From Media Alert
By Mary Brady
Dozens of homeowners and renters in the Clairemont/Bay Ho neighborhood will stage a protest demonstration focused on the City of San Diego’s refusal to halt the destructive and illegal construction by a developer who is cramming 12 so-called “Accessory Dwelling Units” on a single family lot abutting a canyon.
The protest will be this Saturday, June 22, 11 am at the site located at 4578 Jicarillo Ave, San Diego 92117 Clairemont/Bay Ho.
The city’s failure to modify its flawed “Bonus ADU” program and enforce existing building codes allowed SDRE Homebuyers to grade the lot, threaten an environmentally sensitive canyon, install illegal drainage, and demolish an existing garage, without the required permits, neighbors say.
Neighbors and their attorneys have reported these violations to the city’s Code Enforcement Division and their elected representative, but grading and construction have continued essentially unchecked since August, 2023.
Community organizers will demonstrate why their narrow street is particularly unsuited to a multi-unit apartment building with no off-street parking. The protestors will also show the severe fire danger posed by this outsized project, and its risk to public safety.
“This is not an ADU project, it’s a 12-unit apartment complex on a single family-lot in a residential neighborhood,” said Mary Brady, who lives on Jacarillo Ave.
“It will not create any affordable housing. Sadly, it will only drive up the price of much-needed ‘starter homes’ for first-time buyers, because it permanently removes this property from our city’s resell inventory,” Brady said.
Geoff Hueter, chair of Neighbors For A Better San Diego, also criticized the development.
“The so-called ‘Bonus ADU Program’ encourages development as far away as possible from transit in areas with the highest fire risk,” said Hueter. “Worse, the City has lost the trust of its residents — both owners and renters — because it refuses to enforce its own regulations and close obvious loopholes in our land use codes.”
More details about the violations and the city’s inaction are included in a 62-page letter from the residents’ attorneys at the Law Offices of Josh Chatten-Brown, and contact Mary Brady for a copy or link.
Contact: Mary Brady, mabrady2023@outlook.com, 858-784-1325
Allowing development and grading in our fire prone local canyons is a sign that “build anywhere” has gotten totally out of control. Common sense is no longer a pre-requisite to getting elected.
Vote out Gloria and Ego-Rivera.
What a shame that out of state investors and developers matter more to our elected officials here in San Diego than the taxpayers and single families that live here. This does nothing to bring affordable housing to SD, just contribute to more renters and a steady decline in home ownership.
If you’re concerned about the development of these multi-unit “ADU” projects — six, eight, ten or more units on a single family lot — please join this protest on Saturday. These buildings are not so-called “gentle development.” They are not built by the homeowner. They do not provide additional off-street parking, despite the lack of adequate public transportation. They are apartment buildings built on single family lots, and they are popping up in neighborhoods all across San Diego. (The correct phone number for protest organizer Mary Brady is 858-784-1315)
This is not affordable housing! This is a greedy developer that cares nothing about the neighborhoods they invade.
This from his Instagram page:
“Our CEO Christian Spicer is noticing the surge in prices of single-family homes… and although we cannot stop the increasing rates, we are committed to creating long-term, sustainable housing for everyone ????”
I have been told that the rent amount can be set based on the neighborhood it is in- so now they can charge even more because this is considered BayHo. Seriously view his portfolio on their website and follow the trail. They are building 12 apartments + the small house on this tiny lot- that is 13 units!
They will have no off street parking. This could easily bring as much as 26 cars with no place to park. This is a 1950’s neighborhood, with very narrow streets. Two cars can’t pass without one pulling over. The city’s plan that they would use mass transit is a joke- they will have cars. At a meeting I attended, the city representatives said that the distance to mass transit is measured “as the crow flies”. I loved that someone at the meeting had to remind them that we are not crows. I hope the city is prepared for liability in case of a fire and we can’t get out.
This developer did nothing to improve the infrastructure, they tore out old growth trees. They have done so much damage to the canyon. They have been working without permits and yet the city does nothing! I absolutely have lost all faith in our city government. I will never vote for any city reps that voted in this absurd law.
Please vote out Todd Gloria- where is the logic to what he is deciding. His legacy for the city of San Diego will not be a good one.
Do you think you’re safe from having an apartment complex being built right next door to your house in San Diego just because you live in an area zoned R-1? Guess again!! That’s exactly what the people in our neighborhood that have lived here for decades thought until we learned that our San Diego City Council quietly voted in a law that permits developers to build 12 units in the backyard of a house in our neighborhood. They destroyed sensitive vegetation in the canyon in doing so, and they don’t have to provide any space for off street parking. The city claims that the folks won’t have cars because they will use public transportation. Ha! And the bus stop has to be no more than a half mile away. AS THE CROW FLIES!! We aren’t crows! If one walks, instead of flies, to the bus stop they will have to walk well over a mile…. each way. So if you see a “for sale” sign go up in your neighborhood, beware! The folks that buy it may well be out of town developers, disguised as a young lovely couple. But too late you find out they are developers ready to tear up the back yard and build as many apartments as they can. MANY MORE THAN YOU WOULD EVER IMAGINE WAS LEGAL, and there is nothing you will be able to do about it. We as a neighborhood hired an attorney and spent tons of money all to no avail because the San Diego City Council is dead set against homeowners in this city. Our mayor claims that he is a renter! Home owners must be his enemies. It certainly seems that way. If you want to learn more, join us home owners this Saturday for the protest.
Elections have consequences. This destruction of local land use policy can be laid at the feet of the California Legislature and the governor, with tacit approval of our mayor.
Know who you’re voting for or suffer the consequences.
I concur – this can happen anywhere in the city of San Diego. The lack of over site on this particular project is disgraceful. The city has been advised and given proof of the multiple violations of the developer and have chosen to look the other way. These projects are ruining neighborhoods across San Diego. I call this the “ Los Angelesation “ of San Diego. We will all be renters in no time.
This is going on in my area as well (Mira Mesa). In fact, I read a story of a developer putting up a 6-unit “ADU” in the backyard of one home. I felt sorry for the woman they interviewed who was going to live next to it. She complained to no avail, and lamented the fact that she would no longer have any privacy in her backyard (and good luck with the property value of a house that is suddenly next to a mini-apartment complex). The developer, who they interviewed, made the ridiculous claim that basically neighbors had no right to complain because when they bought their houses that’s all they were buying and not “the neighborhood”. Of course when you consider buying a house you consider the neighborhood as well. This guy just didn’t care that he was making the street uglier and ultimately more congested. I too wonder where all the new parking spaces are going to magically appear.
So why wasn’t this change in zoning laws voted upon? My guess is because they knew it would never pass. So these so-called representatives, who have ruined this city (and state), don’t actually represent their voters. They just pander to whomever writes them a check (in this case, developers). So now they will ignore their voters once again, and somebody will have to go through the laborious process of starting a petition, getting something on the ballot that makes this illegal, etc., etc. Here’s an idea: why don’t our representatives – who apparently can change zoning laws at the drop of a hat when it suits them – simply just change the law back? Is that too much to ask?
Goofy Gav made it a law up to 10 dwelling units could go on one single family lot. But T-Glo said, naw it can be up to 14 dwelling units.
I say vote out ALLLL incumbents in the next elections. None of the people/voters put in their cushioned seats are fighting FOR their constituents, they’re voting against the people and continue to implement actions that destroy neighborhoods.
larryturnerformayor.com
would like to see how this progresses
The current San Diego City Council members need to realize how they are destroying the tapestry of single-family neighborhoods to promote density. Under the leadership of Sean Elo-Rivera, this Council has lowered the requirements for implementing Accessory Dwelling Units and Junior Accessory Dwelling Units from that of California state law. San Diego now requires no rear or side setbacks and makes no provisions for fire or safety relative to setbacks. San Diego decided not to eliminate any areas from ADU/JADU development and neglected to make provisions for impacts to water, sewer, traffic, public safety, high fire zones, and parking. San Diego’s 30-foot height limit for ADUs exceeds the 16-foot limit the CA ADU code allows. The waivers of fees neglect neighborhoods that need infrastructure for parks, libraries, water and sewer improvement, and upgrades to roads and traffic. We need to vote out of office all elected officials who do not listen to the people they represent; enough is enough.
“The current San Diego City Council members need to realize how they are destroying the tapestry of single-family neighborhoods to promote density.”
They very much do. That’s the whole point.
I live in a single family home near two large apartment buildings and a 6 unit building. Turns out people live there. Lots of people. I would love to see more condos and owner occupied buildings constructed, but I also recognize we are in dire need of more housing.
Housing is more affordable in Tennessee and Florida in part because they shamelessly build sprawl with car-centric design and inefficient land use. I appreciate our efforts, however imperfect, to build denser housing. I am writing this from my sister’s house in Montana where the city does not even offer recycling to residents. We live in a big city in a progressive state and perhaps 1950’s planning was not prudent for future problems.
Will. that narrative is factually dead there is no “dire need of new housing.” The County has surpassed housing requirements through 2050. A 26 year surplus.
Your sister in Montana may have already seen (or may likely see) a 21% increase in her property tax.
I went to the protest today and saw the monstrosity. A next-door neighbor allowed people to view it from her backyard. Right now the 6 under-construction buildings are only 1-story, but are doubling or more in height. The same “developer” whose sign has the tag-line “We do Infill” built another very similar project that’s just about ready to be occupied on Firestone Street a couple of miles east in Clairemont. I understand they also got a house next door there and will have 20 to 24 units total on the 2 SFR lots.
I have photos if the Rag wants to contact me via email.
Likely, all will be market rate… or STVR/STRO’s.
I take these 2 comments from the same person as threats:
Lucifer
fyuki@hotmail.com
156.29.5.177
What happened to that Frank Gormlie dude who always thought he knew everything? I’ve been expecting him to comment any time now but maybe (hopefully) he finally got the hint and committed suicide.
2024/06/23 at 11:19 am
asdklfj@hotmail.com
156.29.5.177
What happened to that Frank Gormlie dude who always thought he knew everything? I’ve been expecting him to comment any time now but maybe (hopefully) he finally got the hint and committed suicide.