Irvine Officials Say State Housing Mandates Penalize Economic Success Officials in Irvine, California, say the state has imposed burdensome housing quotas on the city because it has successfully created transportation hubs around major job centers as desired. State mandates will require Irvine to build nearly 24,000 housing units by 2029. City planners liken the requirement to a punishment for economic success, and indicate they are being assessed on transportation hubs that are unlikely to be built for decades. “To build over 23,000 units when a third of our city is dedicated permanent open space puts a weight that is probably close to, if not absolutely, unbearable on the master plan of the city,” Councilman Mike Carroll said.
New Affordable Housing Community Coming to Irvine Construction for 68 affordable townhomes is underway in Irvine to help the city meet its state-mandated affordable housing quota. Sage Park will include 16 two-bedroom, 36 three-bedroom, and 16 four-bedroom homes. The construction lot spans fouracres north of Irvine Boulevard in Portola Springs. When it’s complete, it will be the first ownership project by the Irvine Community Land Trust (ICLT), a non-profit that creates affordable housing. “We are aiming to make Irvine a place where residents can thrive rather than barely get by,” ICLT executive director Mark Asturias said in a statement. “Sage Park provides a wonderful opportunity for moderate-income families to enter the world of home-ownership at nearly half the cost of a comparable home elsewhere in Irvine.”