Affordable Housing in Seal Beach

A recent article in the Real Estate Section of the Los Angeles Times stressed the need for affordable housing in Southern California. Seal Beach, along with other favored Orange County coastline cities, has failed to include any housing programs or community plans in which a portion of a new development addresses the urgent need for housing families of low or moderate income.

In the Southern California area there is an estimated shortfall of more than a million affordable housing units. Some cities in the Los Angeles and Orange County areas have provided a few housing projects. A small beacon of light considering the great need.

Despite all current building activity, the Orange County oceanfront communities have shown no responsibility toward providing affordable housing.

Ten years ago, during Gov. Jerry Brown’s tenure, the state Department of Housing and Community Development issued a statewide housing mandate whereby every city and county was required to allocate a portion of new construction for low- and moderate-cost housing units. This plan has not been implemented by the present state housing authorities. By ignoring current housing needs in our communities we now have homeless people sleeping in the streets, cars or on beaches.

The controversy in Seal Beach over the Mola Development Co.’s plan for 773 units surrounding a golf course completely disregards current low-cost housing needs and social concerns while taking full advantage of the use of redevelopment and tax increment funds to benefit their development.

It is time for Seal Beach to lead the way toward some concern for the present and future housing needs of the average citizen by providing some affordable housing in our community.

HARRIET ROTH

Seal Beach