In 2018, I was elected to serve as Chair of the Irvine Community Land Trust, guiding its mission of providing secure, high-quality affordable housing for the benefit of income-eligible families. Like all Irvine Community Land Trust Board Members, I serve as a volunteer, without compensation.
I am very proud of what we accomplished at the Irvine Community Land Trust (ICLT) this year!
As we all know, Irvine is among the most expensive real estate markets in the nation; for this reason there is a tremendous need for, and tremendous obstacles to, affordable housing.
Finding solutions to the housing and homelessness crisis has been a priority for me, both as a member of the Irvine City Council and as Chair of the Irvine Community Land Trust. Irvine has been a model in this area and the Land Trust concept, now being adopted by Orange County and many other cities, is something that Irvine has pioneered. No other city has a Land Trust like we have, and other cities are working to copy ours.
Here is a short video that explains the work the Irvine Community Land Trust does to create more affordable housing in Irvine:
2018 was truly a remarkable year for the Land Trust.
In 2018, we opened Parc Derian, which brings 80 new units of housing for working families, veterans, and special-needs residents of Irvine. Located in the Irvine Business Complex, Parc Derian is a beautiful multifamily community with a pool, tot lot, private parking, exercise center, computer lab, and onsite resident services.
Designed to bring employees closer to work, it is a short walk to many jobs as well as Irvine Unified Schools, public transportation, dining and shopping options. Apartments range from one- to three bedrooms and include walk-in closets, energy-efficient appliances, assigned parking and balconies. Parc Derian is the result of a public/private partnership between the Irvine Community Land Trust, C&C Development, Innovative Housing Opportunities (IHO), Lennar Corporation, and the City of Irvine.
Also in 2018, we began work on Salerno, a new 80-unit rental community. Like Parc Derian, Salerno will provide permanent affordable housing for working families, veterans, and special-needs residents of Irvine.
Significantly, in 2018 we began to develop our first homes for ownership with help from a new partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Orange County. This new Irvine community, called Chelsea on Native Spring, located north of Irvine Boulevard, will include 68 affordable home for sale to income-eligible veterans, working families, and young professionals.
Homes will be sold to first-time homebuyers who earn up to 120 percent of the area’s medium income. In an area where the median home price is $727,000 and average annual income is around $80,000 for a family of four, many people are priced out of the market and face housing and financial uncertainties while trying to build a life in Irvine. The Chelsea on Native Spring project aims to keep those people in Irvine, especially military veterans, teachers, nurses, and young professionals. It is expected to begin construction in 2019.
In addition to these new projects, we continued in 2018 to provide quality housing and services to 238 households living at Alegre Apartments and Doria Apartment Homes.
In all, that’s 466 households, and more than a thousand people, who can comfortably live, work and raise families in Irvine directly because of the work of the Irvine Community Land Trust.
In 2018, I traveled to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to represent the Irvine Community Land Trust at a national conference on affordable housing and traveled to Sacramento, where we moved forward to convince the California Legislature to remove tax barriers to creating permanent affordable housing, meaning that more affordable housing could be built in California. We expect that this year we will have the support we need to pass the legislation and I am again making the trip to Sacramento to secure more affordable housing in our state.
It should also be noted that in 2018, the Irvine Community Land Trust became an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. This development was envisioned as eventual in the City’s initial 2006 plan for the Land Trust, which states that the trust shall become self-sustaining and independent after it attains 200 affordable housing units. That threshold was crossed in 2017, and the Irvine Community Land Trust now owns more than 200 homes in three Irvine communities.
The move to become independent from the City of Irvine is designed to make it easier for donors and strategic partners to contribute materials, services, and funds on a tax-free basis, therefore increasing the resources that the Irvine Community Land Trust has to create more affordable housing.
The City of Irvine and its residents also benefit from the separation due to the financial savings in regard to staff salary and office space, which will no longer be provided by the City.
As ICLT Executive Director Mark Asturias explained, becoming legally independent from the City “is a tremendous win-win for both the Land Trust and the citizens of Irvine. We can operate more efficiently and with less reliance on taxpayers, and we can apply a greater focus on our core mission – to provide high-quality affordable housing to the community.”
Moreover, in the interest of maintaining transparency and community engagement, the Irvine Community Land Trust, on my motion, has voluntarily opened all meetings to the public. The open session format will allow members of the community to come, hear and be heard on programs and projects being implemented by the Land Trust Board.
Through this meeting format the Land Trust Board hopes to generate community interest and support for its programs, and foster collaboration on its mission to build quality affordable housing for Irvine residents.
Accordingly, for the January 8, 2019 City Council meeting, I have requested a presentation from City staff followed by discussion and direction from the City Council, regarding the application of the City’s Sunshine Ordinance to all non-profit entities in the community that receive significant funding from the City. Please come to the Irvine City Council meeting on Tuesday, January 8, 2019, to discuss this important matter.
Stay tuned to this blog, as well as the Land Trust’s newly launched Facebook and Linkedin pages, for more information on our progress in creating affordable housing.
2019 promises to be even more positive and exciting!
Based on these concerns, I recently met with Irvine Police Department (IPD) Chief Mike Hamel to discuss ways to improve stop sign compliance and overall traffic safety in Irvine.
IPD will post information and notices about traffic enforcement activity and residents are welcome to respond and comment about their concerns regarding traffic enforcement and safety.
You can purchase your calendar at the center during regular business hours, weekdays from noon to 6 p.m., and weekends from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Center is closed on Tuesdays and holidays.
Donations can be dropped off today during the following hours at the locations below:
The fifth-grade students were required to present their written opinions on a controversial topic.
I share you concerns.
The City of Irvine’s website also provides information on many 
The Home for the Holidays Pet Adoption Event also features dozens of vendors, gourmet food trucks, a silent auction, low-cost microchipping and an opportunity drawing.
We are grateful for our Police and Firefighters, our Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Coast Guardsmen and Airmen.
In February 2018, I was 
At our most recent City Council meeting, residents told us about witnessing extremely dangerous driving behavior and very close calls involving their children.
The topic this month is “A Traditional Irvine Ranch Thanksgiving.” 
Irvine Civic Center, 1 Civic Center Plaza: 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday, and 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday.
The event is free and open to the public. Refreshments and wine will be served.
This year marks the fifth annual Diwali Fest in Irvine, and the very first to be held at the Great Park!
The Committee is composed of representatives from Irvine’s youth sports organizations. While most committee members represent a specific program and sport, members-at-large are selected through a public recruitment process to provide general perspective and guidance.
Route testing is being conducted, schedules are being developed, and signage is ordered.
That is why I am so proud to have voted to begin improvements to Bommer Canyon’s Cattle Camp.
The Bommer Canyon Cattle Camp rehabilitation project focuses on refreshing the 15-acre Cattle Camp, originally built in 1967. The proposed rehabilitation includes site layout revisions, accessibility improvements, replacement of portable buildings, addition of permanent restroom facilities, and landscaping improvements.
It will also be a great opportunity to thank your firefighters for their everyday heroism and tell them that you appreciate their bravery and professionalism.
I loved the performances, the food, the laughing children, the smiles on people’s faces, and checking out the many items for sale from merchants representing the world’s cultures.
In addition, more than $100,000 in dark-money has flowed into the coffers of a mysterious and unaccountable political action committee to spread even more lies about Lauren.
Ask yourself, what are the anonymous and well-financed cowards behind these attacks on Lauren afraid of?
Irvine Chief of Police Mike Hamel said, “The safety of our City is truly a collaborative effort. The dedicated men and women of the Irvine Police Department work tirelessly every day to keep our community safe. Our residents and members of the business community partner with IPD to prevent and help solve crime. Our City leaders have always made public safety a top priority, ensuring IPD has the resources necessary to provide only the highest level of service to the public. It is this comprehensive effort that has allowed Irvine to preserve the safety and quality of life our residents have long enjoyed.”
The personal finance website WalletHub ranked Irvine No. 8 – the highest of any Southern California locale – on its 2018 list of the Happiest Cities in America, which was based on factors such as emotional and physical well-being, income and employment and community and environment.
Parking is free!
In addition, the Anaheim Ducks Great Park Ice Complex – the largest in the state with four sheets of ice and one of the largest in the country at 270,000 square feet – will open by the end of 2018 at the Great Park. Ice time will include public skating, youth hockey games and tournaments, and figure skating.
However, since I have joined the Irvine City Council — and been appointed Vice Chair of the Orange County Great Park by my colleagues —
Melissa Fox, Esq. 
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