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

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PLANNING CONTEXT Numerous factors contribute to homelessness — difficulties in obtaining employment, mental illness, family problems, and substance abuse, to name a few. Individuals also have needs for medical care, job training, childcare assistance, mental health care, substance abuse treatment, English language education, and other services. Based on the 2013 estimate of approximately 850 homeless people and the current stock of 318 emergency shelter beds in Santa Ana, the City has an unsheltered homeless population of approximately 532 people. This does not include 250 seasonal emergency shelter beds provided by the Winter Armory program. The estimated homeless bed need in the 17th and Tustin Avenue County Island within the City's sphere is estimated to be approximately four beds, based on a population estimate of306 for that area. The additional homeless need associated with this County Island could be accommodated in Santa Ana's available industrial zones, per the City's adopted Senate Bill 2 ordinance. EXTREMELY LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS /FARM WORKERS According to the 2012 SCAG Existing Housing Needs Data Report, an estimated 11,370 households in Santa Ana earn extremely low income, comprising 15 percent of all City households. Extremely low income households are defined as those earning no more than 30 percent of the area median income. Large - family households and seniors living on a fixed income make up a large percentage of this group. As discussed in Appendix A, 1,131 Santa Ana residents are employed in the agriculture industry, and the average pay is only $18,390 per year. State law allows jurisdictions to estimate the future housing need for extremely low- income households at one -half of the City's very low income housing allocation. The City's very low income housing allocation for the 2014 -2021 planning period is 45 units; therefore, the City's projected need for extremely low - income households is approximately 23 units. The City has a carryover of 111 very low units from the 2006 through 2014 planning period. This adds about 55 units to the City's extremely low allocation, bringing the total number to 78 units. To address this need, the Santa Ana Housing Authority issues an estimated 2,699 housing vouchers to predominantly extremely low- income households. This is less than one - quarter of the need. The Santa Ana Housing and Neighborhood Development program in partnership with the Housing Authority also work with nonprofit and for - profit organizations to acquire apartments, rehabilitate them, reconfigure units to create large - family housing, and deed restrict the units so that the rents are affordable to low or extremely low income. The Planning and Building Agency also assists organizations to develop and deed restrict single - family homes affordable to lower income households. J�A 24 CITY OF SANTA ANA GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT