City of Irvine Appendix A-35 Housing Element
General Plan
Comments Received
Most residents and stakeholders voiced similar concerns. Comments received during community
workshops are summarized below by topic.
Comments Housing Element Response
Concern about the RHNA:
Unfair allocation of the region’s housing needs to
the City of Irvine. The amount of growth
expected of the City for this Housing Element
period is unrealistic and the City of Irvine is
being shouldered the majority of the growth
burden of the County.
Associated with the housing growth is traffic
increase. Residents were concerned that
additional growth will add significantly more
traffic to the local street and freeway systems.
Ability to provide schools, parks, and other
facilities is also a concern. Quality of life issues
were expressed by residents regarding the
significant growth required by the RHNA for the
2008-2014 Housing Element.
Residents were concerned that the RHNA would
continue to increase and that the City would
eventually reach buildout.
The City recognizes the tremendous and
disproportionate burden that is being imposed on the
City of Irvine. The Housing Element seeks to
accommodate this RHNA to the extent that is within
the City’s planning capacity.
Housing Options for Lower Income
Households:
Housing options for lower income households,
young families, and single professionals are
limited. Realtors commented they have younger
clients looking for smaller homes and
condominiums/townhomes in the City.
However, those options are limited and also not
priced for first-time homebuyers.
Senior housing options are also very limited in
the community.
Affordable housing is generally not available for
lower and moderate income households.
However, many are attracted to the City because
of the quality of its schools.
The City has adopted an Inclusionary Housing
policy. In addition, the City prepared an Affordable
Housing Implementation Strategy that aims at
delivering a range of affordable housing to the City.
Through the Inclusionary Housing Ordinance, the
City provides ownership opportunities for lower
income households.
Through mixed use and higher density development
in the IBC, the City seeks to provide additional rental
housing options and condominiums that are more
suited to the needs of young families and
professionals.
Housing Options for Extremely Low Income
Households:
Housing opportunities for extremely low income
households are very limited. The City has few
facilities and housing for the homeless and
disabled.
While the City’s Inclusionary Housing Ordinance
does not separately address the housing needs of
extremely low income households, the City partners
with nonprofit housing developers and has facilitated
the development of housing for extremely low and
very low income households.