Contracts For New Section 8 Housing In Murrieta OK'd By County; City Pushes For Local Control

MURRIETA, CA — A proposal to bring additional Section 8 housing to Murrieta is moving forward, and it is another example of the fight for local control.

On Tuesday, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved financing contracts that help pave the way for a project dubbed the Jefferson Family Apartments, planned for 2.09 acres in the 25200 block of Jefferson Ave., near Murrieta Hot Springs Road. The Housing Authority of the County of Riverside administers affordable housing development, rehabilitation, and voucher programs.

The Jefferson Family Apartments proposal calls for 81 units targeting low- and very-low-income residents. The project applicant is San Diego County-based Mirka Investments, LLC. Federal and state funding would be used to help finance the project, which is expected to be completed in 2028.

Section 8, officially known as the Housing Choice Voucher Program, is a federal rent-subsidy initiative that helps low-income families, seniors, and people with disabilities afford housing.

While some residents and city officials oppose Section 8 housing in their communities, municipal authority is limited. Under state law, a California city cannot reject a housing development project if it complies with all applicable general plan, zoning, and design standards. The Jefferson Family Apartments project must still meet these city standards.

Additionally, the state-mandated Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) program assigns a specific housing quota to every city and county in California. Total regional housing quotas are split into four income categories: very low income, low income, moderate income, and above moderate income. Under RHNA, a California city cannot legally limit residential development exclusively to moderate- and above-moderate-income housing.

RHNA was originally rooted in California's Housing Element Law enacted in 1969, but was formally established in its mandatory, modern framework in 1980.

Murrieta City Council Member Lori Stone has regularly spoken out against what she calls state overreach. She and Murrieta City Council Member Ron Holliday are seeking local control over housing and land-use decisions, and are exploring a potential constitutional amendment restoring greater local authority.

Following Tuesday's county approval of contracts for the Jefferson Family Apartments, the city of Murrieta announced it has formally submitted a resolution for consideration through the League of California Cities that calls for "a statewide, city-led effort to evaluate options for strengthening local authority over housing and land-use decisions."

"This is not an anti-housing resolution, nor does it predetermine what the ultimate solution should be," Holliday said in a released statement. "The goal is to bring cities together, do the necessary analysis, and determine what approach best serves us collectively. The State has an important role in housing policy and should continue to have one. What we are seeking is a better balance between statewide
objectives and local decision-making."

New housing projects are springing up across Murrieta, and the city claims it has exceeded its RHNA quota, with nearly 5,000 additional housing units permitted or pending approval.

Stone said, “Murrieta understands the responsibility cities have to help address California’s housing needs, and we are doing our part. But housing does not occur in isolation. Cities must also plan for infrastructure, public safety, public services, and the long-term impacts of growth. This resolution is about ensuring local communities continue to have a meaningful voice in those decisions.”

Murrieta is not alone. Cities from across California have stepped forward in support of participating in the resolution process, according to the city of Murrieta.

“Individual cities cannot address an issue of this magnitude alone,” Stone said. Through the League of California Cities, "we have an opportunity to bring different communities and perspectives together and develop solutions that none of us could accomplish independently.”

The Murrieta-led resolution is currently being considered through the League of California Cities' 2026 policy resolution process, according to the city.