The Kennedy Commission

The Kennedy Commission strives to increase equitable and affordable housing opportunities for Orange Countys lowest income families and workers. The Commissions goals are: 1) to implement policies and programs in each Orange County jurisdiction to facilitate affordable housing production; 2) to increase financial resources available for the creation of affordable housing; 3) to increase public awareness of the need for and benefits of affordable housing; and 4) to increase public participation in the support of affordable housing production and land-use reform throughout the County. 5) Ensure that public land, local citys land use and housing investments are used to equitably address the need to increase affordable housing for lower income households. The following summarizes the accomplishments of the Commissions staff and volunteers in 2023: I.Create and Implemented Favorable Affordable Housing Policies -Worked to educate and implement CA SB 4 Affordable Housing on Faith Lands to ensure that local jurisdictions prioritize the development of affordable housing on religious land and community colleges.-Worked to monitor and implement the CA Surplus Land Act to ensure that local jurisdictions prioritize the development of affordable housing on public lands. Ex. Anaheim Surplus and Stadium Lands and Tustin Legacy.-Collaborated with community partners to provide comments and recommendations on land use and housing policies to all cities in Orange County in the development of their Housing Elements.-Collaborated with community partners, residents and the County of Orange to develop Health and Housing priorities and interventions to address affordable housing and homelessness. .Provided testimony and education on various affordable housing and land use reform policies and homelessness at State Assembly and Senate Committees, Orange County Board of Supervisors, and various city planning commissions and city councils..Developed best practices and model Affordable Housing policies for use and implementation in Orange County cities.-Worked with key cities to develop and implement affordable housing tools and policies in their jurisdictions.-Worked with land use and housing policies to improve health and equity to build a healthy living environment.-Organized community support for the inclusion of affordable housing in key OC cities Anaheim, Buena Park, Costa Mesa, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Lake Forest, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, Santa Ana, Tustin, Laguna Niguel, San Clemente and Laguna Beach.-Worked with County of Orange on affordable housing commitments and addressing the homelessness crisis in Orange County and Mental Health Services Act funding for AH and PSH.-Worked on the implementation of Proposition 1, Behavioral Services Act, to ensure affordable housing priorities. .Monitored land use proposals, specific plans and General Plan implementation, in all Orange County jurisdictions and advocated affordable housing priorities. -Partnered to promote affordable housing policies and developments in all OC cities..Participated in local, regional and statewide housing policy groups, boards and committees to increase knowledge and awareness of affordable housing solutions..Worked on the education and best practices of Housing Elements, affordable housing and homelessness solutions, inclusionary zoning and density bonuses and Surplus Land. II.Increased Financial Resources.Organized community analysis and response to annual State regulatory and finance housing programs (Supporting investments in balanced community and extremely low-income family priorities). .Coordinated with statewide housing organizations and advocates on new statewide funding sources for affordable homes. i.e., budget allocation, State Tax Credits and AH Tax Credits for affordable housing and federal funding.-Collaborated with local cities in Orange County and state government on the use of housing funds, assets and surplus properties, regional planning funds, Mental Health Services Act funds, sustainable communities funding and federal housing funds.-Collaborated with Orange County Housing Trust and the OC Finance Trust to help address affordable, permanent supportive housing finance gaps, and explore alternative housing funding.-Worked to prioritize public lands to be used as local contributions to leverage affordable housing funds and grants from the state. -Worked on research and outreach of Orange County Housing Bond to increase affordable housing funding.Ill.Increased Public Awareness-Collaborated with OC cities and community partners to lead Affordable Housing and Fair Housing Month, over 20 housing education events in the months in April and May.-Continued the 2021-29 Housing Element Campaign to educate and engage local community members and partners to advocate for effective and equitable Housing Plans in all OC cities.-Created community engagement and capacity training on affordable housing policies and programs.-Expanded educational and communication tools include the updating of our website (www.kennedycommission.org) and e-mail contact lists of over 2,500 people and organizations.-Developed and circulated monthly e-mail notices of community meetings and actions to over 2,500 persons and organizations.-Conducted monthly general membership meetings and workshops (with an average attendance of 45 people). Meeting topics: Affordable Housing on Public Lands, Housing Economic Forecast, Local Housing Plans, mixed-use development, state budget and housing finance, local housing production, state and federal legislative updates.-Hosted the annual OC Lenders and Investors Forum that was attended by over 70 housing professionals and community members. Affordable Housing and Finance discussions and networking.-Housing Element Campaign 2021-29 to develop and implement Orange Countys local Housing Plans for each OC city. -Collaborated with community partners to increase awareness of connections between health and housing and housing interventions. IV.Increased Community Participation-Worked with 80 low-income residents that are impacted by the affordable housing crisis in OC to build their capacity and skills to advocate for more affordable and equitable housing options. -Collaborated with Residents United CA to lead RUN OC to engage over 50 OC residents in state and local affordable housing advocacy. -Continued to build capacity of partner organizations and residents to engage in affordable housing advocacy. -Organized community analysis and response to local and state housing policies for implementation in the housing elements, land use and housing projects. Successes included the continued capacity building and formation of resident coalitions in Anaheim, Costa Mesa, Mission Viejo, Buena Park, County of Orange, Laguna Hills and in Santa Ana to be engaged in the review of proposed developments and land use decisions. -We also obtained commitments from all Orange County cities to implement stronger affordable housing policies and to review and mitigate barriers such as lack of local housing subsidy, availability of affordable housing sites and land use and zoning constraints (Focus was placed on Anaheim, Fullerton, Fountain Valley, Tustin, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Mission Viejo, Orange, Westminster, and Santa Ana).-Coordinated community member support and education of proposed affordable housing developments and reuse of public lands for affordable housing in the cities of Anaheim, Costa Mesa, Fullerton, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Laguna Niguel, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, Orange, San Clemente, Santa Ana, Tustin, and Yorba Linda.-Developed and supported resident led working groups in each Orange County city to engage in evaluation, recommendation and implementation of affordable housing policies and programs in each OC city.