Irvine City Council voted 3-2 to forfeit the planned purchase of a property for the city’s first homeless shelter during a special council meeting on Nov. 5.
By forfeiting the purchase, the city loses its $1 million nonrefundable deposit.
Irvine Mayor Farrah Khan called the special meeting a day prior in a memo addressed to City Manager Oliver Chi. Dozens of community members attended the session, held an hour and a half before the escrow deal was set to close.
Multiple members of the public spoke during the meeting’s public comment period, including 2024 Irvine mayoral candidate Lee Sun.
“I am deeply troubled by the lack of integrity and transparency surrounding this transaction…No planning commission or transportation commission review…It is really unclear why this transaction needed to be handled with such urgency,” Sun said to the council.
Vice Mayor Larry Agran defended the purchase during the meeting.
“As somebody who has seen this city evolve over many, many years, a lesson I learned a long time ago is anytime the city can acquire land at a reasonable price, we should do it,” Agran said. “[Irvine is] in great financial shape; it’s important to invest in the land. Land values always go up here and the city’s here to stay forever.”
Despite some support from the council, Khan raised doubts on the purchase.
“I am very supportive of the project itself, because we do have an opportunity with this project to provide individuals and families with the resources and support they desperately need,” Khan said. “However, I am not very happy with the process that has brought us to today.
The decision to purchase two buildings for $18.5 million during an Oct. 22 city council meeting passed 4-1. The property, located in the Irvine Business Complex (IBC), was proposed to provide bridge housing to at-risk and unhoused individuals. Accompanied by case managers, support programs, resources and health professionals, the plan was outlined in the Oct. 22 meeting’s staff report. The IBC, a neighborhood combining residential towers and commercial areas, is home to around 26,500 people.
More than 100 residents signed a petition against the purchase, demanding to be included in future decision-making processes regarding the IBC by city council and staff. The petition called the purchase “extreme and rushed,” citing a lack of consideration for the growing number of families living nearby and expressing concerns about “public transport access and sidewalks” as well as “public input” as key points.
Chi replied to resident’s concerns about having unhoused individuals in the area by highlighting other ways the property could be used.
“The city has options for using the land beyond the contemplated Bridge Housing,” citing examples such as a gym or library.
Khan responded by emphasizing that state and grant funds Irvine receives are for the purpose of addressing homelessness and affordable housing, like the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention grant funds.
“I am not comfortable using those particular funds if that building is not going to be used for that function,” Khan said.
Councilmember Mike Carroll immediately called for termination of the purchase, triggering audience applause.
“This has been rushed; the hypocrisy involved in what happened here is very, very high,” Carroll said, adding that the process “received zero transparency” and “there was no public input.”
The council ultimately forfeited the property purchase, with Councilmember Kathleen Treseder and Agran opposed.
“We need to do better by our residents, absolutely. We need to be more transparent and include them in our discussions and our decision-making…This is definitely a lesson learned, and I hope moving forward that we do a better job,” Khan said.
Noosha Taghdiri is a News Intern for the fall 2024 quarter. She can be reached at taghdirn@uci.edu.
Edited by Karen Wang and Jaheem Conley
