Advocacy

Kennedy Commission

The Kennedy Commission is a community-based nonprofit dedicated to increasing the production of affordable housing for lower-income households throughout Orange County. The organization works closely with residents, community partners, and local governments to advance sustainable, inclusive housing policies that reflect the needs and priorities of the community.

The organization’s team analyzes geospatial and demographic data to support housing element planning and ensure that local decisions align with community goals. Through research and the interpretation of land-use and housing policies, the team identifies key opportunities for advancing affordable housing development and equitable zoning practices. The Kennedy Commission also leads outreach campaigns, organizing residents, and building leadership capacity through education, advocacy training, and public participation initiatives.

Tapestry U.U.C- Welcoming Neighbors Home

As an extension of Tapestry, a unitarian universalist church, Welcoming Neighbors Home is a South Orange County-based organization committed to advancing compassionate and effective housing solutions. Serving communities including Aliso Viejo, Dana Point, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Lake Forest, Mission Viejo, and Rancho Santa Margarita, the organization promotes policies that prioritize housing stability for all.

Welcoming Neighbors Home advocates for a “housing first” model, recognizing that stable housing is essential to addressing other social and economic challenges. The organization supports the development of permanent supportive housing with comprehensive wrap-around services and champions inclusionary housing policies that require affordable units for extremely low, very low, and low-income households in new developments.

Homes For All Workshop Series Recap

From October 2023 to January 2024, the Homes For All workshop series brought together Lake Forest community members to learn, connect, and advocate for affordable housing solutions in south Orange County. These workshops provided a platform for community members to learn about local housing challenges and explore ways to take meaningful action.

Each session gave participants a deeper understanding of affordable housing issues, sparking lively conversations and encouraging everyone to get involved in making a difference. The final workshop focused on practical advocacy skills, helping attendees understand how to effectively voice their concerns and connect with local officials to push for change. To wrap up the series, participants toured the Mountain View affordable housing complex in Lake Forest, gaining a firsthand look at what dignified, affordable housing can look like in their own community.

Through these workshops, the Homes For All coalition has helped build a more informed and united community, ready to continue advocating for affordable housing and work toward lasting change.

1 Million Homes Campaign

September of 2024, the support of HousingNow!, the Kennedy Commission coordinated a town hall to bring attention to Governor Newsom's promise of producing 1 million affordable homes by 2030. This was a collaborative effort with Homes For All, OCCCO, OCCCORD, Thrive Santa Ana, Alianza Translatinx, and Chispa. The purpose of this town hall was to have the opportunity for the community to discuss with local and state officials about the importance of affordable housing. Affordable housing advocates gave testimonies and shared their life stories in regards to the lack of affordable housing.

Chet Holifield Federal Building Advocacy

In collaboration with Homes For All, Tapestry U.U.C, and the League of Women's Voters, Kennedy Commission staff hosted a presentation to discuss the development of the Chet Holifield site (also known as the Ziggurat Building). Advocates for affordable housing emphasized the importance of ensuring that for any housing developed on this site, at least 20% of the proposed units are affordable for low- and very low-income families.

The event brought together Laguna Niguel community members who rely on the local community for their daily needs, employment, and recreation. Attendees received key information about the Ziggurat Building—a 1-million-square-foot facility on 89 acres—to encourage sign-ons to advocacy letters intended for the Laguna Niguel City Council ahead of an upcoming meeting where the site is expected to be discussed.

The Kennedy Commission and Homes For All hosted a community tour of the the Chet Holifield Federal Building, located in Laguna Niguel. This 89-acre site, situated in the heart of South Orange County, remains underutilized, despite its prime location. The event began at the nearby shopping center, across the street from the site, where community residents gathered before embarking on the neighborhood visit. The goal of the visit was to provide residents and stakeholders with a deeper understanding of the redevelopment potential of the site, with the potential purchase by a private developer. It is speculated that the site will be redeveloped into a mixed-use development, incorporating housing, retail, and other community-oriented uses. The tour provided participants with a broader understanding of the surrounding amenities, including local schools, parks, sports fields, grocery stores, pharmacies, restaurants, and small businesses.

The Commission and Homes For All organized an exclusive guided tour of the interior of the Chet Holifield Federal Building itself. This tour allowed community residents the opportunity to witness firsthand the vastness of the building and its underutilized state. The stark emptiness inside the building was eye-opening for everyone, revealing how much unused space remains that could be better utilized for essential community needs, such as affordable housing and emphasized the significant potential for redevelopment and the positive impact it could have on the community.

R.U.N Advocacy Day

Through the Residents United Network (R.U.N), the statewide movement for affordable housing advocacy, South Orange County residents took their voices straight to the California Capitol. Jonathon, Esther, Maria, and Sylvia met with legislators in Sacramento to demand increased funding for affordable housing. These community leaders met directly with Assemblymember Cottie Petrie Norris (District 73) , Assemblymember Tasha Boerner (District 77), Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva (District 67) (pictured on the right), and Jack Christensen, the Chief of Staff for District 38 Assemblymember Catherine Blakespear. Leading up to these meetings, the South OC leaders attended virtual narrative trainings and informative workshops on R.U.N’s policy priorities.

Public Comment Workshop

Homes For All hosted a workshop informing advocates on the process of presenting a public comment at a city council meeting. As the advocacy landscape in South Orange County is quickly picking up, the goal was to equip resident leaders with information that will allow their civic voice to be heard by their city council members. Participants practiced delivering their comments and received feedback to deliver impactful comments to future council meetings.

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