Newport Beach Residents to Affordable Housing: Not in My Cove

A curious scene hit Newport Beach last week, when dozens of residents reacted angrily after the City Council voted unanimously on affordable housing projects in the ritzy coastal town. What drew particular ire was a proposal to grant money to an agency that would acquire an apartment building in the Newport Shores community that it would then offer to low-income veterans and seniors. Neighbors claim those inhabitants will change the character of their area. That affordable housing projects are even coming to Newport Beach is newsworthy, given that the city is like one of many South Orange County communities that give developers the option to pay into a fund instead of building state-mandated affordable units. Is the tide turning against opposition to affordable housing in Newport Beach -- or will residents get sue-y?