Code Sections 54220 et seq., as amended by Assembly Bill 1486 (SLA); make certain findings under the California Environmental Quality Act; and authorize certain other actions.
DISCUSSION:
In April 2018, the Anaheim Housing Authority (Authority) acquired two parcels totaling approximately 3.17-acres located at 1301 N. Anaheim Blvd. abutting the CA-91 freeway on-ramp as part of a land swap between the Authority and the City of Anaheim (City).
Subsequently, in October 2018, the Authority acquired two additional adjacent parcels totaling approximately 2.81 acres located at 401 W. Carl Karcher Way containing a two- story office building and associated parking lot. The assemblage of the four parcels, herein referred to as the Site and depicted on Attachment 2 – Location Map, is approximately 6-acres in size. The Site is surrounded by several community serving uses including La Palma Park, AltaMed Medical Office building and PACE center for senior medical services, Orange County Department of Education Skyview Learning Center, and a collection of established non-profits including My Day Counts, GOALS, and Access California.
On October 9, 2019, Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1486 (AB 1486), which significantly amended the Surplus Land Act (SLA) and became effective on January 1, 2020. Among material changes to the SLA that will affect the Site, AB 1486:
(a) expanded the definition of “local agency” to include a housing authority (among other local agencies), (b) amended and/or added definitions, including “surplus land” Resolution - Surplus Land Act – 1301 N. Anaheim Blvd. & 401 W. Carl Karcher Way May 13, 2025
and “exempt surplus land”, (c) requires property owned by a local agency to be declared either “surplus land” or “exempt surplus land” before the local agency may take any action to sell or lease the property, (d) requires an annual inventory of surplus land submitted to the State of California, Department of Housing and Community Development (State HCD), and (e) adds new limitations to the term “agency’s use” to exclude “commercial or industrial uses or activities, including nongovernmental retail, entertainment, or office development,” or “property disposed of for the sole purpose of investment or generation or revenue.”
Government Code Section 54221(f)(1)(F)(ii) allows a local agency to declare a property “exempt surplus land” if the property is released through an open competitive bid process in which all entities identified in Section 54222(a) are invited to participate; and the affordable housing developers will be invited to participate in the competitive bid process, for a mixed-use development on a site that is more than one acre in size, that will include at least 300 housing units, that restricts at least 25% of the units to lower income households as defined in California Health and Safety Code (H&SC) Section 50079.5, with an affordable sales price or an affordable rent, as defined in H&SC Sections 50052.5 and 50053, for a minimum of 45 years for ownership housing and 55 years for rental housing.
Staff considered alternative SLA exemption categories; however, the proposed exemption category provides flexibility in income ranges and development types allowing for creative financing that is less reliant on competitive state grants, tax credits and limited local gap funding resources. Given the proximity to a wide array of uses, transportation and job centers, Staff envisions a multiphase, multigenerational development with the opportunity for ancillary community serving space integrated within the Site, similar to the ancillary community spaces at Finamore Place and Miraflores Apartments. The proposed exemption category and envisioned development align with the Mixed Use-High land use designation for the Site in the pending Housing Element and General Plan Amendment.
Subsequent to the approval of the proposed Resolution, staff will release a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to solicit a qualified affordable housing developer. Following the RFQ, staff will bring forward a request to the Governing Body of the Authority to approve an Exclusive Negotiating Agreement (ENA) with the selected developer outlining the milestones to engage with the surrounding community, develop a master plan for the Site, and identify a feasible financing plan. The Authority intends to continue its’ practice of entering into a ground lease for the land to ensure long-term affordability of the Site and to allow the Authority to recoup its investment for the land acquisition through the excess cash flow from the developments.
This project is in line with City’s Strategic Plan Goal B Enhance Livability, Strategy 2 - Develop strategies to stabilize and expand affordable, workforce, and home ownership housing options for low-income residents.
Resolution - Surplus Land Act – 1301 N. Anaheim Blvd. & 401 W. Carl Karcher Way May 13, 2025
IMPACT ON BUDGET:
There is no impact to the Department’s budget.
Respectfully submitted,
Grace Ruiz-Stepter
Executive Director of
Anaheim Housing Authority
Attachments:
1. Resolution
2. Location Map