By Danna Givot
On September 9, 2025, Saad Asad, paid Communications Manager for California YIMBY and Advocacy and Communications Director for YIMBY Dems published the following false statement about the College Area in the YIMBY Dems Newsletter:
“The university [SDSU] went from housing 2,100 students to 8,500 in recent decades, but the surrounding neighborhood stayed frozen in place.”[emphasis added]
The implication here is that the surrounding College Area is not producing new housing.
Unfortunately, Saad didn’t fact check himself.
From 2021 to 2023, the College Area was responsible for 1,414 building permits (401 of those for affordable units) representing 7.1% of San Diego’s total permits and 10.7% of the City’s affordable permits.
The College Area represents only 1.8% of San Diego’s population (2020 Census) and 0.9% of the City’s acreage. As such, instead of being “frozen in place,” the College Area is producing well beyond its fair share of new housing – especially new affordable housing. The facts don’t support Saad’s position, making his claim invalid.
This information is readily available in San Diego’s 2024 Annual Report on Homes. I hope next time Saad will fact check his claims rather than spreading misinformation as the Advocacy and Communications Director for YIMBY Dems.
Danna Givot is a resident of the College Area
And that’s the way it’s done, short and fact based. Thanks Danna.
Thank you for describing the REAL situation illustrated with unbiased data . We need to work with true facts and stats to make informed decisions and opinions.
I’m really glad to see someone standing up and setting the record straight. The YIMBY Dems have broadcast false statements about the housing situation every chance they get, and have largely gotten away with it. There has been more misinformation coming from this group than there has been coming out of the current Trump Administration, and it’s time the YIMBY Dems get called on the rug. Thank you, Danna!
I hope so, too, Danna. Given that they may not, I’m glad that you’ll be standing by to correct any future errors of fact that come from the YIMBY Dems. Unfortunately, I’m expecting that they are likely to give you more material for future articles like this one. Thanks for monitoring, fact-checking, and getting the word out!
State and San Diego city legislation inline with the yimby agenda has had sevistating affects on lonterm home owners in San Diego. This sort of building is expected it continue. Thus far I have not heard of any substantive debate over the issue. Since CA is dominated by democratic politicians all of the related bills have been passed without an opertunity for public debate.
Has anybody attempted to debate prominent people in the yimby movement?
Never assume REAL facts matter to folks pushing a big developer agenda.
Thank you Danna for keeping them honest even if they are not.
Six months ago Governor Newsom had a podcast with Charlie Kirk. Very interesting to listen to. A little after one hour our Governor made his position clear as a bell. It’s worth the time to listen to it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XJ6rQDRKGA