2014-006 - Santa Ana General Plan Housing Element and Public Safety Element Updates

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HOUSING NEEDS HOUSING REHABILITATION NEEDS Well- maintained housing is a critical part of safe and healthy neighborhoods. Housing conditions also influence property values and the City's image. In the absence of a comprehensive survey, the age of a home is often used to identify housing repair needs. Generally, homes less than 30 years old are in good condition and begin to require rehabilitation after that. Generally, homes built 50 or more years ago (unless well maintained) are more likely to require substantial repairs than newer homes. 30 255% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% -- E =_ <1940 40s 50S SOS 70s SOS 90S 20005 While the 14,377 homes built in the last 30 years are presumed in good condition, Santa Ana homes built between 1960 and 1980 may begin to require rehabilitation. Much of Santa Ana's housing was built during this period, before the development of the latest in residential design standards. Typically, these homes require reroofing, repainting, and other exterior work. In other cases, more significant repairs may be needed, depending on the use. Homes more than 50 years old are typically most in need of rehabilitation. An estimated 26,766 housing units, or 35 percent of the housing stock, were built before 1960. Unless periodically repaired, many of these housing units will require significant repair, rehabilitation, and in some cases replacement. Typical rehabilitation needs include the replacement of major subsystems, such as the electrical, plumbing, and other systems. Chart A -21: Year Housing Built As a result of the building boom in the 1950s- 1970s, the majority of housing in Santa Ana was built before 1980. Homes constructed before 1960 may be in need of maintenance and rehabilitation assistance. Source: Census, Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2007 -2011 American Community Survey. Different definitions of substandard housing exist, depending on the source of information used. Substandard housing conditions may refer to structural deficiencies, such as leaking roofs, holes in the floor or walls, sloping walls, or crumbling foundations. Substandard housing can refer to a lack of adequate facilities: for example, frequent lack of hot water or heating systems that emit unsafe fumes or frequently break down. These and other considerations are important to note when discussing housing conditions. JA& CITY OF SANTA ANA GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT A -35