DisneylandForward was passed last year by the city of Anaheim. This set the path for several decades for the Disneyland Resort and the surrounding city. One of the benefits of DisneylandForward, beyond the obvious economic perks of the Disneyland Resort growing, is that Disney promised $15 million to the city to go toward affordable housing. This will be followed by another $15 million in 5 years. On top of the $30 million from Disney, Anaheim is set to receive a $1 million federal grant.
At Thursday night’s city council meeting, City staff will present plans on how the money should be used. The current plans include the provision of money to help build affordable units, loan assistance to homebuyers in the city, and funding for low-income families at risk of eviction.
The proposal seeks $9.5 million for the “Build More Homes Initiative.” This goes towards building more affordable housing units. It is estimated that this could create 250 to 300 units. The proposal’s loan assistance program could also offer a 30-year “silent second mortgage” of $50,000 at 3% interest. This would help borrowers be able to wait to make payments until they either sell, refinance, or pay off their home. One requirement would be that the household income doesn’t exceed 150% of the median income for the county. Another $1 million would go toward helping residents who are at risk of eviction. This would be done through one-time grants of up to $5,000 or two months’ rent, whichever is lower. Households making under 50% of the median income would be eligible.
The plan has already been unanimously approved by Anaheim’s Housing and Community Development Commission. The full City Council will be meeting on Thursday, May 29, 2025, at 5:00 PM.
