HomeMy WebLinkAbout12 - Uptown Newport Planned Community - CorrespondenceAfter Agenda Printed
February 25, 2014
Item #12
February 25, 2014
www.kennedycommission.arg
17701 Cowan Ave., Suite 200
Irvine, CA 92614
The Honorable Mayor Rush Hill 9492500909
and Members of the Newport Beach City Council Fax 949 263 0647
City of Newport Beach
100 Civic Center Drive
Newport Beach, CA 92660
RE: Amendment of Uptown Newport Affordable Housing Implementation Plan
Dear Mayor Hill and Members of the City Council:
The Kennedy Commission (the Commission) is a broad based coalition of residents and
community organizations that advocates for the production of homes affordable for families
earning less than $20,000 annually in Orange County. Formed in 2001, the Commission has been
successful in partnering and working with Orange County jurisdictions in creating effective
housing and land -use policies that has led to the new construction of homes affordable to lower
income working families.
Compared to other cities in Orange County, housing costs are significantly higher in Newport
Beach. The 2013 rent for large apartment complexes in the City averaged $2,316 per month and
in comparison, the average mortgage for all homes sold in Orange County was $2,028 a month.'
In addition, the City's rent increased by 9.2% from the year before and had the second biggest
percentage increase in the County.2 With wages that are not keeping up with rising rents, many
renting families continue to struggle financially to live and work in this City.
The Commission would like to acknowledge and commend the City for its leadership in
encouraging and facilitating the development of homes affordable to lower income working
families, especially in the Uptown Newport Planned Community Development Plan. The
Commission recommends the City to continue its support for the Plan to set -aside 20
percent of the base units (102 units) to be affordable to very low - income working families.
Please keep us informed of any revisions, updates and meetings regarding the Uptown Newport
Planned Community Development Plan and if you have any questions, please free to contact me
at (949) 250 -0909 or cesarc @kemiedycommission.org.
Sincerely, )
Cesar Covarrubias
Executive Director
' Newport Rents Climb $195 a Mouth, Report Says, Orange County Register, May 2, 2013.
'Newport Rents Climb S195 a Month, Report Says, Orange County Register, May 2, 2013.
Working for systemic change resulting in the production of homes affordable to Orange County's extremely low - income households