Put Teeth in Housing Laws

Every new report seems to emphasize the imbalance in Orange County’s housing market and the inability, or unwillingness, of local officials to do anything about it.

According to research figures released last week, the median price for an Orange County home increased more than 12% over March of last year and now sits at $292,000.

Other new statistics show significant drops in housing production in the last decade despite an 18% population growth. Multifamily unit construction in the ‘90s was down 56.5% from the 1980s, and the home ownership rate is among the lowest in the nation, better than only New York and Hawaii.

Compounding the pricey housing market in the least affordable area in Southern California are rents at an all-time high, averaging more than $1,200 a month, and an apartment vacancy factor below 3%.

The state Department of Housing and Community Development has reported that more than 40% of Orange County’s local governments have failed to meet the state housing standard. The 1969 state planning and zoning law requires local governments to identify, analyze and not stand in the way of the development of housing for people at all income levels.

But some of our cities are not doing as well as they should and need to do better. Anaheim, Cypress, Dana Point, Fullerton, La Habra, La Palma, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Newport Beach, Placentia, Seal Beach, Stanton, Villa Park, Westminster and county government all are out of compliance with the state standard.

Moreover, because the law requires only that a plan be filed and updated every five years, not implemented, some other communities that meet the letter of the law might still fall far short of its spirit and intent to provide a housing mix.

Some officials, local and statewide, criticize the state’s estimate of need (it calls for an additional 75,000 homes in Orange County for residents of all income levels by 2005 to meet growth expectations). They also cite high real estate costs and property values and a scarcity of land for the kind of large-scale projects so prevalent in the boom housing years of the ‘60s and ‘70s. They also note a lack of interest from builders for condominium and apartment construction as reasons for failure. All are true to varying degrees.

However, there also is a lack of commitment from some communities to finding affordable housing. It’s easier to give reasons why it can’t be done than to find ways of doing it. It also may be difficult to resist political pressure from some residents motivated by the “not-in-my-back-yard” syndrome.

To accommodate all income levels means including retired seniors living on a fixed income, young people who wish to remain in the city they grew up in, and the community’s teachers, police officers, nurses and others.

This also makes economic sense. It helps local business and industry maintain a nearby labor pool. That cuts down on commuting, which eases traffic congestion and pollution for everyone.

It also saves employees time and expense and reduces the lateness, absenteeism and job turnover that raise operating costs and cut efficiency. These problems may prompt some businesses to relocate and others not to come to the county in the first place.

Cities have to be more aggressive in requiring residential developers to set aside land for affordable homes and, like San Diego, start considering higher residential density, especially for apartment and condo developments. Some planning experts see that as the only immediate way to meet affordable housing needs.

For nearly 32 years, the state law has sat on the books with widespread noncompliance and lax enforcement. But a series of bills introduced in Sacramento indicates that the Legislature’s patience with that is wearing thin. Some of the proposed measures offer incentives for building more homes, especially affordable ones. Another would levy fines and withhold state funds from cities and counties that keep ignoring the housing law.

Maybe that will finally prod Orange County local governments to have welcome signs at their city limits that mean what they say.