U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Office of Community Planning and Development

Consolidated Plan Contact

CITIZEN'S SUMMARY

Action Plan

The Consolidated Plan for the City of Orange, CA introduces a new consolidated process that identifies the City's overall housing and community development needs and outlines a strategy to address those needs for low income groups that are the intended beneficiaries of HUD programs. The City applied for FY 1995/1996 funding for the Community Development Block Grants(CDBG) [$1,506,000] and for HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) [$405,000].

Citizen Participation

The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Citizens Committee held a public hearing at City Hall on March 1. Also, public meetings were held on February 23 at City Hall and on March 2 at the Senior Center. City staff handed out a Housing and Community Development Needs Assessment Survey to the public. With the exception of service providers, the response of the public to these hearings, meetings, and survey was limited. There were no written comments received on the Consolidated Plan during the 30-day public review period.

COMMUNITY PROFILE

The City of Orange is located in the northern portion of Orange County. The City was incorporated in 1888 and is one of the oldest cities in the County. Between 1950 and 1980, the City's area expanded from 8.8 to 23 square miles. With the annexation of East Orange by 1999, the City's area will be over 50 square miles. The City's population grew by 18,870 people or approximately 20.5 percent between 1980 (91,788) and 1990 (110,658). The City contains 38,018 housing units. Of the households, 73.5 percent are families; 18.9 percent, single-person households; and 7.6 percent, unrelated persons living together. Average household size increased slightly from 2.83 persons per household in 1980 to 2.90 in 1990. The average number of persons per household was 2.95 for renter-occupied and 2.87 for owner-occupied households. In 1994, 3.9 percent was the unemployment rate for the City. Over 8.0 percent of the City residents were living in poverty including 6.3 percent of persons aged 65 or over and 11.6 percent of female-headed households. Hispanic population nearly doubled, both in number and proportion, between 1980 and 1990, as the non-Hispanic Caucasian population decreased from 82 percent to 68 percent.

HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT NEEDS

Conditions

Nearly 30 percent of the City's housing units were constructed before 1960. Approximately, 940 multiple-family units need major rehabilitation, and two single-family neighborhoods, El Modena South and the Cypress/Lemon area, had the highest concentration of deteriorated single-family housing units in the City.

Housing Needs

Approximately 65 percent of elderly renter households in the City are lower income and need housing assistance, and about 65 percent of these households are frail elderly who need housing that can accommodate physical disabilities. The elderly population (65+) in the City continues to grow, from approximately 7,200 in 1980 (7.8 percent of the population) to about 9,630 in 1990 (8.7 percent). As the senior population increases, so does the need for senior centers and services.

Housing Market Conditions

The vacancy rate was 1.3 percent (1990 census). In 1995, the median sale price for existing single-family homes in the City ranged from $187,000 to $223,00. The median sale price for condominiums was $ 121,000. By comparison, the median priced home in 1990 was $235,953. The City has an extremely tight affordable housing market for homeownership; there were no vacant for sale units affordable to lower-income households at the time this information was collected.

Affordable Housing Needs

Vacant rental housing units affordable to lower-income households were very limited. Lower-income households have more options in the rental housing market than in the owner housing market, given that a much high proportion of the lower-income households can be accommodated in the available rental housing than in the owner housing. Fair market rents area established at $588 for a studio, $714 for a one-bedroom, $840 for a two-bedroom, and $1,050 for a three bedroom. However, these 1991 rental rates are average rates, which means that actual rents could vary widely, and individuals with HUD Section 8 vouchers may still have difficulty finding qualifying units in the City. The City has 13,985 renter households and 55 percent of them experience one or more housing problems (e.g., cost burden or overcrowding). 81 percent of extremely low-income renter households experience housing problems, and 93 percent of the low-income renter households suffer from housing problems.

Homeless Needs

The City serves the homeless population through the following facilities: the El Modena Family Shelter, which is a six-unit transitional housing facility to assist homeless families; the Martha house, which provides facilities for single women only; Beacon House, which provides transitional housing for homeless mentally ill adults; and Casa Teresa Home for single mothers. In addition, construction has completed on a shelter which will accommodate 20 women and their children called House of Hope.

Public and Assisted Housing Needs

There are no public housing units in the City. The County Housing Authority administers the Section 8 Rental Subsidy Program and reports that there are no unused vouchers or certificates for the City. As of January 1, 1995, 557 households in the City were receiving Section 8 certificates or vouchers. There is a total of 530 units assisted with project-based Section 8 contracts. Of the 530, about 122 are for elderly households and about 408 are for families.

There is a total of 456 housing units in the City that are assisted under HUD Sections 202, 221, and 236(j) programs. All of these projects, with the exception of Garden Tower West, also maintain project-based Section 8 contracts with HUD to ensure the affordability of a portion of the units to low-income households. In addition, 68 affordable units located in six projects are assisted with Redevelopment Agency's Housing Set-Aside funds; and one project (Orchid Gardens) consisting of 17 affordable units is assisted through a density bonus.

Barriers to Affordable Housing

The City's housing affordable is affected by factors in both the private and public sectors. Actions by the City can have an impact on the price and availability of housing in the City. Land use controls, site improvement requirements, buildings codes, fees, and other local programs to improve the overall quality of housing may serve as a constraint to housing development. However, the City is in the process of adopting a revised zoning ordinance. This revised ordinance proposes to establish new density bonus criteria and revise second unit criteria. The City formulated an Affordable Housing Plan and Ordinance which will provide incentives to encourage the development of new units for very low-, low- and moderate-income households.

In addition, the affordable restriction on eight units at the Friendly Center are due to expire in 1996. The Friendly Center owns and manages these units for senior and disabled residents. The Friendly Center project was subsidized under the HUD Section 221(D)(3) market rate program. Casa Ramon, a 75-unit project, was subsidized under the HUD Section 236(J)(3) loan program. For these and other cases, the City's objective is to enter, retain, or replace as low-income housing all units at risk.

Fair Housing

Per year, about 25 housing discrimination disputes and 1,150 landlord-tenant disputes occur in the City as reported by the County Fair Housing Council. Cultural, language, and economic differences and discrimination often hinder communications between tenants, landlords, and lenders.

Lead-Based Paint

A number of deteriorated older housing units occupied by lower-income households may also have lead-based paint (LBP) hazards. City estimates that 1,903 lower-income housing units, and up to 3,334 moderate-income housing units may contain LBP hazards.

Community Development Needs

The City needs are for infrastructure improvements, accessibility needs, and community facilities and services. For purposes of the Consolidated Plan, the infrastructure improvements include: flood prevention and storm drainage control, street repair and sidewalk maintenance, water and sewer system improvements, and accessibility improvements.

HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

Vision for Change

The City's Five-Year Strategic Plan is the centerpiece of the Consolidated Plan. The Strategic Plan describes: the general priorities for assisting households; the strategies and activities to assist those households in need; and specific objectives to identifying proposed accomplishments. The Strategic Plan also addresses: anti-poverty strategy; lead-based paint abatement; institutional structure; reduction of barriers to affordable housing; and coordination among agencies.

Housing and Community Development Objectives and Priorities

Housing Priorities

The City's priority is to preserve the existing affordable housing stock through rehabilitation, through assisting first-time homebuyers, and providing rental assistance. The objective is to assist 95 households. A high priority is assigned to elderly renter households with a cost burden, and to owner-occupied units that are in substandard condition. A medium priority is assigned to renter households with a cost burden, as well as those that are overcrowded and/or are living in substandard units. A medium priority is also assigned to extremely low-income owner-occupied households that are overcrowded.

The City's priority is to increase the supply of affordable housing through new construction. As its objective, the City will continue to consider applications from both for-profit and non-profit housing development organizations for the production of affordable housing.

The City's priority is to continue to address the support facilities and service needs of the homeless and those at risk of becoming homeless. As its objective, the City will continue to fund non-profit organizations that provide assessment/outreach services, as well as emergency shelter and transitional housing to the homeless and "at-risk" populations. The City will continue to use Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to support efforts by local non-profits to expand the transitional and temporary housing units with support services in the City.

The City's priority is to encourage a variety of housing types for all economic segments and for special housing populations. The City will continue to implement various programs and activities to address the need for a variety of housing types. The City will encourage builders of ownership units in projects with 20 or more units to make available, as an at-cost option, accessibility and adaptability features. The City will build new curbs and retrofit its public buildings so that they are handicapped accessible. Regarding large-family housing units, the City will encourage the construction of affordable housing to meet the need of this special group.

The City's priority is to reduce the number of housing units with lead hazards through education, inspection, and rehabilitation. As its objective, the City will review its housing and rehabilitation codes to ensure that the removal of hazards of lead-based paint are incorporated. The City will require testing and hazard reduction in conjunction with rehabilitation of housing units.

Non-Housing Community Development Priorities

The City's assigns a high priority to community improvements, such as upgrading or expanding the streets, drainage system, water system or sewer system. CDBG funding will be allocated for this purpose only in income-eligible or slum/blight areas. In FY 1994-95, the City received CDBG funds for storm drain replacements ($252,900), waterline replacements ($133,500) and for street reconstruction ($216,461). Additional funds for these purposes were requested for FY 1995-96.

The City assigns a high priority for accessibility improvements and notes a long waiting list for those seeking housing at the Casa del Rio apartments which are built especially for the disabled and include roll-in showers and interior ramps for wheelchairs. Housing for the City's physically disabled persons must be affordable and accessible to people with mobility problems. CDBG funds for FY 1994-95 were used for accessibility improvements for City-owned buildings ($44,115), curbs ($127,800), and Head Start Program play yard ($4,500). In addition, the City will improve handicapped accessibility to City Hall during FY 1995-96.

The City's priority is to provide for new and rehabilitated community facilities and improve the quality of existing community facilities to serve those of lower and moderate income. As its objective, a high priority is assigned to crime awareness and fair housing issues. A medium priority has been assigned to services for senior citizens, the handicapped, youth, substance abusers, and child care and after school care for children, especially single parent families or families in which both parents work outside the home.

The City's priority is to provide for the economic development needs of the City by using CDBG funds to provide low-interest loans to small businesses that will create and retain job for low and moderate-income residents in the community and/or provide necessary good and services to low and moderate-income neighborhoods.

ONE-YEAR ACTION PLAN

1995/1996 Funding

Lead Agencies

City of Orange: Department of Community Development Orange County Housing Authority [for Sec.8 Rental Assistance]

Maps

Map 1 depicts points of interest in the jurisdiction.

Map 2 depicts points of interest and low-moderate income areas.

Map 3 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, and minority concentration levels.

Map 4 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, and unemployment levels.

Map 5 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, and proposed HUD funded projects.
To comment on the City Of Orange's Consolidated Plan, please contact Darlene Chandler at (714) 744-7214
Return to California's Consolidated Plans