March 11, 2024
Special City Council
Meeting
Written Public Comments
City Council - Special Meeting
Meeting Time: 03-11-24 17:00
eComments Report
Meetings Meeting Agenda Comments Support Oppose Neutral Time Items
City Council - Special Meeting 03-11-24 8 3 1 0 2
17:00
City Council - Special Meeting
03-11-24 17:00
Agenda Name Comments Support Oppose Neutral
2.1. City of Orange Strategic Plan Discussion and Update. 3 1 0 2 Guest User
Location:
Submitted At: 4:20pm 03-11-24
The Kennedy Commission is requesting that the City of Orange focus its strategic planning priorities on addressing the affordable housing and homelessness crisis that is impacting low income working families in the City of Orange. Housing affordability is impacting lower income working families acutely due to the lack of production of affordable housing and limited housing options that allow families to be economically stable and thrive in our high housing cost market. In the last planning period the City of Orange exceeded its above moderate market housing goals, but produced a minimal affordable housing units. We need affordable homes for our working families.
Paul Kim
Location:
Submitted At: 9:53pm 03-10-24
Since the study showed that homeless is the most serious issue for facing the residents of the city of Orange, I would like to know if there is any status update in regards to establishing a temporary shelter in the city of Orange. Numerous studies also showed that homelessness is associated with high rents. For the working class and working families who live in the city of Orange who are at risk of homelessness, I would like the city to discern and formulate policies that could encourage development of affordable housing to prevent more homelessness in our city. Thank you.
Barry Ross
Location:
Submitted At: 2:23pm 03-06-24
The Survey indicates that homelessness is the residents top serious concern and affordable housing is #3. I am encouraging the City Council to add affordable housing to the budget priority list. Research shows that homeless will not be reduced if there is a lack of affordable housing. Young working families will not be able to live in Orange without access to more affordable housing. Thank you.
Pamela Coleman
From: Bonnie Robinson
Sent: Monday, March 11, 2024 5:11 PM
To:
Subject: Public Comment: City Council Special Meeting March 11, 2024, City of Orange Strategic Plan Item #2.1
Public Comment: City Council Special Meeting March 11, 2024 City of Orange Strategic Plan Item #2.1 Dear Mayor Slater, Mayor pro tem Barrios, Councilmember Dumitru, Councilmember Tavoularis, Councilmember Bilodeau, Councilmember Gutierrez and Councilmember Gyllenhammer, Please include the following in the City of Orange Strategic Plan:
• Protect remaining open space on the Santiago Creek Watershed to reduce risk of flooding upstream and downstream, to allow water to continue to percolate into underground aquifers, help prevent climate warming and to protect wildlife corridors. Much of the area could be used as park space to benefit residents and wildlife.
Protect open space on the parcel between Santiago Canyon Road, Jamboree and the entrance to the Toll Road, currently designated for development by The Irvine Company, to protect the wildlife corridor between Irvine Regional Park, Peters Canyon Regional Park and the Cleveland National Forest and to protect residents from fire risks and additional traffic.
Utilize underused office parks and large parking lots in the city to build affordable housing, as indicated in the City of Orange Housing Element
• When replacing street trees, although it would be nice to consider what was originally planted in Old Towne and other areas, it is more important to think long term. Replace current trees with trees native to the area which would use less water and would nurture our native wildlife.
Although they may take a longer time to grow, again, think about what would benefit our community in the long term, both financially (trimming and maintenance costs) and ecologically and environmentally.
• Was the Citywide Survey conducted by Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates designed to solicit any information from residents? If so, neither I nor anyone else in our family received a survey.
Thank you for your consideration.
Bonnie Robinson
Orange, CA 92869
1 *Kennedy
COMMISSION
www.kennedycommission.c
17701 Cowan Avc., Suite 2
Irvine. CA 926
March 13, 2024 949 250 09
City of Orange
City Council
300 E. Chapman Avenue
Orange, CA 92866
RE: Comments to The Strategic Plan Update
To City of Orange Planning Department:
The Kennedy Commission (the Commission) is a broad-based coalition of residents and community organizations that advocates for the production of homes affordable for families earning less than $27,000 annually in Orange County. Formed in 2001, the Commission has been successful in partnering and working 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.
Thank you for the opportunity to review and comment on the City of Orange's plan to update their Strategic Plan.
During the last Planning Period from 2014 - 2019, the City has approved 1,319 units at moderate and 550 at above moderate income. At very-low income the City has approved 9 units and 72 at low-income. Although the City had exceeded 5th Cycle targets for low, moderate, and above moderate, there is an unbalanced production of moderate and above moderate units. The number of moderate and above moderate units approved in the last seven years was 23 times more than those at low and very low income. This imbalance in housing production indicates that the City's affordable housing policies have not been effective in incentivizing and producing affordable housing for lower income households.
The Kennedy Commission is requesting that the City of Orange focus its strategic planning priorities on addressing the affordable housing and homelessness crisis that is impacting low income working families in the City of Orange. Housing affordability is impacting lower income working families acutely due to the lack of production of affordable housing and limited housing options that allow families to be economically stable and thrive in our high housing cost market.
We look forward to working with the City of Orange 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 [email protected].
Sincerely,
Cesa
Cesar Covarrubias
Executive Director