Mountain View to Provide Much-Needed Affordable Housing in Orange County

Lake Forest, Calif. – National Community Renaissance (National CORE), the City of Lake Forest and other development partners broke ground today on an affordable apartment community in one of the most expensive housing markets in the nation. The new housing development, Mountain View, in the heart of Orange County, will provide 71 much-needed apartment homes to individuals and families with household incomes below 60 percent in the City of Lake Forest, offering one-, two-, and three-bedroom homes.

“We are excited to celebrate the beginning of construction on this beautiful community that will provide much-needed apartment homes and permanent supportive housing,” said National CORE President and CEO Steve PonTell. “It has been a pleasure working with the City of Lake Forest, who have been leading efforts to provide affordable housing in South Orange County.”

Orange County has long been recognized as one of the most expensive housing markets in the nation, both for renters and prospective homebuyers. In 2015, the National Low Income Housing Coalition’s (NLIHC) 2021 Out of Reach Report showed that Orange County was among the nation’s 10 most expensive counties, with an average fair market two-bedroom rent of $1,608. The NLIHC’s 2021 report showed that the average two-bedroom has risen to $2,331 – to afford this rent, a family must make $93,240 annually or $44.83 an hour.

“The City of Lake Forest is committed to bringing affordable housing options that provide residents with a beautiful place to call home. Mountain View will be a great asset to our city and our community, bringing additional resources and opportunity,” said Lake Forest Mayor Robert Pequeño. “We look forward to working with National CORE in the years to come as we continue to provide housing solutions for families and others in need.”

An all-electric community, Mountain View is designed to be highly sustainable and resource efficient. National CORE anticipates that Mountain View will be certified as LEED for Homes Gold. The four-story development will have a rooftop photovoltaic solar energy system that is expected to offset 40% of the community’s overall energy needs. Meanwhile, all of Mountain View’s common areas, including its community room and hallways, will be Zero Net Energy.

“Today, in partnership with National CORE and the City of Lake Forest, we are making an important step forward in the County of Orange’s ambitious efforts to provide an abundance and variety of housing options,” said Donald P. Wagner, Orange County Supervisor of the Third District. “Investing in high-quality housing is a fiscally-responsible way to improve public safety and stimulate economic growth.”

Eight units will be reserved for individuals and families in the region who are experiencing or at-risk of homelessness. Onsite programming will be made available for all residents by the Hope through Housing Foundation, providing services that give residents the resources and support they need to thrive. In partnership with the County of Orange and other local partners, high-quality wraparound supportive services will be offered onsite to residents who have previously experienced homelessness.

“Through youth development services and individualized financial coaching, we look forward to empowering families in this new community to reach goals they never thought possible,” said Gregory Bradbard, President of the Hope through Housing Foundation.

Located on El Toro Road, Mountain View is within walking distance of schools, grocery stores, and retail. Residents of Mountain View will have access to onsite amenities such as laundry facilities on each floor and a beautiful courtyard featuring outdoor fireplaces, leisure areas, and a playground. A community center will serve as the hub for activities and services for residents and the neighborhood at large.

# # #

About National Community Renaissance (National CORE)

National Community Renaissance, based in Southern California, is one of the nation’s largest nonprofit developers of affordable housing. National CORE manages nearly 9,000 affordable, senior, and market-rate units in California, Texas, and Florida. National CORE’s strength is in its ability to offer partners an array of in-house capabilities that navigates the complexities of planning, developing, building, managing, and providing supportive services. For more information on National CORE, please visit www.nationalcore.org.

About Hope through Housing

Hope through Housing believes that affordable housing can be a platform for transformational change at the individual and neighborhood level. For more than 20 years, the Hope through Housing Foundation has provided more than 2 million hours of transformational social services helping children and teens achieve success, improving families’ financial well-being, and promoting seniors’ health and wellness. For more information on Hope through Housing, please visit www.hthf.org.