The Callen Report
By Kate Callen
The sheer awfulness of the projects in our “Worst ADU in San Diego” contest has prompted readers to ask: ‘How the hell did this happen?’
To find out, let’s take a closer look at the Gold Prize “worst ADU,” the 14-unit complex at 4578 Jicarillo Avenue in Bay Ho. It shows how monstrous ADUs are spawned by three very bad actors: A rampaging builder. A broken city agency. And a scheming politician.
The Builder: Christian Spicer
In 2021, Christian Spicer told the New York Times that he started out in real estate by delivering foreclosure notices to homeowners. “The fun part was now I get to go in and turn the unit,” he said.
When Spicer was cited for ripping out a kitchen without permits, a subcontractor mentioned it would be easier to build a backyard ADU – faster permitting, more profit.
Today, Spicer is founder/CEO of SDRE Homebuilders, a developer focused on multi-unit ADUs with dozens of projects in the pipeline.
Spicer aims to be a laid-back bro. He told the Times, “I’m definitely on the cool side of things.”
Matt and Karen Cowman, who live next door to the Jicarillo project, say Spicer told them his construction would take them through the five stages of grief. When they saw the framework, he said, they would reach the acceptance stage.
But when the Bay Ho community pushed back, Spicer lost his cool. His law firm, Hoffman & Forde, served the Cowmans with a 7-page “cease and desist” screed accusing them of “harassment, trespass, nuisance, and tortious interference.”
The salvo demanded that the couple preserve “ALL COMMUNICATIONS” that could be evidence, including computers, network servers, and calendars.” This threat was a “FINAL WARNING to CEASE AND DESIST” before issuance of a temporary restraining order.
The Cowman’s 2-page legal response was calmer. It noted that the only “evidence” of trespass, a photo of Karen Cowman, was taken surreptitiously when Spicer’s crew invited her onto the property to show her a disputed gas meter.
“All of this arises after the City rightfully issued your client a stop work order,” the response said. “Your client should not blame others when they point out the failure to follow city requirements.”
The Agency: Development Services Department
In nearly all our “worst ADU” entries, inspectors from the Development Services Department (DSD) seemed to undergo personality changes over time. During initial visits, they were firm and clear about violations they found. They issued citations. They ordered builders to take corrective action.
But on subsequent visits, inspectors shrugged and dissembled. They had been overruled by DSD management. Their hands were tied.
On April 29, the Chatten-Brown Law Group, representing Friends of Bay Ho, sent a letter to District 2 Councilmember Jen Campbell. It described how inspectors identified multiple violations at the Jicarillo site, which is perched on a canyon rim in a “very high fire severity zone.” Violations included:
- City Inspector Michael Gomez noted that “all vegetation had been removed, despite the fact that the entire property had been flagged as a potential ESL [environmentally sensitive land] zone and no permits had been issued to authorize development.”
- SDRE then proceeded to demolish the garage, install an air conditioning system, modify electricity and gas lines, grade along a steep hillside, and place dumpsters in the public right-of-way, all without permits.
- SDRE’s placement of drainage pipes to discharge wastewater directly into a canyon with a 50-foot drop was a cheap construction hack – and a flagrant violation.
The City issued stop-work orders. Spicer refused to comply. “I will not accept being shut down,” he emailed. “I am going to keep building throughout the city as I have 37 more projects to finish.”
Spicer kept building. And the city did nothing to stop him.
Why DSD doggedly reverses the decisions of its own professional staff is a mystery for the ages. Sometimes it refuses to take enforcement action. And sometimes it trots out bogus rulings that are almost laughable.
A prime example of DSD’s pretzel logic was its ultimate failure to address illegal grading at Jicarillo. From the Friends of Bay Ho letter: “In defense of this change of position, DSD asserts that the project is exempt from ESL regulations because a fence is present on the site. … In the City’s view, the presence of a fence leads to the presumption that the property was previously legally graded.”
The Politician: Todd Gloria
All our “worst ADU” entries were made possible by Todd Gloria’s unprecedented “ADU bonus” program. The mayor’s density-on-steroids housing push has earned him national publicity and made him the darling of building industry donors.
But in his zeal to establish his YIMBY bona fides, Gloria has lost sight of his primary responsibility as mayor: to protect the safety of the people of San Diego.
The worst aspect of the Jicarillo project is the danger it poses to the Bay Ho community. If a wildfire sweeps up through the canyon, bloated density in a cramped neighborhood will hinder evacuation efforts and block firefighters from entering.
Should that happen, Gloria might be off serving as a housing official in the Harris administration. And then the tragic consequences of his “bonus ADU” program won’t be his problem.
Thx for this very informative and revealing story. We need more reporting like this to keep neighborhoods aware of of the consequences Todd Gloria’s policies and the lack of any meaningful oversight or pushback by a subservient city council.
Excellent! I wonder how many other neighbors have had to deal with rogue builders based on the freebies they’re given by the mayor’s policies, and DSD obeying his orders????
We need true, knowledgeable, common sense, experienced leaders in San Diego, like Larry Turner and Terry Hoskins. They both excelled as Marines, and made rank. They couldn’t do that without their tough leadership skills.
Thank you, Kate; your in-depth reporting is excellent. The DSD would not be devoid of ethical standards if we had a Mayor and City Council who cared – about the citizens who elected them, about enforcing building codes, about fire safety – and on and on. I am a life-long Democrat but I will not vote for Gloria or Whitburn. It’s time for TURNER!
A cute little home just hit the market, the type of home we all grew up in, in this area. Little fixer for almost $2m, within the property description, written by the RE no doubt, is:
The large backyard offers plenty of space for future expansion or even more units, making this home a fantastic investment opportunity.
Maybe we need to start asking these RE agents why they think its ok to ruin OUR town?
Follow the money ?
GREAT REPORTING, KATE.
Considering “strong mayor” Todd Gloria supports 12+ ADUs behind houses, I assume he will green light the 238’H monstrosity on 970 Turquoise St.
THE DECLINE OF SAN DIEGO. Nathan Pitters, 33 y/o, and Andrew Settle, 34 y/o, of 970 Turquoise LLC, i.e. Kalonymus LLC, RE developers, both got their MBA from UCLA in 2018. What’s the point of a MBA? To get rich and ruin people’s lives?
These young men are banking on key “waivers” that the City by law cannot turn down including waivers on 30 ft height limit from 1972 Proposition D and the 60 ft height limit Community Commercial (CC) 4-2. (https://www.linkedin.com/company/kalonymus-llc/)
A 238’ skyscraper building (with 5% “affordable” housing: wink wink) on this street lined with small businesses like Ace Hardware, a chocolate shop, a pharmacy, a dog grooming shop, pizza restaurant, small printing company, hair salon, VFW hall, is absurd. It would be similar in impact to El Cortez or the NBC building at 225 Broadway suddenly being here. How safe would it be? How rough on the infrastructure?
From your article:
traffic congestion;
roads and intersections are not prepared for this kind of increased traffic
SD Fire Department does not have capabilities in coastal area to combat emergencies for a 23-story building
Water, sewer infrastructure does not have capacity for such a development
How is this a discretionary permit which is only seen by the City of San Diego, DSD reviewers, — and NOT the Planning Commission nor the City Council. In fact, doesn’t even require notice the Pacific Beach Planning Group OR to neighbors within 300 ft.?
How is it that this project was submitted 7 weeks ago to DSD and wasn’t kicked up the ladder to a senior level planner/director? Who okayed a discretionary permit???
CRONYISM IN FULL GLORIA GLORY! Gloria’s aide Christopher Ackerman-Avila, seen on IG giving ADU developer Christian Spicer/SDRE the thumbs up on 12 ADUs behind a house on Firestone Ave, Clairemont Mesa, is the 26 y/o son of GLORIA’S Chief of Staff Paola Avila. He graduated college (’20) and instantly landed a job as Gloria’s right hand man. In ’23 Chris and his mom…boss, attended a housing symposium at Harvard in ’23, courtesy of SD tax dollars.
PANDA BEAR GAME. GLORIA’S ’24 trip to China to escort 2 pandas to our zoo. A NY Times expose (10/24) tells how China’s panda bear “factory” has been misrepresented.
I believe San Diego has become a city where rules are meant to be broken for the good of elected politicians, not for the good of the citizens. The new mayor will inherit a big mess.
In the Bay Ho area, the installation of the trolley line required a certain amount of ridership. Knowing full well the current residential community would not meet that requirement the Bay Ho neighborhood had a change in allowance of building development zoning which will allow the smaller homes to be leveled, and then built up with increased heights and high density. Leading to the rash approval and apparently blind eye to building codes and as many ADU’s and multi-units as possible.
So, if you are wondering what the future holds for Bay Ho, this is what it will be, higher building, high density and more ADU madness, with of course the loss of the current neighborhood culture.
Another truth is that the housing prices for the new builds will not be cheap or even affordable. The lie that all of this building and ADU cramming will resolve the homeless crisis is a flat lie and is driven by greed and kickbacks. Most likely the renters and buyers will be people who will not use the trolley regularly, unless taking the trolley to their Padres box seats, and use their cars daily.
Oh, did I mention cars? Well, add to the problem these new builds skirt building parking spot requirements with sleight of hand card tricks to avoid having adequate parking spots on the property. So, the streets will be littered with cars parking all over the place, crowding driveways of others, parking hit & runs and an increase in car burglaries and thefts.
The sad truth is this is happening in neighborhoods all over San Diego, and destroying the neighborhood feel we are known for. In a matter of time, we will look like NY, Chicago or some other east coast big city. I promise in the end none of this will help with homelessness, the streets will be littered, the greedy money grabbers and politicians will move on to their next lie to the good, honest public.
David – this is good; could we repost it as a “Reader Rant”?
Sure, you can, as I am a private citizen. ;}
Very well said! Thank you.
Commenting to be placed on followup comments list
Is that Frank Gormlie guy still around? I know someone who’s lookin for him….
It’s already so cramped in Clairemont/Bayho. If you go down Luna you won’t find parking for more. This is really horrible and has to stop. We are all being ruined by these thieves.
Wildfire risk? I’d be a lot more concerned about the removal of ground cover and vegetation and the channeling of storm runoff into the canyon that it’s built on with unpermitted grading. This whole thing screams landslide!
With a little investigation I found the Federal Government encourages AUD’s and lowering building restrictions. Next, Newsom has signed numerous legislations allowing and encouraging AUD’s and up zoning of property and elimination of parking requirements. The Cities and Counties have used this to increase building allowances that include low income housing endorsed by state laws. There is more legislation that has passed, regarding this that is going to loosen it even more. As Roy Rodgers sang, “Happy Days To You” a bit of sarcasm.
What’s an AUD?
Awful Ugly Demented?
Arrogant Unfit Disgusting?
Assh**e Underhanded Dullard? (in reference to the builder/designer)
Feel free to think up your own invective!
sealintheSelkirks
It is encouraged by the Feds., embraced by the state through legislation, and more coming in 2025, then local governments have no choice. This is ONE thing you can’t point to Todd Gloria for, point to Newsom….
Jack, we blame this overreach on Gloria because it is entirely his doing. Reporting by Cal Matters (link below) describes how San Diego’s bonus ADU program is “the city’s one-of-a-kind ordinance … The novelty of San Diego’s program is in redefining ‘ADU’ from a specific building type to a broad privileged regulatory chute into which developers are now encouraged to throw small apartment buildings.”
No other CA city has gone to such extremes. No other CA mayor has sold out neighborhoods in her/his city to score political points and reap massive campaign financing. That will be Todd Gloria’s most lasting legacy.
https://calmatters.org/housing/2023/11/adu-san-diego/
My suggestion is to get the fire marshall involved. If in fact their in violation, the fire marshall will shut them down. Trust me the fire marshall has the ultimate authority far above this city council and mayor…
PREDATORY CONSPIRATORS – read below
1. Sundae Inc. – Founded by Josh Stech, advertises on TV and gains the lead on a house they think they can exploit the lot to put 8, 10, 11, 12, and in this houses case at 4578 Jicarillo Ave, San Diego, CA 92117 14 ADU’s on that are TINY 1 bedroom 1 bath at 441 sq. ft. that they tell investors will rent between $2,531.00 to $2,595 per month
THEN
2. Fletcher Cove Capital – Director Mr. Tommy Hinson gets folks to invest
THEN
3. SDRE – Founder Christian Spicer gets the property to develop
PRO-CAL – Co-Founder Christian Spicer AGAIN, pushes design to get permits through the City of San Diego “Bonus Density Program”
He brags he is way ahead of all the other developers by locking up 65% of these permits for 5+ ADU lots.
Vertical MVMT – Co-Founder Christian Spicer AGAIN, has his construction company build these tiny 1 bedroom, 1bath 3 story boxes in the backyards of neighbors only requiring a 4 foot set back and doesn’t care about runoff going to the neighbors and tries to bully them if they complain.
They SPECIALIZE in finding homes at the END of CUL-DE-SACS that already have no parking to but these Multiple ADU’s on.
As of today April 30th, 2025 they have 7 projects completed or almost completed in zip codes 92104, 92115, 92113 and 92117 this one.
Mr. Christian Spicer has another 14 properties he and investors have purchased in zip codes 92111, 92117, 92008, 92026, 92107, 92102, 92103, 92104, and 92115 they he plans to have sold in the rest of 2025 & 2026
Mr. Mayor Todd Gloria we know you are being pressured by the State of California and we have no problem with people putting 1, 2 or even 3 ADU’s in their backyard to help with housing but these guys are OUTRAGEOUS and EXPLOITING the “Bonus Density Program”
Please amend this program immediately before they destroy San Diego. PLEASE :-(
This is out of control, especially allowing these to be built in high fire hazard zones and grading canyon lots. The projects Slicer is doing on Boren St are ridiculously out of touch. Even the trash trucks won’t go down the dead end cul de sac because the construction vehicles for Slicer are making it too difficult so the people who still live there have no where to park and now they can’t get their garbage picked up by the city. Imagine what the dead end cul de sac will be with 28-40 more cars on it???