REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
SUBMITTED TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
SUBMITTED BY: Travis Hopkins, City Manager
VIA: Jennifer Villasenor, Director of Community Development
PREPARED BY: Jennifer Villasenor
Subject:
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Approve Response Letter to the 2025-2026 Orange County Grand Jury Report Related to State Housing Mandates and Forward to the Presiding Judge
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Statement of Issue:
Transmitted for City Council consideration is a response letter to the Orange County Grand Jury Report entitled “California Housing Mandates, The Unintended Reshaping of Orange County Neighborhoods,” which was released to the public on May 27, 2026. Pursuant to California Penal Code Section 933.05 the City must respond to certain findings and recommendations within 90 days (by August 27, 2026).
Financial Impact:
There is no fiscal impact associated with this action.
Recommended Action:
recommendation
A) Approve the City’s response letter to the Orange County Grand Jury Report entitled “California Housing Mandates, The Unintended Reshaping of Orange County Neighborhoods”; and
B) Authorize the City Manager to submit the response letter to the Presiding Judge of the Superior Court.
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Alternative Action(s):
The City Council may take the following alternative action:
Amend the response letter prior to submitting to the Presiding Judge. Pursuant to state law, the City must submit a response within 90 days.
Analysis:
The Grand Jury is a judicial body empowered with investigative duties by the Superior Court of California and is composed of local citizens whose principal role is to be a “watchdog” over local government agencies, including special districts, to ensure that the County is being governed honestly and efficiently. For its 2025-2026 term, the Grand Jury investigated and issued a report entitled “California Housing Mandates, The Unintended Reshaping of Orange County Neighborhoods,” (Attachment 1) which requires a response from the City within 90 days of its release. With City Council approval, staff will submit the response letter (Attachment 2) to the Presiding Judge of the Superior Court by the required deadline.
Environmental Status:
The requested action is an administrative activity of the City Council that would not result in direct or indirect physical environmental effects. As such, the requested action is not a project pursuant to Section 15378 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines and no further CEQA review is required.
Strategic Plan Goal:
Non Applicable - Administrative Item
Attachment(s):
1. Orange County Grand Jury Report - “California Housing Mandates, The Unintended Reshaping of Orange County Neighborhoods”
2. Draft City Response Letter