News Summary
Activists in Newport Beach have submitted nearly 9,000 signatures for a proposed Responsible Housing Initiative, aiming to give residents control over housing developments. Spearheaded by former Mayor Duffy Duffield and the Coalition for Responsible Housing, the initiative seeks to reduce the number of new housing units to 2,900 and address community needs alongside state housing requirements. The coalition gathered signatures within 25 days to qualify for the June primary ballot, amid concerns from city officials regarding its implications for local housing development.
Newport Beach activists submitted nearly 9,000 signatures last week to advance a proposed “Responsible Housing Initiative”, which aims to provide residents with more control over housing development in the city. The initiative is spearheaded by former Newport Beach Mayor Marshall “Duffy” Duffield along with members of the Coalition for Responsible Housing, which includes the Newport Beach Stewardship Association and Still Protecting Our Newport (SPON). Their goal is to qualify the initiative for the June primary election ballot.
Supporters of the initiative assert that it seeks to return decision-making power over the city’s state-approved housing plan from elected officials back to the voters. The Responsible Housing Initiative aims to balance urban development with essential factors such as environmental protection, public health and safety, and quality of life for residents. SPON’s president has emphasized that the organization’s members are not opposed to new developments as “NIMBYs” (Not In My Backyard) but do support affordable housing options for the community.
The current housing element plan for Newport Beach, passed last year, allows for the construction of up to 8,174 new housing units, a figure that nearly doubles the state’s mandated number of 4,845 units. Presently, there are more than 5,000 housing units with preliminary applications pending, most of which are apartments. City officials argue that exceeding the required planning numbers creates a safety net for any potential development failures.
If ultimately approved, the Responsible Housing Initiative would amend the existing housing element to limit the number of new housing units to 2,900, which would accommodate those units already in the application pipeline. The city would subsequently need to submit this revised plan to the state’s Housing and Community Development agency for approval.
Advocates highlight that the initiative aims to meet state requirements for housing while avoiding an excessive housing supply. This marks a strategic shift for SPON, which has previously engaged in legal actions against the city’s housing plan. A recent court ruling indicated that Newport Beach did not violate its charter by not allowing a public vote on the housing plan, a decision that SPON criticized as politically motivated rather than lawful.
Fast-tracking the collection of signatures, the coalition managed to gather nearly 9,000 opinions from residents over a span of just 25 days. In order to qualify for the ballot, at least 6,092 valid signatures are required, which represents 10% of the registered voters in Newport Beach. The deadline for signature validation is set for November 17, 2023.
Newport Beach Mayor Joe Stapleton has expressed concerns regarding the approach of the initiative and its broader implications for housing development. He specifically raised doubts about the requirement for 2,160 low-income housing units suggested by the initiative. In response, proponents have reiterated the necessity of affordable housing for community professionals, such as police officers and teachers.
If the signatures are validated, the Newport Beach City Council will have the option to either adopt the initiative outright or allow it to appear on the ballot for voters to decide in the upcoming election. The future of the housing development landscape in Newport Beach now hinges on the outcome of this initiative.
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Additional Resources
- OC Register: Newport Beach group collects more than 8K signatures for initiative
- LA Times: Newport Beach ballot initiative housing
- OC Register: Judge rules Newport Beach resident group can’t force vote on city’s housing plan
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Housing
- LA Times: Newport Beach City Council skips ballot initiative
- Google Search: Newport Beach housing initiative
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