You don' t often get email from jleverin@uci. edu. Learn why this is important From: Joshua Wyatt Le ve ring < jl e veri n@uci. edu>
Se nt: Tue sday, August 12, 2025 4: 17 PM
To: The re sa Bass < TBass@anaheim. net>
Cc: Ce sar C < ce sarc@ke nne dycommi ssi on. org>; kennedyc@ke nne dycommission. org; Me l i nda. Coy@hcd. ca. gov Subje ct: [ EXTERN AL] He rmosa V i l l age Apartments Phase III Re syndication Project Warning: This email originated from outside the City of Anaheim. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and are expecting the message.
Good afternoon,
On behalf of the Kennedy Commission, I am submitting a public comment letter for Agenda Item # 5 under the Publi c Heari ngs section in tonight' s City Council meeting.
Thank you,
Joshua Levering
Summer Intern
August 12, 2025
Mayor Ashleigh Aitken
Members of the City Council
City of Anaheim City Hall
200 S Anaheim Blvd
Anaheim, CA 92805
RE: Public Hearing Item 5 – Hermosa Village Apartments Phase III ResyndicationProject Honorable Mayor Aitken and Anaheim City Council Members, The Kennedy Commission (the Commission) is a broad-basedcoalition of residentsand community organizations advocating for the production of homes affordable for families earning less than 30,000 annually in OrangeCounty. Since 2001, we have successfully partneredwith jurisdictions across the county to create housing and land- use policies that increase affordable housing opportunities for lower-income working families.
The proposed resyndication of the Hermosa Village Apartments Phase III, with the City’s Housing Authority partnering with Hermosa Village PhaseIII Housing Partners, L.P., representsa critical opportunity to protect existing affordable housing in Anaheim. Extending the affordability restrictions and ground leaseterm with deedrestrictions for an additional 55 yearswill ensurethat working families will continue to access affordable housing in their communities without fear of displacement.
The Commission supportsthe City’s actions to advancethe resyndication of Hermosa Village, secure $15.2 million in Low Income Housing Tax Credits, and pursue $37 million in Multifamily RevenueBonds. We believe preserving existing affordable housing is crucial to the City’s efforts in providing affordable homesto all residents; thesefinancial resourceswill help maintain Hermosa Village asa high-quality, permanently affordable community asset. We recognize that tenant protection during rehabilitation is crucial to ensurehouseholdsdo not becomedisplaced during the rehabilitation of theseunits, so we ask the city to ensurea guaranteedright to return for temporarily relocated families and ensuretransparencyfor residentsabout impacts and timelines.
We commend the City of Anaheim for its commitment to preserving affordable housing and for taking proactive stepsto keep Hermosa Village affordable for its residents. The Commission looks forward to supporting the implementation of thesemeasuresand advancing housing affordability for all Anaheim residents.
We look forward to working with the City of Anaheim to support the creation, preservation, and rehabilitation of affordable housing that meets the needs of our community. If you have any questions, pleasefeel free to contact me at (949) 250-0909 or [email protected].
Sincerely,
1 Cesar Covarrubias
Executive Director
CC: Melinda Coy
Proactive Housing Accountability Chief
California Department of Housing and Community Development 2 You don' t often get email from awood@biasc. org. Learn why this is important Date: 8/ 8/ 2025 5: 08: 07 PM
From:" Adam Wood" awood@biasc. org
To:" Public Comment" publiccomment@anaheim. net
Subject:[ EXTERNAL] BIA/ OC Comment Letter for Aug 12 Council Me eting Attachment: BIAOC Comment Letter - Item 6. pdf;
Warning: This email originated from outside the City of Anaheim. Do not click links or open attachme nts unle ss you recognize the sender and are expecting the message.
Please see attached for the Tuesday August 12thCouncil meeting.
Thanks.
Adam
Adam S. Wood
Senior Vice President
Building Industry Association of Southern California, Inc. awood@biasc. org
ph: ( 949) 777- 3860 w: biasc. org
Mailing Address: 17192 Murphy Ave., # 14445, Irvine, CA 92623 Orange County • Los Angeles/ Ventura • San Bernardino County • Riverside County • Coachella Valley
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
PRESIDENT
MEGAN ELTRINGHAM
THE NEW HOME COMPANY
1stVICE PRESIDENT
DAVE MELLO
LANDSEA HOMES
TREASURER
JOE OFTILE
WARMINGTON RESIDENTIAL
SECRETARY
NORMAN BROWN
PULTE GROUP
TRADE CONTRACTOR VP
ALAN BOUDREAU
BOUDREAU PIPELINE
ASSOCIATE MEMBER VP
MARK HIMMELSTEIN
NEWMEYER & DILLION, LLP
MEMBER AT LARGE
PETER VANEK
INTREGAL COMMUNITIES
MEMBER AT LARGE
SEAN MATSLER
COX, CASTLE, & NICHOLSON LLP
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT
BROOKE DOI
SHEA HOMES
SR. VICE PRESIDENT, OC CHAPTER
ADAM WOOD
BIA/ SC
BUILDING INDUSTRY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, INC.
ORANGE COUNTY CHAPTER
17192MURPHY AVE # 14445, IRVINE, CA 92623
949- 553-9500 I BIAOC.COM
August12, 2025
MayorAshleighAitken
City of Anaheim
200S. AnaheimBlvd.
Anaheim, CA 92805
Re: HousingAuthority – Item6: 703 & 705S. AnaheimBlvd
MayorandCouncil,
On behalf of the Building Industry Associationof SouthernCalifornia - Orange County Chapter (BIA/OC), I write highlight the ability to increase housing opportunityasconsideredin thestaffrecommendationfor HousingAuthority Item6.
By way of background, BIA/OC is a non-profit trade associationof over 1,000 membercompaniesaffiliated with the homebuilding industry. Our mission is to championhousingasthefoundationof vibrantandsustainablecommunities.
Over many yearsat many council hearings, we have testified about California’s housingcrisisandItem 6 addressesmanyconcerns. This is specificallyhighlighted by thestaff reportwhereinit says, “(g)iven thechallengingnatureof developingthe Authority-owned site as a stand-alone project and the ability to achieve homeownershipopportunitiesthroughalargerresidentialproject” approvalof thetwo proposedresolutionsincreaseshousingopportunitythatotherwisemightnot occur.
Dispositionof Redevelopmentland, navigatingtheSurplusLandAct andfinancing theincrediblecostsof constructionareall majorhurdlesto bringinganynewhousing to market. All thoseconcernsaresurmountablethroughthisproposalandownership opportunitywill bebroughtto oneof themostvibrantcommunitiesin all of Orange County.
Sincerely,
AdamWood
SeniorVice President
BIA/SC – OrangeCountyChapter
You don' t often get email from jleverin@uci. edu. Learn why this is important From: Joshua Wyatt Le ve ring < jl e veri n@uci. edu>
Se nt: Tue sday, August 12, 2025 4: 23 PM
To: The re sa Bass < TBass@anaheim. net>
Cc: Ce sar C < ce sarc@ke nne dycommi ssi on. org>; kennedyc@ke nne dycommission. org; Me l i nda. Coy@hcd. ca. gov Subje ct: [ EXTERN AL] A uthori zati on to Se l l Authori ty- Owne d Surplus Land to Re naissance Packi ng House Tow nhome s, LLC for A ff ordabl e Housi ng De ve l opme nt
Warning: This email originated from outside the City of Anaheim. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and are expecting the message.
Good afternoon,
On behalf of the Kennedy Commission, I am submitting a public comment letter for Agenda Item # 6 under the Publi c Heari ngs section in tonight' s City Council meeting.
Thank you,
Joshua Levering
Summer Intern
August 12, 2025
Mayor Ashleigh Aitken
Members of the City Council
City of Anaheim City Hall
200 S Anaheim Blvd
Anaheim, CA 92805
RE: Public Hearing Item 6 – RE: Authorization to Sell Authority- Owned Surplus Land to Renaissance Packing House Townhomes, LLC for Affordable Housing Development Honorable Mayor Aitken and Anaheim City Council Members, The Kennedy Commission is a broad-basedcoalition of residentsand community organizations advocating for the production and preservation of affordable homes— especially for families earning lessthan $30,000 annually— in OrangeCounty. Since 2001, we have worked with jurisdictions across the county to shape housing and land- use policies that expand opportunities for low- and very-low- income working families.
We commend the City of Anaheim for taking initiative to declare undevelopedAuthority- owned land at 703 and 705 S. Anaheim Boulevard as surplus land, and for making it possible to develop affordable and market-rate housing through the Surplus Land Act process, which requires a competitive solicitation and ensureslong-term affordability.
The proposedinclusion of housing on surplus land that is deed-restricted to moderate-income householdsis a good start, but in exchangefor developing homesin a prime location close to jobs and services, we at the Commission urge the City to require more from the developer. The City should require the developer to prioritize developing homesfor low- income and very low- income households. The City’s 2021–2029 Housing Policy Program emphasizesthe importance of increasing housing opportunities acrossall income levels, especially for extremely-low, very-low, and low- income households.
We recognize the City is making progressin providing affordable housing to residentsand encourage the City to take action to ensure more is built in order to reach Regional Housing NeedsAllocation ( RHNA) goals for eachincome level. The City hasdone well in providing moderate- income affordable housing, but has fallen behind in ensuring similar progress in low- income and very-low- income households. We recommend the city require the developer to set explicit minimum percentages of units for very- low and low- income households, such as a fifteen percent (15%) minimum affordability requirement.
We commend Anaheim’s leadership in activating surplus land for affordable housing and encourage the City to ensure these developments deliver meaningful, equitable outcomes for the most vulnerable residentsand working low- income families.
We look forward to working with the City of Anaheim to support the creation of affordable housing that meetsthe needsof our community. If you have any questions, pleasefeel free to contact me at 949) 250- 0909 or cesarc@kennedycommission. org.
1 Sincerely,
Cesar Covarrubias
Executive Director
CC: Melinda Coy
Proactive Housing Accountability Chief
California Department of Housing and Community Development 2