The Issues Behind the Affordable Housing Crunch in Southern California

The Brea City Council applauds the Los Angeles Times’ concern about the staggering problem of providing new affordable housing in Southern California, including the city of Brea. However, after spending so many hours with your reporter, it is very difficult for us to understand why the (recent) article (“Brea Downtown Plan Clouded by Plight of Poor,” Sept. 10) did not mention the components of the (city of Brea’s Affordable Housing) Strategy. We would appreciate a chance to clarify the article.

The article began with a description of the Jesus Luevano family relocation. While we never discount the problems caused by moving a family of five, we do feel the Jesus Luevano family situation was mitigated to a great extent by the funding provided by the city. The Luevano family resided in a small six-room house occupied by three families totaling 15 people.

The city provided the Luevanos and the other two families a total of $100,000, which the three families utilized to make down payments on three houses in Chino. As a result of being relocated by the city of Brea, the Luevanos went from living in a run-down, overcrowded rented house to owning their own single-family home.

The article goes on to mention Brea’s utilization of the state-mandated $5,200 relocation benefit but fails to mention Brea’s own enhanced program, which provides additional payments over and above the state guidelines. The city’s enhanced program averages between $12,000 and $15,000 per eligible family.

The lack of affordable housing in Brea is of tremendous concern to the City Council. As our recent housing study showed, the Luevanos bought a home and moved to Chino, as do our police officers, teachers and firefighters who also can’t afford home ownership in Brea.

In an effort to respond to this great need, the Brea Redevelopment Agency has been working with several developers to assist in the construction of new affordable for-sale housing units. Habitat for Humanity, a private, nonprofit organization, submitted a proposal to the Redevelopment Agency for two small parcels of agency-owned, single-family infill lots. The agency requested that they expand their original proposal to include a nine-lot parcel on Poplar Avenue for a total of 33 units for very-low-income families.

As part of the downtown revitalization, private developers are currently in various stages of planning for the development of an additional 23 new, affordable for-sale townhomes to be constructed for low- and moderate-income families.

Brea’s downtown master plan, approved Sept. 3, incorporates a strong affordable housing component. The plan proposes the construction of approximately 300 family rental units--20% of these units will be available to low- and moderate-income families.

While it is true that Brea does not participate in the county HUD-financed Section 8 Program, Brea self-funds its own Section 8-style program that provides rent subsidies to 106 low-income seniors. Brea’s program is immune from federal housing funding cuts.

In addition to its Senior Subsidy Program, Brea has assisted in the construction of 153 new low- and moderate-income senior and family rental units over the past several years.

And finally, Brea operates the most successful dayworker job center in Orange County, serving more than 150 low-income workers daily.

FRANK BENEST, City Manager

Brea