Housing

The City of Rancho Santa Margarita is actively monitoring a number of housing bills currently proposed in the State legislature.  The City Council has taken a position to oppose any bills which erode local control.  

For additional information on any of these bills, visit the California Legislative Information page.  

2021 Housing Legislation - City response

  1. SB 9 Fact Sheet
  2. Letter Opposing SB 9
  3. Reso No. 21-03-24-04 Opposing Senate Bill 9
  4. Letter Opposing SB 6
  5. Reso No. 21-03-24-05 Opposing Any Legislation which Erodes Local Control
  6. Letter Opposing AB 215
  7. SB 12 Oppose Unless Amended

Accessory Dwelling Unit - Additional Resources

The following links provide additional resources and technical assistance related to accessory dwelling units (ADU).  Please contact the Planning Division at 949-635-1800x 6705 for the City's requirements regarding the permitting and construction of an ADU.

State Accessibility Standards

The Division of the State's Architects (DSA) provides various access compliance reference materials related to accessibility standards for persons with disabilities.  Resources provided by the DSA can be found at https://www.dgs.ca.gov/DSA/Resources.

Housing Programs

The City of Rancho Santa Margarita presently supports a variety of housing activities in partnership with the County of Orange and local community-based nonprofit organizations. For more information, please contact the City's Housing Programs Coordinator, Mike Linares, at 949-635-1800, ext. 6702.


First-Time Homebuyer Program

Presently the City of Rancho Santa Margarita does not offer any form of first time home buyer assistance, however, homebuyers can contact mortgage lenders to inquire if they offer first-time homebuyer assistance. For more information, visit the First-Time Homebuyer Assistance page.

Affordable Housing

The City works in conjunction with the Orange County Housing and Community Services Department to provide for affordable housing. Visit the Affordable Housing page for more information. To access information about rental assistance, please visit the Rental Assistance page.