Newport Beach to seek affordable housing

Mathis Winkler

NEWPORT BEACH -- Bringing the city a step closer to adding more

affordable housing for seniors, City Council members agreed Tuesday to

solicit proposals from developers.

The city has about $2 million to subsidize an affordable housing

project. The money comes from the One Ford Road project, for which the

developer decided to hand the city money rather than build low-rent

apartments.

The city’s general plan requires developers to set aside a percentage

of their projects for affordable housing. While state law requires cities

to have programs in place that encourage construction of cheap

apartments, Newport Beach is not required to build any.

Councilman Tod Ridgeway, who chairs the city’s affordable housing task

force, said a lack of available land might be the real problem with

making such a project happen. He added that some potential sites are

located around Hoag Hospital and other parts of the city’s west side.

City officials and representatives of the Irvine Co. are discussing

another affordable housing project on Bayview Landing, at the corner of

East Coast Highway and Jamboree Road. The company still owes the city 172

affordable housing units in return for building more than 850 market-rate

homes throughout the city.

No agreement has been reached yet, and it would take about two years

to complete the complex after a decision is made.

The proposals are due June 1, and city officials expect it will be

several years before affordable apartments will become available to

seniors.