Plan for affordable housing at Costa Mesa Senior Center parking lot finally lines up

Officials this week unanimously supported granting entitlements for a 70-unit affordable senior housing complex on the parking lot of the city-owned Costa Mesa Senior Center, a project that would be overseen by a nonprofit housing developer.

It’s a proposal that’s been wending its way through City Hall for the past several years, but a vision that’s been in the pipeline since 2008, when city leaders first identified a portion of the 2.66-acre parcel, located at 695 W. 19th St., as an ideal place to house people 55 and up.

Not only would residents of the complex be able to access programs and services at the center, but they would be in close proximity to transit hubs that could help get them to nearby shopping and amenities.

A rendering presented to planning commissioners in 2024 shows 70-units of affordable senior housing being proposed near the city-owned Costa Mesa Senior Center.

(Screenshot by Sara Cardine)

For those reasons and more, the site has been eyed for potential senior housing since the center opened its doors in 1992 and has been included in various iterations of the housing element section of Costa Mesa’s general plan since 2008.

But only now, with Irvine developer Jamboree Housing Corp. at the helm and the funding commitments coming in, is the plan becoming shovel ready. It’s estimated that construction could start in November and wrap by September 2027.

Members of the Costa Mesa City Council approved Tuesday, in a 7-0 vote, splitting the Senior Center lot into two separate parcels and a master plan update recognizing the project’s eligibility for a density bonus under state affordable housing laws.

The vote also sanctioned a disposition and development agreement, along with an affordable housing agreement and an annual ground lease of $1 for the next 99 years. The city would also defer $700,000 in impact and development fees and provide another $1.5 million in federal housing-related funding now, allowing Jamboree to pay those back as loans.

City Atty. Kimberly Hall Barlow explained why the city opted for a ground lease, as opposed to selling the property to a private developer who would build out the project to the city’s specifications.

An aerial view of Costa Mesa’s Senior Center, at 695 W. 19th St., outlines where a proposed 70-unit senior housing project is being planned.

(City of Costa Mesa)

“It’s not really surplus land — it’s the land the city has targeted for decades to be developed specifically for this purpose,” she said. “With this long term and a qualified, quality developer like Jamboree, it gives us the option in 100 years, when none of us are here anymore, to have the city take over the project if it becomes necessary.”

Jamboree’s plan specifies about half the units would be for seniors earning less than 60% of Orange County’s average median income, roughly calculated at $88,400, while the remainder would be for very-low and extremely low-income seniors and those at risk of homelessness.

Under a contracted provider, residents could receive case management, mental health counseling, food assistance and enrichment activities

Alan Mayeda asks about a housing complex planned for the Costa Mesa Senior Center during a 2024 outreach meeting held at the W. 19th Street site.

(File Photo)

While a few citizens at Tuesday’s hearing shared concerns about the inconvenience of 22 months of construction activity for seniors at the center, a reduction in parking or even too many parking spaces at the site, affordable housing advocates spoke on the need for more living options for seniors.

Former Costa Mesa mayor and now County Supervisor Katrina Foley addressed the council, recalling her early support for including the site in the city’s housing element and reaffirming the county’s investment of $13.5 million in funding and vouchers toward the project.

“I voted on having this site be housing at the Senior Center, and 17 years later here we are,” Foley said, sharing that seniors considered to be extremely low income only earn about $33,150 annually.

“These are people who are in our community, they’ve invested and they want to stay local, but they cannot afford to live here, so let’s get seniors into the Senior Center housing development. I know the community will be grateful.”

Council members roundly approved moving plans forward, acknowledging the many years of outreach, analysis and refinement the proposal underwent.

“This project centers seniors in the middle of our community, where they’re going to continue to have opportunities to continue to be involved in our community,” said Councilwoman Arlis Reynolds. “We’ve done a lot of tweaking, but every tweak has made it a little bit better.”

City Manager Lori Ann Farrell Harrison agreed.

“I’m just really proud of all the work that we’ve all done here collectively — this thing has been in the housing element since 2008 and we got it done,” she said. “It’s been a push to get us here, and this is a fantastic moment.”