Opinion: Bringing Affordable Housing To Irvine

• October 25, 2024, 11:45 am America/Los_Angeles

I came to work at UCI when Irvine was a small unincorporated agricultural community.  I moved to Irvine in 1981 after Irvine had become an incorporated City with multiple villages, each with unique characteristics, with community commercial, parks, and outstanding walkable schools. Irvine decision-makers have the duty to advocate for the well-being of Irvine residents.  They must work to retain Irvine’s village concepts and amenities for which it has become famous throughout the United States as well as internationally.

As the demand for affordable housing is growing, Irvine needs to make changes to its General Plan. In order to accommodate the State RHNA mandate for Irvine which calls for 23,610 affordable housing units, the city is proposing that the Irvine General Plan call for 57,656 housing units. Why is Irvine willing to even consider giving the developers 34,046 market-rate units as an incentive for constructing the allotted 23,610 RHNA units? Also, the plan’s huge density increase brings up the issue of the need for constructing housing developments in a manner that could ensure the safety and well-being of Irvine residents.

Reduce the amount of Density Bonus/Additive Density allotted to developers:

There is no need for such a large increase in housing density to accommodate the State’s RHNA allotment. We need to prioritize resident safety and well-being and keep the amenities that Irvine has become known for such as parks, walkable schools, and community commercial which, by the way, must not include warehouses with truck traffic. Thus Irvine must put significant limits on Density and Additive Density incentives provided to developers.

Pedestrian and bicycle safety and the need for solar energy and car charging stations:

Irvine’s General Plan calls for a significant increase in density in the Great Park, near the Train Station, and in the IBC. In order to keep the village amenities concept, these developments must have walkable schools, walkable commercial, parks and trails and pathways, and protected bicycle lanes. As the sale of gas-fueled cars will be banned by 2035, there also needs to be easy access to high-end rapid charging stations for residents, commercial customers, and visitors. There will likely be increased strain on the electrical grid, so all housing should be equipped with solar power.

With the added density Irvine must create an Irvine Circulation Only Public Transportation system that serves all Irvine residents, tourists, and guests and which is given protected lanes to bypass roadway traffic.

With the increase in population, traffic congestion and lack of parking availability will become a huge issue for Irvine to deal with. Irvine must create a transportation system and have it in place prior to constructing the proposed 57,656 housing units.

Need for Community Commercial

Community commercial is fast disappearing from Irvine. The increase in housing density will result in drastically increased traffic. Local community commercial would serve to reduce traffic and parking needs. Community commercial must accommodate the needs of local residents, including the need for hardware stores, bookstores, clothing stores, and department stores. Thus there will be a need for more mixed-use developments.

Housing AND commercial rent control:

As the cost of living continues to rise, there is a need for both housing and commercial rent control to maintain the affordability of housing. The cost of commercial leases is increasing and often now includes a percentage of the commercial profit. Mall owners claim that businesses leave because there is not enough traffic to support their business. Due to the rise in the minimum wage, cost of lease agreements, product costs, and maintenance costs, business profit has declined to the point where businesses can’t afford to remain in Irvine and they either close or move to other locations. The businesses that chose to remain increase their consumer prices resulting in a rise of residents’ cost of living which adversely impacts the affordability of their homes.

Need for ADA adaptable amenities:

Irvine’s senior and disabled residents constitute an increasing percentage of Irvine’s population. Residences should be both affordable and meet the needs of their residents. Thus there is an increasing need for ADA adaptable amenities in their residences. There should be a requirement that a minimum of 20% of new units be accessible and ADA-adaptable.