Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Tag Archives: Housing

New “affordable” housing starting at over $400K now available in Santa Ana

Posted on by Posted in Affordable Housing, Real Estate, Santa Ana Leave a comment

City of Santa Ana

Community: New Affordable Homes Now Available / Nuevas Viviendas Económicas Disponibles Ahora

The City of Santa Ana promotes housing that is affordable to a range of households across varying income levels by requiring certain new residential developments to include affordable housing units. As part of the City of Santa Ana’s Housing Opportunity Ordinance, the Santa Ana Collection by City Ventures is offering 11 new homes to qualified moderate-income homebuyers. Continue reading→

Santa Ana’s Andalucia Apartments selected as O.C.’s top affordable & workforce housing development

Posted on by Posted in Housing, Santa Ana 5 Comments

City of Santa Ana

Community: Andalucia Apartments Selected as Orange County’s Top Affordable & Workforce Housing Development at Annual Awards Ceremony

SANTA ANA, CA – The Andalucia Apartments, the first workforce housing community developed in the City of Santa Ana’s Harbor Mixed-Use Corridor Plan (the Harbor Plan), was selected as Orange County’s Affordable & Workforce Housing 2017 Development of the Year at the annual Orange County Affordable Housing Awards event.

Hosted by the Affordable Housing Clearinghouse, Kennedy Commission and the Orange County Community Housing Corporation, the AHA event recognizes and celebrates exceptional affordable housing accomplishments for lower income households living in Orange County. Continue reading→

Santa Ana receives 75 HUD housing vouchers for homeless veterans

Posted on by Posted in Federal Government, homeless, Housing, Santa Ana, Veterans 1 Comment

City of Santa Ana

Community Alert: HUD-VASH Project-Based Vouchers Award

The City of Santa Ana is pleased to announce that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has awarded seventy-five (75) vouchers for homeless veterans to the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Ana. This supportive housing assistance is provided through the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Program which combines rental assistance from HUD with case management and clinical services provided by the VA. Continue reading→

The Santa Ana Planning Commission has postponed changes to the Granny Flats ordinance

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Development, Neighborhood Associations, Planning, Santa Ana 2 Comments

The State of California and the City of Santa Ana have determined that they want to increase the supply of “affordable housing” on the backs of single family residential neighborhoods, according to several neighborhood leaders.

In the City’s proposed ordinance (Zoning Ordinance Amendment 2016-05) there are two components. The State mandates are law and would be very difficult, expensive and time-consuming to revise or get relief from. The City recommended component is their “wish list” and can be defeated by Santa Ana residents. Continue reading→

Santa Ana Fair Housing Workshop set for Oct. 20 at City Hall

Posted on by Posted in Housing, Santa Ana Leave a comment

santa-ana-fair-housing-workshop

City of Santa Ana

Community: FAIR HOUSING WORKSHOP / TALLER DE DERECHOS PARA INQUILINOS / FAIR HOUSING HỘI THẢO

The City of Santa Ana and Fair Housing Council of Orange County invite you to attend a Fair Housing Workshop on October 20, 2016, at 5 p.m. For more information click here. Continue reading→

Salvation Army to celebrate the grand opening of their Santa Ana Hospitality House on 11/21

Posted on by Posted in Development, homeless, Housing, Santa Ana Leave a comment

mayor-pulido-center-and-salvation-army-staff

Salvation Army to Celebrate the Grand Opening of their Hospitality House

By: Mayor Miguel Pulido

Mayor Miguel Pulido is pleased to join The Salvation Army in celebrating the grand opening of the newly remodeled emergency men’s homeless shelter, Hospitality House, on Monday, November 21, 2016 at 10:00 a.m.

Located at 818 East Third Street in Santa Ana, the shelter has been expanded to hold 75 beds and will include updated amenities, meeting rooms and new administration space for social service programs. The Hospitality House is the only year-round men’s homeless shelter in Orange County. Last year, 224 Hospitality House clients entered the Salvation Army’s assistance programs and averaged an 80 percent achievement rate on their goals including vocational training and finding stable housing. Continue reading→

The Santa Ana City Council approves spending $1.2 M to help the homeless

Posted on by Posted in homeless, Housing, Santa Ana 3 Comments

City of Santa Ana, Downtown Orange County

Community Alert: Santa Ana City Council Approves Funding to Address Chronic Homelessness

At last night’s meeting, the Santa Ana City Council unanimously approved approximately $1.2 million in HOME Investment Partnership Program funds for the Guest House project. This is the first permanent supportive housing project for chronically homeless individuals in Santa Ana and one of the largest projects to provide housing for homeless individuals in Orange County.

The Guest House is located at 2151 E. First Street and is being developed by Community Development Partners through the rehabilitation of an existing hotel. The Guest House will provide 57 studio units and 14 one-bedroom units serving homeless residents. The design will feature four two-story buildings, a community garden, commercial kitchen, outdoor courtyard and laundry facilities. Continue reading→

Santa Ana named among the top 10 best American cities for techies to live in

Posted on by Posted in Housing, Santa Ana, Technology 1 Comment

City of Santa Ana

Community Alert: Santa Ana Named Among Top 10 Best American Cities for Tech Professionals to Live

Real estate site Homes.com recently ranked Santa Ana as the 7th best city in the U.S. for technology professionals in their New Tech City Index 2016. The study ranks emerging cities from all over the country that are creating opportunities for the growing number of U.S. tech workers.

“We’re delighted to be recognized as a premier location for technology professionals to live, work, and be part of our vibrant community” said City Manager David Cavazos. “The index shows that Santa Ana has the ideal mix of good-paying technology jobs, home affordability, and housing growth.” Continue reading→

Santa Ana industrial property rezoned as an 18-acre residential and commercial development

Posted on by Posted in Housing, Planning, Santa Ana 1 Comment

The Santa Ana City Council has decided to rezone an 18-acre parcel of industrial land for what would be the city’s largest mixed-use development to help solve housing needs in the densely populated community, according to the O.C. Register.

The site, called The Heritage, is at 2001 E. Dyer Road, just East of Redhill Ave. The project will include 1,221 market-rate apartment units, 12,675 square feet of retail commercial space and 5,415 square feet of restaurant space. Continue reading→

Feds approve use of vacant OCTA bus terminal in DTSA to shelter the homeless

Posted on by Posted in Andrew Do, homeless, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Federal Officials Approve Use of Transit Hub to Shelter Homeless

A plan to shelter the homeless during El Niño rainstorms at the unused Santa Ana Transit Terminal in the Orange County Civic Center has been approved on an interim basis through June by the Federal Transit Administration.

The approval was delivered by letter today, two days after the Orange County Transportation Authority made the request on behalf of the County. The County opened escrow last month to buy the property from the Orange County Transportation Authority; a proposed lease for the interim use was sent last week to OCTA and required federal approval. Continue reading→

Should the City of Santa Ana be encouraging us to turn garages into living spaces?

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Development, Housing, Planning, Santa Ana 5 Comments

Garage apartment

The Santa Ana City Council on Tuesday unanimously directed staff to update the city’s Second Dwelling Unit Ordinance, which only allows modest-sized granny flats – between 300 square feet and 750 square feet or 30 percent of the size of the primary dwelling on the parcel, whichever is less, according to the O.C. Register.

What this means is that zoning regulations will be revised and residents may be allowed to build much larger add-ons that might include amenities like bathrooms and kitchens.

But is this a good idea?  Dramatically increasing housing density at a time that crie is out of control doesn’t make much sense to us. Continue reading→

Sarmiento honored for creating an affordable housing ordinance that prevents new housing

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Development, Housing, Real Estate, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 1 Comment

Sarmiento honors Kenneth Nguyen

Santa Ana Mayor Pro Tem Vincent Sarmiento was selected today as one of the fourteen politicians to join something called the NewDEAL, which is “a national network that is committed to highlighting innovative ideas from state and local elected leaders who are pro­growth progressives.”

Governor Jack Markell of Delaware and U.S. Senator Mark Warner of Virginia, Honorary Chairs of the NewDEAL, recognized City Councilor Sarmiento’s efforts to expand opportunity by providing affordable housing options in areas where it can have the most impact.

That is pretty ironic given that the Santa Ana City Council recently “amended a housing ordinance to no longer require developers to set aside a percentage of converted residential units for affordable housing, which is sold or rented below the market rate,” according to KPCC. Continue reading→

Vietnamese family to be charged with fraudulently receiving housing assistance

Posted on by Posted in Crime, OCDA, Santa Ana, Vietnamese, Westminster 1 Comment

OCDA Seal

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # 15CF2249

Date: October 2, 2015

SIX FAMILY MEMBERS TO BE ARRAIGNED FOR DEFRAUDING OVER $100,000 IN GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES BY FALSIFYING INFORMATION TO RECEIVE HOUSING ASSISTANCE

SANTA ANA, Calif. – Six family members are scheduled to be arraigned today for defrauding over $100,000 in government subsidies by falsifying information to receive housing assistance. The defendants are each being held on $175,000 bail and must prove the money is from a legal and legitimate source before posting bond. The defendants are scheduled to be arraigned today, Oct. 2, 2015, at 10:00 a.m. in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana.

Charges

Thang Chinh Ly, 66, and Thu Ha Le, 53, both of Westminster, are each charged with one felony count of aid by misrepresentation, one felony count of grand theft by public housing fraud, and sentencing enhancement allegations for over $100,000 loss, aggravated white collar crime over $100,000, property damage or loss over $65,000. Thang Ly is additionally charged with seven felony counts of perjury by declaration and Le is additionally charged with six felony counts of perjury by declaration. If convicted, Thang Ly faces a maximum sentence of 13 years and four months in state prison and Le faces a maximum sentence of 12 years and eight months in state prison. Continue reading→

Santa Ana offers fair housing online surveys and a workshop set for 9/30

Posted on by Posted in Entertainment, Housing, Real Estate, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Fair Housing

City of Santa Ana

Community Alert: FAIR HOUSING WORKSHOP & SURVEY

The City of Santa Ana invites you to participate in a Fair Housing Workshop on Wednesday, September 30, 2015 from 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. in the Police Community Room, located at 60 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701.

This workshop is aimed at tenants, landlords, social service providers, housing professionals, and anyone concerned with fair housing in their community. Your input will help develop a regional* federally-required Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice, the planning document for providing equal housing opportunities. Fair Housing issues to be discussed include: Continue reading→

City of Santa Ana to offer virtual housing counseling services via their WORK center

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Entertainment, Housing, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Santa Ana Virtual Counselor Network

City of Santa Ana

Community: New “Virtual Counselor Network” Offers No Cost Professional Housing Counseling & Expands Services in Santa Ana

The Orange County Housing Opportunities Collaborative (OC HOC) is proud to announce that the City of Santa Ana’s WORK Center will receive a Virtual Empowerment Center as part of a network of strategically-located stand-alone computer terminals stretching 120 miles from Santa Ana to San Diego, and as far as San Bernardino.

The new network provides free “real time” access to housing, credit and financial counseling from trusted nonprofit partners and eliminates the need for clients to drive from location to location to receive services. Continue reading→