Tiny Apartments, Cheap Rent at Irvine Inn

A nonprofit developer has come up with one way to provide affordable housing for some of Orange County’s service workers. Think small, really small.

Aragon Affordable Housing Inc. of Irvine and St. Louis-based builder McCormack Baron and Associates recently completed construction of the Irvine Inn, a 192-unit single-room-occupancy apartment building at Jamboree Road and Warner Avenue in Irvine. The Irvine Inn is one of two such facilities in Orange County designed for single people earning $22,000 or less a year, said Michael Lennon, Aragon president.

Like a residential hotel, the Irvine Inn’s furnished units are tiny--just 232 square feet including bathroom and kitchenette. But the Irvine Inn also features a gym, swimming pool and game room. Developers say they also plan to offer educational programs. It’s the cheapest game in town at $414 a month, utilities included, they say. “Even in Irvine, an efficiency apartment starts at $675 to $700,” Lennon said.

The only similar structure in Orange County is Costa Mesa Village, a converted Travelodge on Harbor Boulevard that rents for about $520 per unit. High rents have created a huge need for housing for lower-income workers here, many of whom commute long distances, Lennon said. A total of 10,000 people are on the Orange County Housing Authority’s waiting list for affordable housing, he noted. “This is really just scratching the surface,” he said.

The $10-million project was a public and private partnership, financed by a $406,000 block grant from the city of Irvine, a $2-million loan from the county and $5 million in financing from Los Angeles investment firm SunAmerica Inc. The Irvine Co. sold the partnership land at a discount.

Melinda Fulmer covers real estate for The Times. She can be reached at (714) 966-7832.