Commission backs declaration of three Circle City Drive parcels as surplus to fund affordable housing

The Planning & Housing Commission voted to recommend that the Corona Housing Authority and City Council declare three city‑owned parcels at 1043, 1061 and 1065 Circle City Drive as exempt surplus land under the Surplus Land Act.

Joel Belding, the city's economic development director, told commissioners the parcels have been city‑owned for about 15 years and are vacant or underused, attracting trash and loitering. "We're looking to have that corrected by declaring these surplus, selling them, and then ideally having those developed with some additional housing in the neighborhood," Belding said.

Commissioners questioned whether the parcels could be assembled into a larger affordable‑housing project and whether sale proceeds would be reserved for affordable housing. Belding said the parcels were originally acquired to try to consolidate a site for the Meridian Senior Housing project but that the assembly failed. He said proceeds from a sale would be used within the housing authority's affordable housing fund: "That money because it's ... housing authority money then would always exist within that affordable housing bucket," Belding said.

Commissioners also discussed potential private‑developer options for joining nearby owner‑occupied houses if buyers pursued a larger project. Housing staff Karen Roer described current affordable projects and said proceeds would be directed to the city's affordable‑housing program, citing ongoing work on a 115‑unit project and permanent supportive housing units.

The commission moved and approved the recommendation by unanimous vote (4-0). The recommendation will go to the City Council for the final decision.

What happens next: The commission's recommendation will be transmitted to City Council, which has final authority to declare the parcels surplus and set the terms for disposal and use of proceeds.