Board adopts housing element and approves PLHA application; supervisors urge turning plan into projects

On Feb. 11 Orange County supervisors unanimously adopted the county General Plan housing element (H20‑016) and an amended safety element, and approved the county’s Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA) Round 5 application and related five‑year plan.

Supervisor Katrina Foley thanked county planning staff for completing the sixth iteration of the housing element and noted legislative engagement that helped preserve local control. Supervisors said the housing element includes zoning and overlay strategies to increase housing supply on commercial and industrial corridors and urged prompt follow‑through to turn the policy language into actual housing production.

County staff explained the PLHA application will allow the county to apply for funds that support local affordable‑housing activities; the board authorized the director to submit the application and to reallocate up to 40% of years 3 through 5 allocations to the county’s mortgage assistance program if needed.

Supervisors noted some consequences of delay: while the housing element was being revised, a developer filed a preliminary builders‑remedy application for a site in Tustin, underscoring the need for timely local action. Several supervisors said they want implementation tools that produce new units, not only planning documents. The board also approved the related final negative declaration and an addendum, and set the housing‑element adoption into effect.

The vote: both the housing element and PLHA application were approved unanimously.