Broad Action on Low-Cost Housing Urged

The Orange County Grand Jury threw its weight behind the issue of low-income housing Thursday, releasing a report that urged a broad-based solution to the crisis. The first step: Make a countywide map showing where such housing could be built.

The report notes that to keep its economy strong, the county must increase low-income housing, particularly for families with annual incomes of less than $34,000.

The grand jury is a 19-member panel appointed to investigate government issues of the members’ choosing.

Though the 16-page report doesn’t break any ground on the issue, affordable-housing advocates in nonprofits and in county government believe the report is important because the message comes from the grand jury. The report could make low-income housing a greater priority for builders and local government, they said.

“It holds a lot of weight that the grand jury has put the word out,” said Jill Dominguez, president of the WRJ Group, a consulting firm on housing issues. “It means more than whatever any nonprofit could ever do.”

Allen Baldwin, executive director of nonprofit builder Orange County Community Housing, agreed: “It’s a first step that raises political will.”

But as for the suggestion to develop a map to show where low-income housing could be built, Dominguez said that is “an old idea. We told the county they needed to do this last year.”

The report underlines the need for housing for the poorest county residents while applauding cities, nonprofits and the county for meeting to discuss the matter. It highlights the county’s successful bid for more federal housing subsidies, known as Section 8 vouchers, and a new program for first-time home buyers who are teachers or principals.

Supervisors and others in county government saw the report as an affirmation of their work, including the allocation of $34.8 million of county money to low-income housing development.

Cynthia P. Coad, chair of the Board of Supervisors, said in a written statement that the report acknowledges that “the collaborative process we are following is the key to future success and future housing for our residents.”

Paula Burrier-Lund, director of the Orange County Housing and Community Development Department, said the report will heighten awareness that Orange County is serious about building low-income housing. In the last year, the county has approved nine subsidized projects, creating 665 low-income units, and will soon ask for proposals to develop 300 to 500 more.

But grand jury member Joe Boyle said there is a lot of work to do. The county has built only 67 units for very low-income families, only 2% of what the Southern California Assn. of Governments proposed in a county plan.

Burrier-Lund said there are not enough nonprofit developers in the county to bid on the projects and there needs to be more community will for low-income housing.

“This report gets the word out to anyone who could bring in a deal,” she said.