Sports Arena Developer ‘Midway Rising’ Behind Slick Pro-Measure C Mailers That Lie About Affordable Housing

By Geoff Page

The proponents of Measure C – the ballot measure to remove the Midway planning area from the 30-foot coastal height limit boundaries – are desperately trying to make this ballot measure all about affordable housing. And they are lying as they do it.

The text of Measure C is very simple:

Shall People’s Ordinance O-10960 be amended to exclude the Midway-Pacific Highway Community Plan area, which includes the Sports Arena, from the 30-foot height limit on buildings in the Coastal Zone, with any future development still required to comply with other governing laws?

As Donna Frye wrote yesterday here at the Rag, there is nothing in Measure C about affordable housing, not a word. There is also nothing about a height limit of any kind. The only property under any kind of affordable housing mandate in the Midway area is city property, in this case, only 48 acres. The Midway planning area is 1,324 acres. None of the remaining 1,276 acres is under any affordable housing mandate.

There is a ton of money to be made in this acreage if the height limit is removed.

Because of that, San Diegans are finding two slick mailers in their mailboxes. So, let’s have a close look at what these missives first, and then the real story, who paid for the mailers.

Mailer #1 – YES ON MEASURE C – Housing for Working Families

The “C” in this mailer also has a tiny graphic inside it that looked like two adults and one child. Not an accurate depiction of a real family, but very professional, almost subliminal.

Featured prominently on the cover of this mailer is a picture of a person named Tyler Renner, Service Provider & Affordable Housing Advocate. Renner is wearing a shirt that says “Everyone deserves a Home.” Renner works for a non-profit homeless advocacy group. He spent four years working for Chris Ward at city council. It is actually a mystery why he was used in the mailer other than that he is young and photogenic.

The reverse side of the mailer asks the question “What does Measure C do?” Below are three checked off answers as follows:

• Creates more than 2,000 affordable homes legally reserved for working families, not wealthy investors.
• Adds at least 20 acres of parks and public open space on what is now a parking lot;
• Moves San Diego towards our Climate Action Plan goals by creating housing near transit and reducing emissions.

Checkmarks one and two are outright lies — Measure C does not say a thing about, or guarantee, affordable homes and parks. The third bullet is a feel-good claim with nothing to back it up. And, common sense would indicate that adding 2,000 homes in the Midway area would actually increase, not decrease, emissions.

Mailer #2 – YES ON MEASURE C – Housing for Working Families

The second mailer had the same title.

Featured on the front is Angeli Calinog, Affordable Housing Advocate, Democratic Club President. The title does show that Calinog works for the Chamber of Commerce and before that worked for the Building Industry of San Diego.

The mailer quote attributed to Calinog began with “Measure C will create more than 2,000 homes…”

Measure C will “create” no such thing. Look at the text of Measure C, it says nothing like this. The business interests that she represents – development, real estate, financial institutions, and construction companies – stand to make a fortune in the Midway area. That is the true motivation, no affordable housing.

There is another quote on the reverse side of the mailer that repeats this falsehood that Measure C will provide affordable housing.

Then, there is one other quote by a person named Nicole Capretz, San Diego Climate Action Campaign. Capretz says passing Measure C will reduce emissions. (Nicole Capretz’s organization just sued the City of San Diego for not moving on its climate plan.)

It’s really beginning to look like little old Measure C is an amazing magic bullet that will cure all our ills.  That is what the proponents are telling the public with these mailers.

Who paid for the slick mailers?

At the bottom of the two mailers was the following:

Ad paid for by Affordable Homes for San Diego lead by Chris Cate – Yes on Measure C

Committee major funding from Midway Rising, LLC.

Midway Rising, LLC is the development group the city – the mayor actually – chose to redevelop the city’s 48 acres in the Midway area that includes the Sports Arena.

Let that sink in a bit.

The developer the city is trusting to redevelop our public property is sending out bald-faced lies to San Diegans with these glossy mailers. Are these the kinds of people San Diegans want to be in business with?

And it gets worse, recent news stories have recounted that people associated with Midway Rising, LLC donated more than $150,000 to Todd Gloria’s mayoral campaign. It appears that Gloria is returning the favor by choosing Midway Rising’s development proposal over the other contenders.

With a relationship this cozy, what would prevent the mayor and his city council from granting Midway Rising, LLC a reduction in the promised number of 2,000 affordable homes in the future? Again, Measure C does not contain a single word about affordable housing.

The affordable housing issue, featured prominently in these mailers, is being callously used by Midway Rising, LLC, other business interests, and our city politicians as a smokescreen to accomplish a 50-year goal – breaking the 30-foot limit. Measure C does not hold Midway Rising to anything.

If Measure C passes, it will have two major accomplishments. First, it will result in enrichment of those who own property in the Midway area and those in the development industry.  Second, it will begin dismantling the precious protection that has preserved the San Diego coast since 1972.

Make no mistake, if Measure C passes, a new, similar measure will be coming soon for another chunk of land that is “not really at the coast.”