By John Ziebarth / San Diego U-T Guest Op-Ed / August 7, 2024
Last month, Union-Tribune reporter David Garrick authored an excellent article on housing highlighting valuable information in the city’s recent housing report and some information that is missing. As an architect who volunteered for 28 years to help develop the zoning code and has reviewed and commented on the development of the general plan and eight community plans, I would like to offer one perspective on the results in the report. We all agree that we have a housing crisis of not enough units being built and not enough middle, low and affordable units.
The adequate sites inventory in the appendix of the 2024 Annual Progress Report identifies potential sites for housing. The inventory needs to be updated to reflect Kearny Mesa and Mira Mesa community plans which have been approved, as well as the University and Hillcrest community plan updates, which were approved July 30.
When updated, the inventory will show that the council has approved enough potential sites for roughly 2.5 times the state’s target of 108,036 homes in San Diego. Clearly, the council has planned and rezoned more than enough sites with higher density — at least on paper. The city continues to do so without asking the most important question: Why are the homes not being built at a sufficient rate to meet the target?
For the balance of this interesting article, please go here. Also see original for any links.
Ahmmmm maybe the DSD is running rogue, getting the King’s signature on every plan submitted by developers, but between the Guv and the Mayor they keep changing the rules, so developers want to wait to see when they will get the most bang for their bucks in the flat faced, no character, no parking, future project housing boxes.