by Ron Winter
In what would be a precedent-setting development on the historic Middletown hillside behind India Street’s restaurant row, a 14-story residential tower has been proposed. The densely populated area, which began building out in 1909, is currently a mix of older homes, apartments and condos that abide by a 40-foot height zoning restriction.
The City is using the controversial Complete Communities urban planning initiative to exempt height and density restrictions for residential developments. The result means fast-tracking the building permitting process through the Developmental Services Department as “Ministerial” review proposals. This means that community review, feedback and appeal, is not allowed, including any recommendations by Community Planning Groups.
In response, Middletown residents and business owners are organizing to demand responsible development in their neighborhood (StopColumbiaHighrise.org). They argue that the modest affordable housing requirement in the project can be built offsite, up to 3 miles away and 5 years later, thanks to a developer perk recently approved by the City Council. That’s 6 affordable units out of the proposed 161. The remaining units would be market-rate.
The proposed development, straddling two lots at 3677 Columbia Street, and an active earthquake fault, would have no street set-back and fronts on a narrow split-
level hillside street, meaning access for emergency and fire response would be limited.
Visitors who enjoy India Street’s restaurant row already congest the area, making parking a challenge. City policy waives car parking requirements for this development, which neighborhood activists say would undoubtedly compound parking and traffic problems.
The proposed Columbia Street high rise is one example of projects throughout the region that have begun to inspire a backlash against what many San Diegans see as
collusion between City government and big developers, which of course is nothing new. What is novel is the speed with which developments are being rubber-stamped, zoning requirements abandoned, and residents’ voices silenced because of the Complete Communities urban planning initiative.
Neighborhood activists accuse Complete Communities, originally proposed by Mayor Kevin Faulconer, and now embraced by current Mayor Todd Gloria, of hiding
behind the affordable housing issue and “green” solutions language to gain legitimacy. These appear to be scams in their current implementation, they say, and
only enrich developers and their investors.
What is known is that the vast majority of new residential developments in San Diego are rental units and do not provide home ownership opportunities. What is also known is that Development Impact Fees are waived for most Complete Communities projects, meaning reduced funding for City infrastructure.
According to Richard T. Carlson of Times of San Diego, the City is using outdated SANDAG housing needs projections—which have been readjusted to reflect much
lower population growth rates—to justify all the construction cranes in the sky across San Diego. The County’s population has declined by nearly 30,000 residents
since 2018 and the trend is likely to continue.
San Diego County has already met California’s housing unit mandate for projected population growth through 2050.
What should be apparent is that we don’t have a housing crisis. We have an affordable housing crisis, as developers are disincentivized to build actually affordable housing. And over-building is unlikely to meaningfully bring down housing costs, since the rules of supply-and-demand don’t seem to apply in a popular city like San Diego.
Re: What is known is that the vast majority of new residential developments in San Diego are rental units and do not provide home ownership opportunities.
Until the state removes or revises its construction defect laws, we’ll get more apartments than condos with these developments.