LAGUNA BEACH

The city may establish a housing assistance program to encourage certain municipal employees to live in Laguna Beach.

The City Council has authorized City Manager Kenneth C. Frank to draw up a plan for the council’s approval. The matter arose from concern that city employees who live outside Laguna Beach will not be able to respond to emergencies quickly, said Deputy City Manager Sanford Groves.

Because housing in Laguna Beach has become so expensive in the last decade, fewer employees can afford to live in the city.

The program would pay relocation costs when an employee moves into the city, cover the rent for a short period until a new employee buys a home, offer city loans below market rate, pay closing costs and provide equity sharing.