Housing
The Housing team is committed to supporting affordable housing and community-based projects benefiting low and moderate income households. The primary responsibility of the Housing team is to administer Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The CDBG and HOME funds are allocated to eligible projects that benefit low and moderate income households.
- Housing Programs
- HUD Programs
- Housing Successor Agency
- Housing and HUD Documents
- Affordable Housing Resource Toolkit
Who do I call about the Section 8 program?
The Orange County Housing Authority operates the Section 8 program for the City of Orange. Contact Orange County Housing Authority (see below) to learn more about the Section 8 program.
Orange County Housing Authority 1770 North Broadway Santa Ana, CA 92706 (714) 480-2700
Who do I contact for tenant/landlord disputes for low income tenants?
The Fair Housing Foundation provides services to address fair housing issues between tenants and landlords as well as tenant and landlord training workshops to low income tenants. Contact the Fair Housing Foundation below for any fair housing related issues.
Fair Housing Foundation 2300 E. Katella Avenue, #405 Anaheim, CA, 92806 (562) 989-1206
The City annually receives the following federal funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program The HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) programs These funds are allocated to eligible projects that benefit low and moderate income households or neighborhoods. The allocation process consists of taking in and reviewing grant applications for proposed projects. The proposed projects are evaluated based on CDBG and HOME program requirements and regulations. The City Council approves the funding allocations to projects. Below is a list of projects funded with CDBG funds for Fiscal Year 2020-21 (July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021).
| Projects | CDBG Amount |
|---|---|
| Fair Housing Foundation | $24,522 |
| After-School Community Program | $43,170 |
| Bike Team Program | $100,000 |
| Operation School Bell | $18,000 |
| Community Food Orange | $18,000 |
| ADA Wheelchair Access Ramps | $104,059 |
| Hoover Street Improvement | $611,830 |
| Library ADA Improvement | $65,000 |
The City prepared the Housing Successor Annual Report for Low and Moderate Income Housing Asset Fund (LMIHAF) pursuant to California Health and Safety Code Section 34176.1(F) and is dated December 31, 2019. The report contains detailed information on the housing assets and activities of the Housing Successor during Fiscal Year 2018/2019.
Since the City receives entitlement CDBG and HOME funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the City is required to prepare and submit documents related to HUD grant funds on an annual basis except for the Consolidated Plan that is submitted to HUD every five years. Below are the three main documents.
- Annual Action Plan - This document outlines projects approved by the City Council for CDBG and HOME funds.
- Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) - The document contains status update and performance measures of projects funded with CDBG and HOME funds.
- Consolidated Plan - This is a five-year strategic planning document that lets HUD know how the City will use its CDBG and HOME funds towards projects that will meet high priority community needs.
Public Notices
- Consolidated Plan
- Action Plans
- CAPER Documents
The City offers the following programs and incentives to encourage and promote affordable housing developments. Moreover, during the preparation of the past Housing Element (2014-2021), the City identified housing opportunity sites, some of which are potentially suitable for affordable housing projects based on size of allowable density, and proximity to transit. The location of the sites are represented on a map that shows each parcel along with its APN and land use information.
- Density Bonus Program
- Development Incentives
- Deferred Impact Fees
- Various Funding Sources for Affordable Housing Projects
1. Density Bonus Program
The City has a Density Bonus Ordinance that is similar to the State Density Bonus Law of the California Government Code. The State Density Bonus Law takes precedence when the City’s Density Bonus Ordinance is silent or where the City Code is lagging behind changes in State Law. This ordinance applies to proposed housing projects of five or more dwelling units. The density bonus amount depends on what percent of the housing units are targeted for very low or low income families, and ranges from 5% to 25%. Eligible projects are affordable housing, transitional housing, student housing, condominium conversions, transit-adjacent housing, and senior housing.
After the City and the developer reach consensus on density bonus terms and conditions, the City and the developer enter into a Density Bonus Agreement. This agreement specifies number of affordable units, income levels, affordability period, and maximum rent or sale price. To learn more about the details of the Density Bonus Ordinance (Orange Municipal Code Section 17.15), check out the following link. https://library.municode.com/ca/orange/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT17ZO_CH17.15DEBO.
Housing developers applying for a Density Bonus housing project must submit a Land Use Project Application at https://www.cityoforange.org/DocumentCenter/View/184/Land-Use-Project-Application-PDF.
Please contact Chad Ortlieb, Senior Planner at cortlieb@cityoforange.org to schedule an appointment for any questions regarding the City’s Density Bonus Program.
2. Development Incentives
The City offers one to three concessions and/or waivers as an incentive for housing projects that receive a density bonus. This includes reduction in development standards such as setbacks, minimum unit square footage, parking standards, or landscape standards. It is important that these waivers and reductions meet the minimum building standards of the California Building Standards. Concessions and incentives must result in decreased development costs. To learn more about the concessions and waivers, refer to https://library.municode.com/ca/orange/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT17ZO_CH17.15DEBO_17.15.050COINAIREEDPAST.
3. Deferred Impact Fees
The City will consider deferring impact fees to coincide with occupancy permits for affordable housing projects. This will help reduce the upfront project cost as well as residual payments made to the City during the initial years after the housing construction is completed. Any developer seeking deferred impact fees needs to meet with the City and negotiate the terms through a development agreement.
4. Various Funding Sources for Affordable Housing Projects
The City annually receives federal HOME and CDBG funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Both HOME and CDBG funds can be used for the construction or rehabilitation of affordable housing projects. CDBG funds may be used for land acquisition only or improvements of common areas. HOME funds are available for construction or rehabilitation projects of affordable housing units. In addition to federal funds, the City may have redevelopment set aside funds that could be allocated for affordable housing projects.