Pasadena officials plan to build housing for homeless seniors — the city’s largest and fastest-growing homeless population group — on city-owned property in Northwest Pasadena.

The City Council’s vote Monday to accept the recommendation of housing officials marks a move forward in long-stalled plans to complete the development of Heritage Square, a 2.8-acre block at Fair Oaks Avenue and Orange Grove Boulevard.

There are 70 affordable units at the Heritage Square Senior Apartments, located on the northern part of the property and completed in 2017. Now, the city plans to move forward with a plan to build on the southern portion 65 to 70 units of permanent supportive housing for homeless seniors and space for retail and restaurants.

The council’s approval is just an early step. Now city staff need to find money and developers interested in the project. The council is set to consider future details at a later date.

Vice Mayor John Kennedy of District 3 said the plan would be a positive one for the neighborhood, pointing to the fact that it would include businesses as well as much-needed housing, despite the fact that there are many affordable housing projects in the immediate area.

“Heritage Square North has proven to be an extraordinarily positive change in the district that I represent,” he said. “I’m hoping we’re moving in a moving in a similar vein with Heritage Square South.”

There were 677 homeless people living on Pasadena streets and shelters at this year’s count, up 18 percent from the year before.

Of that, 253 were people over 50 — making older adults the largest portion of Pasadena’s homeless population as well as it’s fastest growing. The number of homeless people over 50 living in Pasadena is up 65 percent since 2016, according to Housing Director William Huang.

Pasadena officials since 2001 have attempted to develop Heritage Square. The 1.3-acre southern portion in 2013 was designated by the state as an affordable housing asset, according to Jim Wong of the Housing Department.

City officials say this plan is one of several meant to address the homelessness crisis. Others include an ordinance approved by the council this fall allowing conversion of motels to permanent supportive housing.