Irvine city officials have introduced a new affordable housing program aimed at assisting homeless students and their families. During the city council meeting on April 8, members approved nearly $1 million in state grant funding to support the initiative, which is part of the broader “Irvine Cares” housing initiative. The council voted 5-1 in favor of the program, with Councilmember Mike Carroll opposing it.
The program will use state funds to provide housing and support services to homeless students in local school districts. According to Voice of OC, the Irvine Unified School District has identified 88 families, including 103 students, who are homeless or housing insecure. The Irvine Company has agreed to provide 25 rent-restricted apartments for these families, without expecting any direct benefit in return.
In addition to housing, the program will offer services such as case management, childcare, and transportation. Mayor Larry Agran described the action as a “down payment” toward eliminating child homelessness in Irvine.
The initiative also includes support for at-risk students at Irvine Valley College, where a survey found that 21% of students face financial hardship. The city plans to allocate $250,000 to provide rent stipends and case management for up to 25 students. Furthermore, the program will partner with the nonprofit Stand Up For Kids to assist youth transitioning from high school to higher education or careers, with $150,000 in state funds allocated for this effort.
Irvine’s commitment to affordable housing is evident in its history of providing solutions to prevent homelessness. The city has developed more affordable housing than any other in Orange County, with over 3,600 units available for extremely low and very low-income households, according to the City of Irvine. The “Irvine Cares” initiative is expected to continue evolving as the city council discusses further developments later this year.
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