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Density Bonus Agreement No. 2025-01 — MLC Holdings, Inc./Meritage Homes at 2020
<br />East First Street
<br />April 15, 2025
<br />Page 4
<br />As previously described, the project will include affordable units, with five units designated
<br />for very low-income households earning 30-50 percent of the AMI, which is currently
<br />$78,900 for a four -person household, as determined, by the California Department of
<br />Housing and Community Development (HCD). These will consist of two, four -bedroom units,
<br />two, three -bedroom units and one, two -bedroom unit, ranging in size from 1,215 to 1,781
<br />square feet. Each unit will be fully equipped with a kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms, and
<br />common living areas, ensuring a high standard of living for future residents.
<br />As part of the development, a total of 9,767 square feet of the project site or six percent (6%)
<br />of total site will be dedicated to publicly accessible open space. This will include a public
<br />plaza along First Street, which will lead to a private courtyard that would serve as common
<br />open space. Collectively, the common open space provided is 13,179 square feet, which
<br />exceeds the minimum 8,006 square feet required by the MEMU (5% of the lot). The
<br />courtyard features seating areas, picnic tables, shade structures, a corn hole play area, and
<br />enhanced paseos for pedestrian connectivity. Dog waste stations will also be placed
<br />throughout the site to accommodate pet owners. The main entryway will be enhanced with
<br />decorative paving and landscaping will be carefully curated to enhance aesthetics and
<br />improve the overall living environment. The plant selection will include California Sycamore
<br />and Southern Live Oak along the street, with Sweet Bay, African Sumac, and Southern
<br />Magnolia providing canopy coverage. Fern Pine and Brisbane Box trees will serve as
<br />vertical accents, while Crape Myrtle and Tulip trees will add flowering highlights. Shrubs
<br />such as agave, Dwarf Lily of the Nile, Sulfur Flower, and Red Yucca will contribute to the
<br />site's visual appeal.
<br />The project incorporates a contemporary architectural style consistent with many multi-
<br />family and mixed -use residential communities currently under construction in Santa Ana
<br />and the surrounding region. The overall design, massing, materials, and architectural
<br />features are intended to be compatible with, yet distinct from, the existing multi -family
<br />residences to the east. The subject site is designed with a row of units positioned adjacent
<br />to the front property line, incorporating a storefront -style facade that enhances pedestrian
<br />engagement and activates the public realm. The contemporary architectural style is
<br />characterized by a combination of brick veneer and lap siding, complemented by wood
<br />canopies and metal awnings, which add both texture and depth to the design. Throughout
<br />the development, the cohesive contemporary aesthetic is maintained through the
<br />continued use of siding, brick veneer, and concrete flat tile roofing, ensuring visual
<br />consistency across the site while integrating modern design elements.
<br />Density Bonus
<br />As part of the project, the applicant is seeking a concession allowable by the California
<br />Density Bonus law, which allows developers proposing five or more residential units to seek
<br />increases in base density for providing on -site housing units in exchange for providing
<br />affordable units on site. To help make constructing on -site affordable units feasible, the law
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