Orange County’s top elected officials are warning the lack of affordable housing threatens the quality of life and upward mobility of residents, and puts the county’s economic future at risk.

“Orange County is experiencing a substantial shortage of housing, which is creating a significant negative impact on household budgets and the quality of life of its residents, as well as diminishing our county's workforce,” states the county’s new Declaration on Housing, which was adopted March 13 by the Board of Supervisors.

A broad-based campaign was launched Wednesday to bring together Orange County’s leaders in business, philanthropy, faith, and government around ending homelessness, including providing housing with support services for homeless people who have been on the streets for years.

The effort, led by Orange County United Way, piggybacks on a study it commissioned from UC Irvine that found it costs the public less to house long-term homeless people with wraparound health services than keep them on the streets where they often rotate in and out of expensive stays at emergency rooms and jails.

The proposed El Toro 100-Acre Parcel Development Plan, along with the Final Program Environmental Impact Report (FPEIR), will be presented to the Orange County Board of Supervisors on Nov. 14 for final approval. On Nov. 3, the County issued a Notice of Availability for the FPEIR, which addresses potential environment impacts and recommends the environmentally superior alternative – the Reduced Intensity and Reduced Density Alternative – as the preferred project.