By Mat Wahlstrom
After three years of engaging in good faith with the City, it is clear that it was never possible to significantly alter Plan Hillcrest in response to community input. [Here is a
link to our official position.]
The terms of the SB 2 Planning Grant used to fund it require no less than 14,000 units be facilitated by right. It was never a question of what density is optimal.
As a consequence, this ‘density at all costs’ has been achieved by a lack of duty of care to provide for adequate infrastructure, safety services, parks and recreation, and transportation.
Astonishing as each of the two community plan updates being considered today are on their own, a comparison between the University and Hillcrest ones are shocking. The University plan calls for a 50% increase in population of 65,400 over 8,500 acres. The Hillcrest plan calls for a 60% increase in population of 40,000 for an area of 2,700 acres — but all of it in only 400 acres.
Per the 2016 Uptown Community Plan, any plan amendment was supposed to be limited to the nine-square block area around the Hillcrest sign. Despite representations
to the contrary, the 2016 Plan allowed for a 60% increase in population and a 50% increase in dwelling units over all of Uptown. It did call for growth and density — just not enough to satisfy the demand for real estate speculation. So the percentage increases proposed in Plan Hillcrest are actually much higher than what is stated.
We’re being asked to stuff ten pounds into a five-pound bag.
Adding insult to injury, this is allegedly being done in the name of “affirmatively furthering fair housing.”
As land values are tied to ‘highest and best use,’ how can over-densifying Hillcrest —already identified by the City as “one of the most intensely developed neighborhoods in San Diego” — promote fair housing? Radical upzoning will automatically price out the possibility of building new affordable housing while requiring the demolition of existing affordable housing. And even if we could wait decades to see if maybe, eventually any of it might become affordable, at that point land values would spur the same cycle of destruction.
As just one of the six neighborhoods in Uptown — and the most ‘opportunity rich’ real estate market south of West Hollywood — Hillcrest is getting a big rainbow target
painted on its back.
Hillcrest has always welcomed new neighbors. But this plan will make us strangers to ourselves.
Mat Wahlstrom is a resident of Hillcrest and current Chair of the Uptown Planners’ Plan Hillcrest Ad Hoc Committee
The University plan calls for a 50% increase in population of 65,400 over 8,500 acres. The Hillcrest plan calls for a 60% increase in population of 40,000 for an area of 2,700 acres — but all of it in only 400 acres.
While the San Diego region in general is .75% annually. Developer driven politics.
Todd Gloria, Toni Atkins and other former San Diego politicians developed a long-term plan to get around water conservation, environmental laws, City of San Diego zoning and General plan restrictions. First, they campaigned on their City Council “accomplishments” to run for California Legislature, California Senate and other higher offices to lobby hard to over-ride the California Environmental Quality Act, across the board city zoning and general plans, to dodge responsibility for all the adverse effects to cramming high populations into cities and counties that protected our quality of life for the past 100-years. All overturned with the propaganda that high density, high rise will create “affordable housing.” And now they are on the brink of achieving their goals to serve their building industry masters. The so-called reforms of 2025 will gut a century of good planning. It is my hope that Larry Turner will upset their plans by winning the mayoral election in 2024.
Toni Atkins and Gavin Newsom agenda to eradicate of the California Coastal Commission. Atkins lauded Lowenberg for Coastal Commissioner after receiving a $50,000 donation from the giant New York Real Estate Corporate Developer, Brookfield Properties.
Out of State Developer Susan Lowenberg made her five-figure contribution on September 1 of that year to the Atkins political fund, then aimed at the ultimately successful passage of pro-abortion Prop 1, backed by Gov. Gavin Newsom. The governor appointed Lowenberg to the state Coastal Commission on December 14 of last year.
Dark money assets
A $50,000 donor to the California ballot measure committee run by state Senate Democrat Toni Atkins of San Diego has been told by lawyers for the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission to stop withholding information about her potentially lucrative portfolio of real estate assets within the coastal zone.
As of yet, there is no official report of Lowenberg’s current holdings, but hints of their considerable size abound. “Susan has worked as a property manager, asset manager, and vice president at the company, and has served as the president since 2011,” says her firm’s website. “She oversees the management of the company and personnel, cultivates and manages relationships with investors and tenants, negotiates all sales and leasing opportunities, and evaluates all acquisitions. She has overseen the company’s portfolio double in size.” Back in May 2020, Brookfield Property Group announced it paid Lowenberg Corporation $25 million for “seven single-tenant industrial properties” including 6400 square feet at 5775 Eastgate Drive in San Diego. “The properties are located in key infill locations in top U.S. metropolitan areas.”