Anaheim Union considers 6 redevelopment proposals for Hope School site

The Anaheim Union High School District Board of Trustees is evaluating six redevelopment proposals for the vacant, 18-acre Hope School property located at 7901 Knott Ave. in Buena Park. Following a unanimous board vote in January 2026 to solicit plans—stemming from a 2023 directive to explore revenue-generating opportunities that address community needs alongside declining enrollment and financial pressures—district legal counsel Tao Rossini praised the developer response as an "extraordinarily strong showing." Hope School originally opened in 1969 as the district’s sole dedicated special education facility, serving over 200 students before its operations and staff were relocated to the former Orangeview Junior High School campus at the start of the current school year.

The submitted plans outline a range of residential, healthcare, and financial opportunities for the site. San Diego-based Community HousingWorks proposes 589 residential units—comprising 36 townhomes, 126 workforce housing units, and 429 affordable housing units—alongside a five-acre healthcare facility using phased financing. MW Investment Group and C&C Development submitted a plan featuring 255 market-rate townhomes and 85 workforce apartments on 14.9 acres under a 99-year lease projected to generate $227.4 million for the district, while reserving up to five acres for a healthcare facility. Meanwhile, Los Angeles-based Storm Properties envisions 250 housing units on 12.5 acres aimed at attracting families to rebuild district enrollment, with the remaining 7.5 acres dedicated to a healthcare or professional facility and an initial annual rent payment of $1.17 million.

Other developer proposals center on community-focused developments paired with housing. Santa Ana-based TAIT and Charleston-based Greystar proposed 250 market-rate units and 90 affordable and workforce units requiring no district funding, centered around an "educational wellness village" that includes a health learning center and childcare facility. The Michaels Organization submitted a concept utilizing the entire 18 acres for garden-style apartments combining 140 low-income units and 250 workforce units, while reserving two acres with existing structures for direct district use. Finally, Roseville-based USA Properties proposed 500 total units—300 affordable apartments and 200 build-to-rent townhomes—along with a 2,000-square-foot community health center operated with the Coalition of OC Community Health Centers, estimating $307.5 million in lease revenue over 99 years.

District staff will continue assessing all six submittals before presenting a narrowed shortlist of developers to the Board of Trustees. A specific date for the shortlist presentation has not yet been set.