People for Housing - OC YIMBY

People for Housing - OC YIMBY Advocating for affordable housing and ending the California shortage. 🏡

10/13/2026

Should cities fund affordable housing? Should cities support the housing they planned for? These are fair questions.  

Cities are required by California state law to plan for housing; the state recognizes that there's an acute housing shortage driving up costs for everyone. But housing costs will not come down unless the housing for which cities PLAN for become actual roofs and doors. This is especially true for affordable housing!

The 29-unit 100% affordable housing project at 340 St. Ann’s Drive in Laguna Beach provides that much needed affordable housing. Thanks to SB 4, Neighborhood Congregational Church (NCC) was able to streamline the development, partnering with Related California to propose this development.

On July 15th, 2026, the motion to provide the city’s $2.5 million match to the state’s $2.5 million funding for the project was approved unanimously 4-0 (one councilmember absent). This is the only newly approved affordable housing project since 2004 in Laguna Beach, which has around 23,000 residents.

Cities should fund affordable housing if they want to keep essential workers and socioeconomic diversity in their cities. Without enough affordable housing, cities force essential workers like teachers, firefighters, and service workers into long commutes from other cities. Just like schools and libraries and fire stations benefit cities as a whole, affordable housing does too.

Support housing projects at your local city council and planning commission meetings by giving spoken or written public comments!  Like one supporter said, “Zoning without building is a ridiculous argument!” It also ignores the needs of others who are struggling to afford rent in Orange County.

10/12/2026

Someone made room for all of us in Orange County. Will we make room for others?

“Treat others as you yourself would want to be treated.” This message is at the core of all the world’s major religions. Here, a pastor is pleading with her fellow Christians to put their faith into action; to make room for others, especially those who have less, which in Costa Mesa is the majority of residents. 53% of Costa Mesa residents are burdened by their housing costs. Even if you aren’t a religious person, allowing affordable housing to be built in your city is the least you can do to show care to others. We’re all here because someone made room for us in Orange County. We think we should make room for others so they can also build their future here.

At this meeting on September 15th, 2026, the city council of Costa Mesa considered whether to approve a 4,000 housing unit (with 920 affordable units) plan that IS FINANCIALLY FEASIBLE, or cave bow to NIMBY sentiments by only allowing 2,300 units in the plan that is NOT financially feasible, which means it is highly likely no homes will be built. Even with the high inclusionary percentage of 40% affordable housing, 40% of zero is still zero! 

It seems like an easy decision considering how much housing costs are weighing on Orange County and Costa Mesa residents, 53% of which are housing cost burdened. However, the city council moved forward with the 2300 unit version of the plan, knowing it was not feasible and unlikely to result in any housing. The motion carried 7-0. Under this plan, Costa Mesa is unlikely to get any affordable housing at this 80-acre site (former Fairview Developmental Center).

For our detailed run-down of the project, check out our X/Twitter thread here: https://x.com/HousingOC/status/2100041220261331101?s=20

10/09/2026

Who Is Responsible For Orange County's Housing Crisis?

The 2024 UCI-OC Poll finds that affordable housing and homelessness are top issues in OC residents’ minds, and they are looking to local governments– the County Board of Supervisors and city councils– to fix it.
Key take-aways:
1. Housing and homelessness are the top concerns for Orange County residents.
2. Many, if not most, OC residents have frequent contact with people experiencing homelessness.
3. OC residents are looking largely to local governments to fix homelessness and housing instability.

We cannot separate the housing shortage, and the resulting high housing costs that result, from people’s inability to maintain stable housing. It’s a short fall from housing instability into homelessness, and once someone has lost their housing, it becomes much harder to regain stable housing. A fundamental part of addressing the housing crisis is to build more housing, especially affordable housing, which requires government subsidy and support from voters.

The presenter is Dean Jon Gould, a distinguished scholar in justice policy, social change, and government reform at University of California, Irvine.

Check out Dean Jon Gould’s l remarks here: https://youtu.be/BnU2C_TVM_k?si=9GqhIQRJmjwPH6V3
Check out the full webinar here: https://youtu.be/X7OyEGrfOPM?si=5Do4G66b8OxEYCdn

10/08/2026

Last year, we spoke for public comment in support of the Euclid and Heil multi-family housing development in the city of Fountain Valley, California

These new homes include apartment flats, for-sale townhomes, and affordable rentals for seniors. This project was approved and is being built right across from Mile Square Park, addressing the housing needs for all generations in Orange County!

10/07/2026

Costa Mesa City Council rejects much needed housing because it’s “too dense” and the land is “too pristine” 

This is the final hearing of the Fairview Developmental Center (FDC) Specific Plan in Costa Mesa. In their Housing Element, the city chose to allocate 40% of the units in FDC to be affordable to low income households. That is an extraordinarily high inclusionary percentage. Anything from 5 to 15% is a typical requirement without subsidy. Even the Surplus Land Act only requires 25%. 

To get these homes built will require a significant government subsidy (LIHTC tax credits most likely) and also a significant amount of market rate housing to offset the reduced revenue from the discounted affordable units. This means the total number of allowed units needs to be higher and the Plan must allow for greater density (above 3,450 units).

But that is not what the City Council chose. The approved Plan only allows for 2,300 units of housing, which the consultant and city staff demonstrate does not make economic sense. This version of the plan leaves a $233 million shortfall. There was a 3450 unit version that came much closer to breaking even, but the council did not approve that one either. Instead they made comments about how it would be unlivable.

53% of Costa Mesa residents experience housing cost burden; many of them live in overcrowded conditions, and yet the city council refuses to allow housing at the density that makes it pencil. And they tell us that the financial feasibility is not their concern. 

The version of the FDC Specific Plan that was financially feasible with a 40% inclusionary requirement was 4,000 units. The approved version only allows 2,300 units of housing at the 80-acre site, but it is likely to result in zero housing units, be it market-rate or affordable, because it just doesn’t make financial sense. 

For our detailed run-down of the project, check out our X/Twitter thread here: https://x.com/HousingOC/status/2100041220261331101?s=20

10/02/2026

Young People in Orange County Deserve an Opportunity to Own in the Place They Grew Up In!

Why is it so expensive to buy a home in Orange County? Because we don’t build enough homes to meet the demand and see housing prices stabilize. If you’re under 40 and grew up in Orange County, you or your friends are probably asking yourself, “Do we stay and try to make it here? Or do we leave for more affordable places?” We frequently see young people moving away to places where buying a home is more within reach, but then you have to ask, “What about the young people in the destination city? It’s a cycle; young people priced out of Orange County move to more affordable places, and drive up costs in the place they land. What we need to do is make room here, in Orange County, for the people who would like to stay..

Meritage Homes is bringing forward 90 homes—“stacked flats”—in Anaheim and these are precisely the housing type that we need to make room for the younger generation, or even older people looking to downsize to “one floor living.”

The City of Anaheim Planning Commission voted to approve this project, 5-1-1, on August 24th, 2026.

Prop. 43 makes it more difficult for cities to fund affordable housing even when their own residents suggest it! Prop. 4...
09/29/2026

Prop. 43 makes it more difficult for cities to fund affordable housing even when their own residents suggest it!

Prop. 43 increases the percentage of votes required to approve local voter-proposed, special-purpose taxes from a simple majority (50%+1) to two-thirds. These special-purpose taxes don’t just fund affordable housing; they also include essential public services like police and fire protection, schools, and roads. This change means local governments would likely struggle to raise taxes for essential services because just 33.4% of voters will be able to derail efforts that 66% of people want. It’s another roadblock to maintaining public safety and building affordable housing in California.

Strongly consider voting NO on Prop. 43 in November.

09/28/2026

Is it selfish to want your grandchildren to be able to afford to live in Orange County?

This grandmother just wants her grandchildren to be able to live near her, but her own city—Costa Mesa—has built so little housing that she admits she just doesn’t see that happening. Not enough supply to meet the demand leads to higher prices, and the same goes for housing. And this grandmother knows that and that’s why she fights for the maximum number of housing supply and the maximum number of affordable units at this golden opportunity for housing in Costa Mesa: the former Fairview Developmental Center site.

At this meeting on September 15th, 2026, the city council of Costa Mesa considered whether to approve a 4,000 housing unit (with 920 affordable units) plan that IS FINANCIALLY FEASIBLE, or cave to NIMBY sentiments by only allowing 2,300 units in the plan, which is NOT financially feasible, which means it is highly likely no homes will be built. Even with the high inclusionary percentage, 40% of zero is still zero!

It seems like an easy decision considering how much housing costs are weighing on Orange County and Costa Mesa residents, 53% of which are housing cost burdened. However, the city council moved forward with the 2300 unit version of the plan, knowing it was not feasible and unlikely to result in any housing. The motion carried 7-0. Under this plan, Costa Mesa is unlikely to get any affordable housing at this 80-acre site.

For our detailed run-down of the plan, check out our X/Twitter thread here: https://x.com/HousingOC/status/2100041220261331101?s=20

09/24/2026

There are consequences to not building enough housing to meet the demand

If you live in California, you probably know a family or two that moved away to a lower cost-of-living state. The cost of living in California is so high largely because housing is so expensive. Expensive housing leads to expensive everything, because everything needs labor, and labor is human, and humans need a place to live. Housing costs go up, grocery stores need to pay more for labor just to have enough workers, and grocery prices go up.

Every time prices go up and real wages fail to keep up, there will be families that leave California for a more affordable life. The only way out of this decline is to build more housing, so more families can stay here, and afford their lives in California.

Recent California state housing legislation enabled this project in this ways: 1. enforcing local governments to honor housing element sites (HAA); 2. strengthening state density bonus law (SDBL), allowing this project to build more units; and 3. exempting it from expensive and unnecessary environmental reviews (AB130). 

The hearing on 14201 - 14205 Willow Ln project in Westminster took place on April 1st, 2026, at the city’s Planning Commission meeting. The site was in the city’s housing element and state law guaranteed the approval because the project met the standards set forth. Motion carried 5-0.

09/21/2026

English Teachers, Nannies, and Even Some Golfers Cannot Afford to Live in Orange County

A family of four in Orange County making $148,850 a year is considered “low income” and  qualifies for subsidized, affordable housing. No wonder English teachers and nannies can’t afford to live here without parental assistance. And not everyone can get parental assistance. 

At this meeting on September 15th, 2026, the city council of Costa Mesa considered whether to approve a 4,000 housing unit (with 920 affordable units) plan that IS FINANCIALLY FEASIBLE, or cave to NIMBY sentiments by only allowing 2,300 units in the plan, which is NOT financially feasible, which means it is highly likely no homes will be built. Even with the high inclusionary percentage, 40% of zero is still zero! 

It seems like an easy decision considering how much housing costs are weighing on Orange County and Costa Mesa residents, 53% of which are housing cost burdened. However, the city council moved forward with the 2300 unit version of the plan, knowing it was not feasible and unlikely to result in any housing. The motion carried 7-0. Under this plan, Costa Mesa is unlikely to get any affordable housing at this 80-acre site (former Fairview Developmental Center).

For our detailed run-down of the project, check out our X/Twitter thread here: https://x.com/HousingOC/status/2100041220261331101?s=20

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