SJC Residents May See Affordable Housing Developments In Future

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CA — The City of San Juan Capistrano will move forward with pursuing roughly $1.4 million in grant funds to finance affordable housing in the city over the next five years. The motion to enter into an agreement with Orange County to move forward with securing those funds was approved at the San Juan Capistrano City Council meeting Sept. 7.

The grant money would come from the California Housing and Community Development Department, which created several new grant programs for cities and local governments in 2017. This includes the Permanent Local Housing Allocation program, an assistance program for local governments searching for affordable housing opportunities in their communities.

The council decided Tuesday to pursue a total disbursement of $1,418,712 from LHA funds to use at their discretion over the span of five years. If the city can secure the grant money, residents will see new affordable housing developments in their city in the future.

However, since San Juan Capistrano is considered an "urban county city," Orange County must apply for the LHA funds on behalf of San Juan Capistrano. According to city officials, the city will have its application submitted by November, and it may take a few months after that before any funding is allocated.

If the city's application is approved, officials may move forward with developing a 50-unit affordable housing complex on its current City Hall site, The Orange County Register reported Monday. This possible housing option is still being explored, Director of Development Services for the city Joel Rojas told The Orange County Register.