🏡Lake Forest Plans Affordable Housing on Long-Vacant Whispering Hills Park Site

A 6.5-acre City-owned property in Lake Forest’s Whispering Hills neighborhood, originally intended to become a neighborhood park, is now being planned for a combination of affordable housing and a smaller public park after sitting undeveloped for more than 25 years.

📌Project Highlights

• Approx. 6.5 acres of City-owned land

• Roughly 4 acres planned for affordable housing

• Approx. 2.5 acres would remain dedicated to public park space

• City leaders have expressed a preference for affordable senior housing

• Property has been intended for park use since 1999, but the full park was never built

• No final developer, unit count, building design or housing plan has been approved yet

📆Latest Update

On June 16, 2026, the Lake Forest City Council voted 4–0 to move forward with the housing + park concept. The City will now work toward selecting a developer and reviewing a specific proposal, with construction estimated to be 2–3 years away and no official groundbreaking date yet.

Bottom Line

After more than two decades as vacant public land, the Whispering Hills property could finally be developed—just very differently than originally envisioned. Instead of the entire 6.5 acres becoming a park, the current direction would introduce affordable housing while preserving approximately 2.5 acres for a smaller public park.

It’s another example of how Southern California cities are reconsidering long-vacant and underused properties as they look for ways to add housing within already-developed communities.

📩📲 Comment or DM “LAKE FOREST” and I’ll send you the project information. And if you’re considering buying, selling or investing in Lake Forest, I’m happy to help.

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Realtor: Christian Gomez

Phone Number: (949)521-9423

Email: rechristiangomez@gmail.com

Website: re-cg.com

DRE 02242748

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