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Housing Resources

Affordable Housing Resources - Information and Referral Services

For Renters:

Orange County Housing Authority (OCHA) is a division of the OC Community Services Department that administers rental assistance programs through out Orange County. The County of Orange administers rental assistance programs, including the Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8) for Seal Beach and most cities.

Please be aware that the County is NOT accepting applications due to the overflow of applications. When the waiting list is open, OCHA will post a notice to its site. Check your application status.

If you are in need of emergency services, please contact 2-1-1 Orange County at (888) 600-4357 or dial 211.
Orange County Housing Authority
1501 E. St. Andrew Place
Santa Ana, CA 92705
(714) 480-2700

www.ochousing.org
Apply for Housing Choice Voucher Program 

For Property Owners:

Are you a landlord interested in helping families secure affordable housing? Visit the Orange County Housing Authority’s Landlord/Owner Page to learn how you might participate in the Housing Choice Voucher Program.

OC Housing Information for Landlords 
Benefits of Housing Choice Vouchers

Welcome Home OC
 
The Welcome Home OC Program is the first housing assistance program tailored to Orange County property owners as well as qualified families, veterans, foster youth, and seniors in need of permanent housing.

Every property owner is eligible to receive:
Double security deposit
Daily holding fees
Protection from damage and losses
Signing bonus with their first 12-month lease

Landlord/Owner Page

Low-income first-time homebuyer residents are eligible to participate in the County of Orange Mortgage Assistance Program.

  • This program provides mortgage assistance up to $80,000 (not to exceed 20% of the purchase price) for first time homebuyers.

  • Assistance is in the form of silent second mortgage loan program with principal and interest payments deferred for term of loan.

  • Borrowers must qualify for and obtain first mortgage loan from a participating lender. Homebuyer education is required.

Program Page
MAP Application
MAP Flyer (English)
MAP Flyer (Spanish)

The Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC) Program, administered by the County of Orange, enables first-time home buyers to receive a federal income tax credit of up to 15% of the annual mortgage interest paid.

The MCC reduces federal income tax, increases take-home pay, and increases the qualifying loan amount for home buyers.

  • What is Senate Bill 9:

    The State of California adopted Senate Bill 9 (SB 9) in September 2021, which allows for duplexes and urban lot splits on single-family properties. Proposed housing development containing no more than two residential units (SB 9: 2-Unit Housing Development) within single-family residential zones will be considered ministerially without discretionary review or public hearing, if the proposed housing development meets certain eligibility requirements. SB 9 also requires cities to ministerially approve an urban lot split in a single-family residential zone if it meets certain objective requirements. In both cases, the City may apply objective zoning standards, objective subdivision standards, and objective design standards.
  • Key Takeaways from SB 9:

    A single-family property could potentially have up to four units (two units on two lots) if it meets certain eligibility and standard requirements. Also, the City will now be able to ministerially approve (without discretionary review or a public hearing) one or both of the following:

    2-Unit Housing Development: A housing development of no more than two units in a single-family residentially zoned lot.
    Urban Lot Split: A single-family residentially zoned lot can be split into two lots.

  • When is SB 9 Appropriate:

    An SB 9 unit may be appropriate if:

    You would like to have the option of selling your additional unit.

    You may want to build another unit on your property at a later time.

  • Development Standards:

  • Urban Dwellings:

    Limiting the number of units:

    The amendment will limit the maximum number of units permitted for urban dwellings. A proposed urban dwelling development shall contain no more than two units of at least 800 square feet in floor area.

    Deed Restricted Affordable Housing and Rental Housing:

    SB9 Projects may not demolish:

    Housing that is subject to a recorded covenant, ordinance, or law that restricts rents to levels affordable to persons and families of moderate, low, or  very low income.
    Housing that is subject to any form of rent or price control through a public entity’s valid exercise of its police power.
    Housing that has been occupied by a tenant in the last three years.

    Limits on Demolition: 

    SB 9 projects must not demolish more than 25 percent of the existing exterior structural walls unless the property has not been occupied by a tenant in the last three years.

  • Urban Lot Splits:

    Limiting the Number of Units:

    An urban lot split can contain no more than two units. All (existing or new) Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and Junior ADUs will be counted towards the maximum number of units. An urban lot split shall contain no more than four residential units, two per lot.

    Size and Number of Parcels:

    The amendment will limit urban lot splits to no more than two new parcels of approximately equal lot area, provided that one parcel shall not be smaller than 40 percent of the lot area of the original parcel proposed for subdivision. Both newly created parcels created by an urban lot split must be no smaller than 1,200 square feet.

    Existing Structures: 

    State law imposes no setback requirements for an existing permitted structure, or a structure constructed in the same location and to the same dimensions as an existing permitted structure.

    Owner Occupancy: 

    The amendment will require property owners to sign an affidavit that the applicant will occupy one of the housing units as their principal residence for a minimum of three years from the date of the approval of the urban lot split.

  • Documents:
     
  • Seal Beach Housing Element in PDF form. Click Here
  • To Redirect to our Housing Element Updates Page. Click Here