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.