Gov. Chooses a Housing Chief

An Orange County property executive who spent 25 years managing plans to develop a swath of coastal wetlands in Huntington Beach has been named by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger as his director of housing and community development.

Lucy Dunn, 51, has been the public face of plans to build on the Bolsa Chica wetlands, a controversial proposal that once encompassed 1,200 acres, with a marina, hotels and up to 5,700 homes.

State and federal agencies stepped in to preserve most of the property and restore the wetlands. Permission for 379 homes on 212 acres awaits approval from the California Coastal Commission.

Dunn, of Coto de Caza, is executive vice president of Hearthside Homes, which manages the property for its owner, California Coastal Communities. And, as vice president of the California Building Industry Assn., she would have become the group’s first female president in October. She is also an attorney.

Dunn’s appointment to the state housing post, which begins June 1 and pays $123,255 a year, requires state Senate confirmation.

“Lucy’s experience in the housing industry, and her history of support for solutions that benefit the broader community, make her an ideal choice to direct our efforts to address California’s pressing development needs,” Schwarzenegger said in a prepared statement.

In the same statement, Dunn said California must address its housing shortage while “balancing the need for intelligent planning and environmental stewardship.”

“Lucy has been a tireless advocate for providing housing for young California families,” government affairs consultant Mike Stockstill said. “She has a reputation as someone who is a clear advocate but is realistic about what can be done and what can’t be done.”

Dunn was executive manager of the Bolsa Chica project for Hearthside Homes, where she negotiated the sale of 900 acres of the wetlands for government preservation. The state Wildlife Conservation Board is trying to buy the remaining acres but hasn’t made an offer.

Dunn previously was senior vice president for the Koll Development Co. and worked as general counsel for Signal Landmark, another land company. A graduate of Cal State Fullerton and Western State University College of Law, she was in private law practice from 1981 to 1987.

The Department of Housing and Community Development is California’s principal housing agency, overseeing housing plans across the state and establishing regulations for mobile and manufactured housing.