California is requiring cities to plan additional housing to help meet state needs. In response, the city of Irvine worked with the community to create a multiyear housing strategy, designating potential locations and key priorities, including affordability. On May 24, 2022, the state certified Irvine’s plan.

The locations identified in this plan include vacant lots in the Irvine Spectrum District near existing offices and apartments and one location in The Market Place. Both are “mixed-use districts” that we master-planned decades ago to combine housing, jobs and shopping in “live-work-play” communities. By looking toward these existing districts, the city can integrate required new housing while preserving Irvine’s exceptional quality of life.

Key benefits of housing in these locations include:

• Walking distance to employment centers, shops, restaurants, transportation and recreation, including two train stations and regional trail networks
• An opportunity to design communities that meet the economic needs of Irvine’s workforce, including young professionals and recent graduates
• Local shops and merchants benefiting from new residents, helping to ensure long-term vibrancy of valued retail centers
• Homes near jobs to meet the needs of Irvine’s innovation economy and employers, who cite housing as their No. 1 priority to retain employees

We are still early in our planning and will provide updates throughout the process. It is anticipated city leadership will review plans in 2023.