People for Housing - OC YIMBY

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People for Housing - OC YIMBY

Advocating for affordable housing and ending the California shortage. 🏡

09/24/2026

There are consequences to not building enough housing to meet the demand

If you live in California, you probably know a family or two that moved away to a lower cost-of-living state. The cost of living in California is so high largely because housing is so expensive. Expensive housing leads to expensive everything, because everything needs labor, and labor is human, and humans need a place to live. Housing costs go up, grocery stores need to pay more for labor just to have enough workers, and grocery prices go up.

Every time prices go up and real wages fail to keep up, there will be families that leave California for a more affordable life. The only way out of this decline is to build more housing, so more families can stay here, and afford their lives in California.

Recent California state housing legislation enabled this project in this ways: 1. enforcing local governments to honor housing element sites (HAA); 2. strengthening state density bonus law (SDBL), allowing this project to build more units; and 3. exempting it from expensive and unnecessary environmental reviews (AB130).

The hearing on 14201 - 14205 Willow Ln project in Westminster took place on April 1st, 2026, at the city’s Planning Commission meeting. The site was in the city’s housing element and state law guaranteed the approval because the project met the standards set forth. Motion carried 5-0.

09/21/2026

English Teachers, Nannies, and Even Some Golfers Cannot Afford to Live in Orange County

A family of four in Orange County making $148,850 a year is considered “low income” and qualifies for subsidized, affordable housing. No wonder English teachers and nannies can’t afford to live here without parental assistance. And not everyone can get parental assistance.

At this meeting on September 15th, 2026, the city council of Costa Mesa considered whether to approve a 4,000 housing unit (with 920 affordable units) plan that IS FINANCIALLY FEASIBLE, or cave to NIMBY sentiments by only allowing 2,300 units in the plan, which is NOT financially feasible, which means it is highly likely no homes will be built. Even with the high inclusionary percentage, 40% of zero is still zero!

It seems like an easy decision considering how much housing costs are weighing on Orange County and Costa Mesa residents, 53% of which are housing cost burdened. However, the city council moved forward with the 2300 unit version of the plan, knowing it was not feasible and unlikely to result in any housing. The motion carried 7-0. Under this plan, Costa Mesa is unlikely to get any affordable housing at this 80-acre site (former Fairview Developmental Center).

For our detailed run-down of the project, check out our X/Twitter thread here: https://x.com/HousingOC/status/2100041220261331101?s=20

09/17/2026

This is why affordable housing is so expensive to build in California

Affordable housing projects in California, on average, use at least SIX different funding sources, each with their own applications, deadlines, and requirements. Add to this plate-spinning the uncertainty that comes from delays to project approvals by city councils who may lack the political will to approve affordable projects, or when they do get approved, projects face CEQA lawsuits filed by NIMBYs hiding behind names like “Friends of [Someplace],” “Protect [City Name]” or “Save [Exclusive Neighborhood Name].” These lawsuits take time to resolve; in one case up to 9 years!

Here Kelsey Brewer, VP of Business Development at Jamboree Housing Corporation , speaks at Orange County Business Council Business Connections Forum on Prop 45 about the cost impact of those delays..Prop 45 proposes a “shot clock” on project approvals to help address government delays. Time is money, especially when it comes to housing production!.

Find more information about Prop 45 on our Linktree.

09/14/2026

Prop 1 Funds the Building and Preservation of Affordable Housing in California

Prop 1 will replenish state funding sources to build affordable housing, provide homebuying opportunities to Californians and veterans, and fund permanent solutions to homelessness. It will address the top issue among California voters: homelessness and housing affordability.

For further reading, check out our sources:

https://calbudgetcenter.org/resources/proposition-1-californias-veterans-and-affordable-housing-bond/

https://ballotpedia.org/California_Proposition_1,_Veteran_and_Housing_Assistance_Programs_Bond_Measure_(2026)

09/11/2026

We had a blast discussing all things housing at Salty Bear Brewing in Costa Mesa last night!

Thank you to all those who showed up and talked housing with us, from land value tax discussions, the state's recent housing and transportation laws, to state politics and more, over drinks and quesadillas!

If you missed it, consider joining us on our next Housing Happy Hour!

09/10/2026

It Takes All Types of Homes to End the Housing Shortage

Housing in California is expensive not just because there isn’t enough subsidized affordable rental housing. There's a shortage of market-rate, entry level for-sale housing, too. Here Noerena Limon, CEO of Casita Coalition, talks about why she’s optimistic we can build more. It starts by diversifying the types of homes we build: duplexes, triplexes, condos, townhomes, rowhomes, stacked flats, you name it; they all offer homeownership opportunities beyond the single-family-only housing. By permitting and encouraging all types of housing, we’ll solve the housing crisis.

The momentum continues to build! It started building with the pro-housing, YIMBY movement in California, and spun off specialty organizations, like Casita Coalition, which advocates more diverse forms of housing and ways to make room in existing communities and even within existing single family neighborhoods through the construction of accessory dwelling units (ADUs), small homes that can occupy the same lot as a single family home. We at People for Housing OC are also optimistic about the future of housing production and affordability. We will continue to fight to build more housing of all types at all price points in .

See the full video of the 2026 Housing Solutions & American Success Summit that took place at Chapman University here: https://youtu.be/rXjLt0ZmrqQ?si=7R8NnatmZVyjw1-P

09/03/2026

Building more housing is the solution to so many of our problems

As the Costa Mesa resident points out, building more housing can help solve traffic, parking, and quality of life issues and more. Everyone wants to live near where they work, play, and shop. Building more housing means more opportunities for everyone to do just that.

Costa Mesa City Council approved the 142-unit development at 3150 Bear Street (Meritage Homes), 6-0 on August 5th, 2025.

09/02/2026

Last week, Anaheim Planning Commission approved 90 stacked flats by Meritage Homes at La Palma and Anaheim/Lemon

They look like townhomes from the street, perfectly compatible with the Lennar townhomes that went in at LaPalma and Anaheim/Lemon. This type of housing represents a major step forward in expanding first-time homebuyer opportunities, courtesy of the General Plan and SDBL. The project adds to the revitalization happening at N. Anaheim Blvd & La Palma, redeveloping underperforming industrial parcels. Nice when it all comes together! Congrats to the city on seeing your plan implemented and thanks to Meritage for building the places people call home!

08/27/2026

Opened in 2023, the state awarded $25.4 million to National CORE, which partnered with Santa Ana Methodist Church to replace two buildings owned by the church with 93 affordable apartment homes for those earning less than 60% of the area median income as well as nearby amenities.

These are the kinds of projects California’s climate funding makes possible. State leaders must protect these investments and continue funding affordable housing projects that communities rely on.

More than 80 organizations are coming together to protect the investments that make California more affordable, accessible, and sustainable.

We appreciate the Senate’s leadership in proposing supplemental funding for critical Tier 3 programs. At the same time, more work remains to fully fund affordable housing and transit and uphold the commitments made last year.

Our coalition is ready to work with state leaders on a long-term solution that protects these investments—and the Californians who depend on them.

Read the coalition letter: https://tinyurl.com/2n6wapfa

08/26/2026

Building housing of all types brings the cost of housing down

As the Laguna Hills resident points out, even building (possibly) $1.5 million homes brings down the cost of housing in the area. As the newer homes compete with existing homes, home prices stabilize, increasing affordability of older homes.

We want Orange County to be affordable for everyone, including young people that are just getting started with life. And shelter is at the very center of affordability. Everyone deserves to live where they choose and building more housing gets us closer to that reality.

Laguna Hills City Council approved the permit for the development (Terravita), 4-1, on February 24th, 2026, just Councilmember Wheeler opposing.

Address

2607 Main St
Irvine, CA
92614

Website

http://peopleforhousing.org/, https://linktr.ee/people4housingoc

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