Anaheim Local Housing Trust Fund
Fiscal Year 2025/2026
Annual Report
AUGUST 2026
In August 2024, the City Council established the Anaheim Local Housing Trust Fund (A-LHTF or Trust Fund) to serve as a flexible, locally controlled vehicle for receiving and investing funds in affordable housing and related programs. Establishment of the Trust Fund created the legal and administrative framework for future housing resources but did not, by itself, provide funding. The Trust Fund was created in anticipation of the Affordable Housing Payment required under the DisneylandForward Development Agreement, along with other potential local, state, and federal funding sources.
The City received the first $15 million installment of the DisneylandForward Affordable Housing Payment in May 2025, providing the Trust Fund's initial local capitalization. The remaining $15 million is required by June 2029. The Trust Fund provided the opportunity to consolidate legacy city funds dedicated to housing programs including previous voluntary developer contributions to affordable housing and the Federal PRO Housing Grant. In May 2025, the City Council adopted the Trust Fund Program Guidelines and Fund Allocation Plan, establishing three investment areas: the Build More Homes Initiative, the First-Time Homebuyer Program, and the Housing Stability Program. The Guidelines require staff to present an annual report to the City Council describing activities undertaken with Trust Fund resources during the prior fiscal year. The following report highlights the principal accomplishments and lessons from the Trust Fund's first year of funded implementation.
Fiscal Year 2025/2026 represents the Trust Fund's first year of funded program implementation and the first annual report required by the Program Guidelines. The year involved substantial administrative work to move the Trust Fund from an approved framework to functioning programs. Staff developed program requirements and procedures, established application and review processes, coordinated legal, fiscal, information technology, and program functions, created systems for tracking expenditures and outcomes, conducted outreach, and built relationships with the outside professionals and community partners needed to deliver assistance. This foundational work enabled the City to launch two new direct-assistance programs while also investing in affordable housing production and securing additional resources for future development.
BACKGROUND
KEY METRICS
47 Units Under
Construction
2 New Homeowners
65 HouseholdsRemain Housed
2 LAUNCHING DIRECT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS
into an operational downpayment-assistance
program, including application and eligibility procedures, underwriting and loan-review processes, deferred-payment loan documents, closing and funding procedures, and
coordination protocols with lenders, real estate professionals, brokers, and escrow companies.
The program provides eligible households with a $50,000 deferred-payment second mortgage. During the reporting
period, two households completed home purchases and five additional households received conditional approvals to support their home search. Staff also conducted outreach through community events and specialized workshops for
Anaheim residents, employees working in Anaheim, lenders, real estate professionals, brokers, escrow professionals, and other housing stakeholders. Staff continues to evaluate the assistance amount and the complementary financial-readiness support needed to help households advance from interest to purchase. To date, the $50,000 loan has generally served as effective last-mile financing for households that are otherwise mortgage-ready.
3 MY ANAHEIM HOME PROGRAM
2 NewHomeowners
5 ApprovedApplications
1,201
Program Inquiries
Dec
2025Launch
390
HouseholdAssessments
164
PipelineApplications
33 Outreach Events
12 Council DistrictEvents
We're genuinely grateful
for everything the Local
Housing Trust Fund
program did to
help us get into our home.
It made a real difference.
- My Anaheim Home
Program Participant
1 ApplicationPortal
“
“
The My Anaheim Home Program launched in
December 2025 as the City's first citywide
homeownership program in more than 15
years. Launching the program required staff
to translate the Trust Fund Guidelines
Resource
A wareness
Partnered
Resources
Resource
Navigation
City
Program
Household
Assessment
Staff launched a new First-Time Homebuyers Interest List portal and resource page on the city website to track interest and provide resources to other city programs including Density Bonus For-Sale units. Staff also developed an outreach and applicant-support approach centered on one-on-one assessments and referrals to homebuyer counseling so interested households could understand the program and improve their readiness to purchase a home.
Implementation of My Anaheim Home also generated important practical learning about what families need to become successful homeowners. As outlined in the Roadmap to Homebuying Success steps and the Homebuyer Keys to Success below, successful homeownership assistance extends beyond providing financial resources. Staff found that many interested households also need individualized financial education and support to address credit, savings, debt, budgeting, and other barriers to mortgage readiness. Staff completed in-depth financial-readiness assessments with more than 390 households. More than 160 households are being actively tracked and supported through biweekly check-ins, individualized referrals, and connections to homebuyer counseling and other resources. This hands-on work is helping staff better understand where households encounter barriers and how the program and its partnerships can evolve to improve the likelihood of successful homeownership.
ROADMAP TO HOMEBUYING SUCCESS
4 HOMEBUYER KEYS
TO SUCCESS
46 New Homeowners ofDensity Bonus Unitsin last 4 years
Having a home gave our
family the space we
needed and, most
importantly, a place we
can truly call our own.
- Density Bonus Unit
Homeowner
“
“
Sufficient Annual
Income
Strong Credit Score
Limited Debt
Ample Savings
Lender Pre-approval
Realtor Connection
Realistic
Understanding of
Buying Power
Motivation
Commitment to
Underwriting Process
The Stay Housed Anaheim Program launched in April 2026 to provide one-time emergency financial assistance to eligible low-income households facing an unexpected hardship that places them at immediate risk of housing instability, eviction, or homelessness. To establish the program, staff developed eligibility and documentation standards, an application and intake process, review and payment controls, applicant communications, and the administrative systems needed to 65 HouseholdsAssisted
$2,925
AverageAssistance
265
ProgramInquiries
April
2026 ProgramLaunch
I want to express my sincere
appreciation for the support this
program provided to my family and me.
The assistance allowed us to remain in
our apartment complex for the past
month, and we are truly grateful for the
opportunity and resources you have
given us.
- Stay Housed Anaheim Participant
“
“
STAY HOUSED ANAHEIM PROGRAM
issue assistance promptly while maintaining appropriate oversight of Trust Fund resources.
During the program’s first three months, Stay Housed Anaheim provided assistance to 65 households. This early activity reflects both the level of need among Anaheim renters and the significant implementation work completed during the fiscal year to move a new housing-stability concept from adopted guidelines to direct assistance for residents.
The Housing Stability investment area also supports eligible eviction-prevention assistance provided through the Senior Safety Net Program and Contigo, a new City initiative serving households affected by federal immigration enforcement actions. Because the eviction-prevention components of these initiatives are funded through the Housing Stability allocation, related expenditures are included in the Trust Fund’s financial reporting. Assistance provided through Senior Safety Net and Contigo is separate from the 65 households assisted through Stay Housed Anaheim during the reporting period.
ADDITIONAL HOUSING STABILITY PROGRAMS
5 As of June 30, 2026, the Trust Fund, including the separately tracked ATID Housing Fund, had a combined ending balance of $18,157,364 after $2,120,511 in program and administrative expenditures.
The Trust Fund began FY 2025/2026 with $16,672,483, consisting of the $15 million DisneylandForward Affordable Housing Payment received in May 2025, $1 million in U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) PRO Housing Grant funds, and $547,837 from prior voluntary developer contributions and accrued interest. During FY 2025/2026, the Trust Fund received $2,374,905 in revenue, including reimbursements from the HUD PRO Housing Grant, a developer contribution from the middle-income refinancing of 1818 Platinum Triangle, and accrued interest. The separately tracked ATID Housing Fund accrued $1,230,487, including accrued interest. The financial summary reflects only funds received and expenditures incurred through June 30, 2026; therefore, the $5 million Regional Early Action Planning (REAP) 2.0 Grant award is not included in the table. A detailed financial summary is provided below:
TRUST FUND FINANCIAL POSITION &
USE OF FUNDS
6 Federal & State Sources
H U D P R O H o u s i n g G r a n t
R E A P 2 . 0 G r a n t
D i s n e y l a n d F o r w a r d A f f o r d a b l e H o u s i n g P a y m e n t D e v e l o p e r V o l u n t a r y C o n t r i b u t i o n s I n - L i e u F e e s
S O U R C E S
F Y 2 4 / 2 5
F Y 2 5 / 2 6
F Y 2 6 / 2 7
Local Sources
Accrued Interest
T otal FY A vailable Funds
547,837
5,000,000
581,753
3,000,000
20,277,87516,672,483 28,825,712
4,900,000
397,809
4,000,000
1,230,487
629,517
9,927,326
4,500,000
18,157,364
U S E S
Restricted Funds
B u i l d M o r e H o m e s I n i t i a t i v e
T otal Unrestricted Funds
A L L O C A T E D
E X P E N D E D
R E M A I N I N G
F i r s t - T i m e H o m e b u y e r P r o g r a m * H o u s i n g S t a b i l i t y P r o g r a m
A d m i n i s t r a t i o n
Subtotal
R e s e r v e A c c o u n t
1,230,487
Restricted Special Funds
A T I D H o u s i n g F u n d a n d A c c r u e d I n t e r e s t T otal Funds
1,000,000
5,000,000 100,000
1,000,000 370,483
500,000 102,191
11,500,000 2,120,511
4,500,000
19,730,038 2,120,511
PROJECTED
18,499,551 2,120,511 16,926,877
1,245,315
Subtotal
ATID Housing Fund and Accrued Interest
2,374,905
1,230,487
Stay Housed Anaheim
Contigo (Housing Component)
Senior Safety Net Program
U p r o g r a m m e d F u n d s
187,090
172,345
1 1,048
5,000,000
2,499,551
H U D P R O H o u s i n g G r a n t - L i v a b i l i t y L a b 547,837
5,547,837
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
547,837
$
$
$ $
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$ $
2,499,551
15,049,742$
$
1,000,000$
561,000
61,741$
INVESTING IN HOUSING &
EXPANDING AVAILABLE
RESOURCES
Under the Build More Homes Initiative, the Trust Fund invested $1 million in gap financing, using funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) PRO Housing Grant, to support the 47-unit intergenerational affordable housing development under construction at Beach Boulevard and Lincoln Avenue (pictured above). This investment demonstrates the Trust Fund's role as a flexible financing vehicle that can combine local and outside resources to advance projects in the City's affordable housing pipeline.
BUILD MORE HOMES INITIATIVE
REAP 2.0 GRANT AWARD
A major accomplishment during FY 2025/2026 was securing a $5 million Regional Early Action Planning (REAP) 2.0 Grant through the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG). This new funding substantially expands the resources available for future affordable housing investments and strengthens the Trust Fund beyond its initial capitalization. Because the grant funds had not been received as of June 30, 2026, the award is not reflected as revenue or in the year-end balances presented in the Financial Summary.
Receipt is anticipated in August 2026, at which time the $5 million will be added to the Build More Homes Initiative allocation to support gap financing for eligible affordable housing developments, including future developments along Beach Boulevard and at Harbor Boulevard and Karcher Way.
ATID HOUSING FUND
The City also established the Anaheim Tourism Improvement District (ATID) Housing Fund as a separately tracked,
recurring fund within the Trust Fund to expand workforce housing opportunities for employees of Assessed Facilities within the ATID. The fund receives 9% of the ATID hotel assessment. The five-member ATID Housing Committee,
comprising four hotel representatives and one City
representative, was appointed in April 2026 and held its first two meetings during the fiscal year to assess housing needs and begin developing potential programs. Establishing the fund, committee, governance process, and initial program- development work created the foundation for an ongoing
source of locally controlled housing revenue.
7 CONCLUSION
8 LOOKING AHEAD
Looking ahead to FY 2026/2027, staff anticipates
increased utilization across the Trust Fund programs.
Staff will continue marketing My Anaheim Home,
maintaining contact with interested households, and
connecting applicants with homebuyer counseling to
improve readiness. Demand for Stay Housed
Anaheim assistance is expected to remain strong as
renters continue to face housing affordability and
cost-of-living pressures. Under the Build More
Homes Initiative, staff expects to complete its review
of proposals for the Harbor Boulevard and Karcher
Way development site in November 2026. Following
selection of a preferred proposal, staff will evaluate
the project's financing needs and return to the City
Council with any recommended Trust Fund
commitment.
Implementation of the Anaheim Local Housing Trust
Fund aligns with Anaheim’s Strategic Plan Goal B –
Enhance Livability by fostering inclusive
communities, expanding housing opportunities for all
income levels, supporting economic stability, and
promoting long-term sustainable growth.
The Anaheim Local Housing Trust Fund has
successfully transitioned from an approved
framework to functioning programs. During its first
full year of operation, the Trust Fund has
demonstrated its ability to leverage outside funding,
launch new housing programs, invest in affordable
housing production, and establish a strong
foundation for continued investment in Anaheim's
housing priorities.
Staff will continue monitoring program performance,
evaluating emerging housing needs, and returning to
City Council with updates on Trust Fund activities,
financial status, and program outcomes.