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As military bases are decommissioned throughout the country, local officials and developers are finding new opportunities to create innovative, mixed-use communities. This article looks at two decommissioned Marine Corps Air Stations — the former El Toro base located in Irvine, California and the former Tustin base located in Tustin, California — that are undergoing ambitious redevelopment projects. Both are expected to yield substantial increases in the area’s affordable and mixed-income housing stock.
The Former Marine Corps Air Station at El Toro
The Marine Corps Air Station at El Toro was officially decommissioned on July 2, 1999 as part of the Federal Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process. On March 6, 2002, the federal government announced that the former base, centrally located in Orange County, California, would be sold to the highest bidder via an online public auction.
On February 16, 2005, the former base, which was annexed to the city of Irvine in 2003, was transferred from federal to private ownership. The winning bidder, Lennar Corporation, purchased the 4,700 acre property for $649.5 million. That same day, as part of the sales agreement, Lennar deeded 1,347 acres to the city of Irvine to establish the Orange County Great Park. Known simply as “Great Park,” the property will encompass a number of uses, ultimately resulting in a vast metropolitan park. Upon completion, it will be three times the size of New York’s Central Park, making it the largest metropolitan park in the United States. The majority of the development will consist of open space to house an amphitheater, canyon, lake, meadow, sports parks, and botanical gardens. However, the proposed development also incorporates 2,100 acres surrounding Great Park that will be used to help address the housing shortage in this popular Southern California region.
The original plan includes development of 3,625 housing units and 5.3 million square feet of commercial, office, and retail space. The development follows a "new urbanism" planning style, incorporating smart growth applications such as public transportation, transit-oriented development, and mixed-use development.
In 2006, the Lennar Corporation asked the city of Irvine to amend the master plan to allow for an increase in the number housing units. The amended plan proposes to add an additional 5,875 housing units, bringing the total number of units to 9,500. In exchange, Lennar would dedicate an additional 400 acres to the park. The proposed amendment is still under consideration. The first phase of the park is projected to be completed in 2009. A timetable for completion of the second phase, which will include a multicultural center, transportation complex, and affordable housing, has not been established.
Upon annexing the former Marine base, the city of Irvine created a housing task force which recommended that the city adopt a goal of 9,700 units of affordable housing by 2025. Seen as the perfect opportunity to bring that goal into fruition, 60 acres surrounding the Great Park have been dedicated to the development of affordable units. Although the exact number affordable units has yet to be determined, the city is committed to providing a wide range of housing opportunities to all income levels.
In August of 2007, the Irvine City Council awarded $134 million to help make Great Park a reality, and to develop 35 acres of land deeded to the city. Twenty percent of the newly awarded funds will go directly to assist in the construction of affordable housing.
The Former Marine Corps Air Station at Tustin
Several miles west of the former El Toro marine base, one of the most significant infill developments in Orange County, California is currently underway. The Marine Corps Air Station at Tustin, officially decommissioned in July 3, 1999, is now part of a base reuse project that will accommodate 200 acres of private and public parks, 4,600 housing units, and over 10 million square feet of office, retail, entertainment, business park, educational and community support facilities.
The 1,600-acre Tustin Legacy Plan is an outgrowth of the Marine Corps Air Station Tustin Reuse Plan, which was adopted by the Tustin City Council on October 17, 1996. The Legacy Plan encompasses an innovative master plan consisting of mixed-use and mixed-income development. Prior to the development of Tustin Legacy, the city of Tustin required new housing developments of 4 or more units to reserve 15 percent of those units for very-low-, low-, and moderate-income households. To ensure a well-balanced community, Tustin Legacy exceeds existing affordability requirements. Each developer will be responsible for providing affordable housing to accommodate a variety of incomes. A total of 879 units are planned as affordable. Of these, 564 are expected to be for purchase and the remainder will be rentals.
The first phase of Tustin Legacy is a 376-home, 30-acre development, referred to as Tustin Field. The type of housing that is currently under construction includes townhomes, paired homes (duplexes), and detached single-family units. Ambitious in scope, the construction of Tustin Legacy will require several phases and 15 to 20 years to complete. Other features to be included in this new community are live/work units, a 192-unit transitional facility for homeless families, and a 15.7-acre, mile-long lineal park system.
Conclusion
Military base closures have the potential to negatively impact surrounding communities. The cities of Irvine and Tustin adopted innovative master plans that best serve their economic interests, while creating housing opportunities for a large number of people. In following a new urbanism planning approach, both cities have successfully transformed decommissioned military bases into communities that promote walkability, high-density, mixed-use, mixed-income, and transit-oriented development. |
Promoting Affordable Housing in Colorado
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This article is part of a continuing series in Breakthroughs, in which we identify state actions that promote affordable housing. In this issue, we’ll highlight strategies that Colorado is using to encourage localities to address affordable housing.
Since the 1990s, Colorado has experienced a significant growth in population resulting in an increased demand for housing. Inflated housing prices ultimately led the state to recognize a need to establish legislation that supports the development of affordable housing. The following are Colorado laws that encourage local jurisdictions to actively support affordable housing development:
The Authority to Establish an Affordable Unit Advisory Board
Local governments in Colorado have the authority to establish an affordable housing dwelling unit advisory board. Advisory boards are authorized to recommend that the local government or housing authority adopt a jurisdiction-wide definition of affordable housing and affordable housing dwelling units. The advisory board may make recommendations to the corresponding local government agency on issues of quantifying jurisdiction-wide sales prices of affordable units and affordable rental rates, and are authorized to make recommendations on density changes and requirements contained in the jurisdiction’s zoning or planning ordinances so as to encourage the development of affordable housing.
Accounting for Affordable Housing in the Master Plans
Colorado’s master plan legislation guides the physical development of a jurisdiction and establishes subdivision requirements, zoning, and other land development regulations. It also includes the general location of existing and proposed streets or roads, highways, mass transit routes, and public facilities, including schools and open spaces. In establishing a master plan, localities are required to evaluate the availability of affordable housing in a specific region. Additionally, local jurisdictions are encouraged to examine regulatory impediments to affordable development.
Encouraging and Preserving Manufactured Housing
The state identifies mobile homes, manufactured housing, and factory-built housing as an important and effective way to meet Colorado’s affordable housing needs. By encouraging local jurisdictions to allow and protect manufactured housing communities, the state promotes the enactment of plans to increase the number of manufactured housing communities in their jurisdictions. Additionally, the state supports incentives to further attract the development of such communities and to increase their viability.
Establishing Multijurisdictional Housing Authorities
Cities, towns, and counties across the state may establish a separate governmental entity known as a multijurisdictional housing authority. These entities can be responsible for planning, financing, acquisition, construction, reconstruction or repair, maintenance, management, and operation of housing projects or programs. They provide rental or for-purchase properties that are within the means of low- or moderate-income families, and also provide affordable housing projects or programs to employees of businesses located within the authority’s jurisdiction. The entities also have the authority to levy a one percent sales tax to help fund housing programs. Additionally, the housing authority can establish impact fees within the jurisdiction. However, Colorado encourages impact fee waivers for affordable housing projects.
Providing an Affordable Housing Guidebook to Local Governments
Due to market conditions in Colorado and the need for localities to have the best housing information within reach, the state designed a guidebook, Affordable Housing: A Guide for Local Officials 2007, to assist local governments in:
- Establishing a framework for local government involvement in housing markets;
- Recognizing and understanding market problems related to housing;
- Obtaining information on tools and options available to local governments seeking to increase the affordable housing supply; and
- Identifying resources and housing agencies that can provide assistance with housing-related issues.
The material is designed to encourage local governments to take action on affordable housing issues. Included in the guidebook are methods for building successful neighborhoods, addressing “Not In My Back Yard” sentiments, creating land use policies and construction strategies that encourage affordable housing, and developing incentives and other strategies that can assist in the development of affordable housing.
Conclusion
The role of state government in enforcing affordable housing legislation varies from state to state. In Colorado’s case, the state has granted authority to local governments to more accurately assess housing needs according to each jurisdiction. However, the state strongly encourages localities to address affordable housing issues and has provided each jurisdiction with the tools necessary to increase the affordable housing supply.
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Maintaining the Affordable Housing Supply through Historic Preservation |
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With affordable housing in short supply, communities are increasingly looking for new and innovative ways to renovate historic structures to meet housing demands while maintaining the homes’ original character. This article spotlights an apartment complex in Arlington, Virginia that was restored to meet affordable housing demands.
The Historic Ballston Park at Buckingham in Arlington, Virginia
In the later years of the Great Depression, the city of Arlington was nationally recognized as a leader in developing garden apartments, which are low-rise complexes with access to open space. One such development constructed in the heart of Arlington during the 1930s is Ballston Park at Buckingham garden apartments, which originally served as affordable units for the federal workforce in Washington, DC.
During the 1970s and 1980s, more than 13,000 of Arlington’s affordable apartments were lost to condominium conversions. In the early 1990s, the Ballston Park garden apartments were among those threatened by conversion. While the conversion eventually fell through, the apartments remained in disrepair until the Arlington County Board designated the 60-acre site a historic district in 1993. With the new historic designation and a new owner from foreclosure proceedings, the Paradigm Development Company was hired to manage the property and preserve a part of history.
In 1994, Paradigm, in conjunction with the Arlington Housing Corporation (AHC), a local nonprofit dedicated to preserving affordable housing, developed a plan to save the apartments. Together, they entered into a limited partnership to purchase the property for renovation, and utilizing a variety of funding sources, including historic tax credits and deferred development fees, began the restoration process. Renovations completed include refurbishing exteriors, landscaping, new heating and air conditioning systems, and underground placement of utilities. The renovations, which were completed in 1996, are expected to add 50 years to the life of the complex. To preserve affordable housing, 46 percent, or 300, of the units were set aside for households earning 60 percent or less of the area median income.
Conclusion
The Historic Ballston Park at Buckingham garden apartments became the largest renovated, mixed-income, historic district in Virginia. This project shows that historic structures can be restored to preserve a unique neighborhood character while maintaining the supply of affordable housing. The success of the Historic Ballston Park at Buckingham garden apartments serves as a model for other communities looking to preserve historic affordable housing as both a monument to the past and a commitment to the future.
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