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Orange, California: Two Decades of LIHTC-Funded Affordable Housing Development
CATEGORY
Affordable Housing
DATA
LIHTC Projects
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Population
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Affordable Housing
LIHTC Projects
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Population
Orange, California, has developed affordable housing through the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program. The city's LIHTC-funded affordable housing inventory comprises 868 total units, with 862 designated as low-income units. This inventory represents approximately 1.66% of the city's estimated 52,174 housing units.
Orange has received $5,654,824 in project tax credits for affordable housing through the LIHTC program. With 11 projects, this amounts to an average federal funding of $514,075 per project and $6,515 per unit. The city accounts for 0.18% of the total state funding for LIHTC projects in California.
The first LIHTC project in Orange, Walnut Pixley, was completed in 1994, while the most recent project, Triangle Terrace Apartments, was finished in 2017. This indicates a 23-year span of affordable housing development in the city. The 2010s saw the most affordable housing projects completed, including Citrus Grove Apartments (2010), Serrano Woods (2013), and Triangle Terrace Apartments (2017).
Orange's LIHTC-funded housing inventory consists of 19 efficiencies, 479 one-bedroom units, 181 two-bedroom units, and 58 three-bedroom units. This distribution suggests a focus on smaller households and potentially senior housing.
Orange's population has remained relatively stable over the past decade, with a slight decrease from 140,995 in 2015 to 136,175 in 2022. During this period, the median income increased from $83,429 in 2015 to $105,572 in 2022, indicating overall economic growth in the city.
Racial demographics have shown some changes. The Hispanic population decreased from 43% in 2019 to 38% in 2022, while the Asian population increased from 12% to 15% during the same period. The White population has remained relatively stable at around 40%.
The completion of Triangle Terrace Apartments in 2017 coincides with a period of rising median income and relatively stable population, suggesting a continued need for affordable housing options despite overall economic improvements.
Orange's LIHTC-funded affordable housing inventory represents a small but significant portion of the city's housing stock. The city has consistently developed affordable housing projects over more than two decades, with a focus on smaller units. While the population has remained relatively stable, rising median incomes and shifting racial demographics underscore the ongoing importance of affordable housing initiatives to maintain a diverse and inclusive community.
