By Kate Callen
Golden Hill is stepping up its fight against a monolith apartment complex by mounting a legal battle to block a construction that is proceeding at a beat-the-clock pace.
Land use attorney Everett Delano is filing the lawsuit on behalf of Preserve Greater Golden Hill against Chicago-based developer CEDARst, which is building a 180-unit, 8-story rental housing complex at 2935-2961 A Street. Upon completion, it will be the largest high-rise structure directly under the final approach into Lindbergh Field.
More than 30 Golden Hill activists gathered for an October 2 news conference to announce the suit. It took place near the Albert Einstein Charter Academy, which is directly across from the development site and will be overshadowed by the tower.
Golden Hill has traditionally been one of San Diego’s most affordable and ethnically diverse neighborhoods. As speakers pointed out, a surge of extensive Golden Hill upzoning is pushing out elderly residents, residents of color, and low-income families. They are being replaced by people who are richer, whiter, younger, and more amenable to living in studios and one-bedroom rentals.
“Homes were torn down here, and Latino families were kicked out of those homes,” said Joel Sevilla, an 8-year Golden Hill resident. “I’ve known multiple people from multiple generations that have been removed from my community.”
Richard Santini, Preserve Greater Golden Hill President and a 16-year member of the Greater Golden Hill Planning Committee, questioned why the City repeatedly sides with builders and refuses to engage with communities.
“We are here today to bring the City back to the negotiating table,” he said. “We had an existing approved plan for Golden Hill that allowed for development and infill. But it has been bypassed by Complete Communities. We’re trying to disqualify this project, get rid of all the waivers for additional units, and get us back to the scope and scale of what properly fits in Golden Hill.”
Santini reported that the City refused two requests for traffic studies to measure how cars already back up every day when parents wait for Albert Einstein students. And he said that a deputy fire marshal who told the community “he is concerned because we’re surrounded by canyons and freeways and we only have a couple points egress and exit.”
CEDARst has gained notoriety for building colossal unsightly boxes that overwhelm residential neighborhoods (and maximize profits). The units they build are too small for families and too expensive for working people.
As the OB Rag reported this summer, the builder mounted a charm offensive in the Golden Hill community that included a June 30 town hall where their wi-fi connection failed, the crowd shouted them down, and four chairs reserved for Chris Ward, Todd Gloria, Stephen Whitburn, and Toni Atkins sat empty.
The developer is no longer playing nice. Construction crews are speeding up the project, presumably to get it done before any court action can stop it. (Show of hands: Who would feel comfortable living in a mid-rise that was built in extreme haste?)
As for transit, Golden Hill is only served by MTS Route 2 which takes residents to and from downtown. The 180-unit complex will have 149 on-site parking spaces. Residents with cars but no on-site parking will have to find street parking, which is already scarce. Residents without cars who work anywhere but downtown will need to take two or more buses.
Or they could always commute by bike from Golden Hill to Kearny Mesa, Torrey Pines Mesa, and Sorrento Valley.
These is usually an additional fee for a parking space, and for some other amenities, while some (like doors and windows) are always included. The buildings look like blocks of jail cells, and the smaller units are not much larger. And don’t even try to get a burrito at Benny’s when school lets out NOW, with one lane blocked off by the construction traffic control permit. Or get your hair done.
Great article Ms. Callen!!! Golden Hill residents deserve better treatment than what the politicians currently offer
Thank you, Ms.Callen, you are spot on! As you pointed out, there has been radio silence from our elected officials, Ward, Gloria, Whitburn and Atkins! They had open invitations to our PGGH weekly meetings and never showed. Sadly, our city leaders have put PROFIT over PEOPLE.
Former State Senator Atkins has been out of office for almost a year. Maybe that’s why she did not respond.
Thank you !! This is so horrible and the speed in which they are doing this just shows how unlawful it is. They’re pushing it so fast to try to get past the point so nobody can stop them. That’s why it was hidden this whole time.
It’s horrendous for a great little neighborhood.
I’m so glad to see a lawsuit has been filed. The developers are not solving the affordable housing crisis but only filling their pockets building apartments no one can afford, while wrecking havoc in our neighborhoods. As to the politiciaans, they are beholden only to their wealthy campaign contributors (mostly the developers) and NOT their constituents. But we, the people of Golden Hill are fighting bavk.
On the Accela City of San Diego site, PRJ-1132394 for 2935 A Street says there will be 301 units.
I am so relieved this law suit is going through. It is beyond understanding how the city allowed this development to go through- 8 stories directly under a flight path, clogging the only evacuation routes we have in case of disaster, displacing our Latino neighbors, replacing existing affordable housing with luxury apartment rentals. This does NOTHING to help affordability and EVERYTHING to risk our health and wellbeing.
If the developer had made it in scale with our neighborhood, safe, and affordable, we would have been fine with it.
Shame on city council for turning their backs on us.
That hasn’t been a majority Latino neighborhood for many years, it’s been gentrified.
Gentrification is always an interesting topic and it really is a two sided coin. While it does displace people, I wonder how many GH residents are talking about it while enjoying a meal and beverage at Counterpoint or Juan Casper Kitchen and Wine?
Place name dropper.
Just pointing the irony of how people will discuss the negative impacts of gentrification while sitting in an establishment that exists because of gentrification. I’m as guilty of that as anyone. I go the the two places I mentioned from time to time.
Sorry, I missed them. I was at Benny’s having a bean burrito. Extra side of the rice, which I love!
it is sad, and costly, that we, the people, have to “sue” our government for collaboration with the moneyed trendy developer machine,,
“just say no” elected peeps
like to drugs…
This is great news. I’m so tired of the city not listening to the citizens. We don’t want corporations owning all of the real estate in San Diego. Go Golden Hill!
When you elect people based on your feelings, this is what happens This sort of high density construction was allowed by progressive democrats.
Elections have consequences.
Now watch everybody comment that I am wrong and Orange Man Bad is solely responsible for slamming tall apartments into single family neighborhoods.
Not sure who you’re calling “progressive democrats.” Progressive dems don’t slam neighborhoods with unworkable policies that gentrify, that disrupt, and destroy communities. Let’s get some names out there and back up your assertions.
Frank, I have to say that, given how things have been going lately, I’m not really sure what “progressive” means any more.
I started thinking about this when I was grocery shopping a People’s and a fellow shopper was wearing a ball cap that read “rent, ride bikes, be gay.” Is that what “progressive” has become? Can I not be a progressive because I own a home and I can’t reach all my usual destinations by riding a bike? Have these things become a litmus test?
I can remember being a little bit proud of being labeled a “coastal bureaucratic thug? by Jerry Brown, and thinking of myself as a progressive who was trying to protect the coast. Now I’d be labeled a rich boomer NIMBY for doing the same thing. Is concern for the environment that we all live in anti-progressive? Is home ownership and care for my neighborhood reactionary? I just don’t know any more.
Not at all. And of course not, but that’s the YIMBY narrative. We’ve carried many articles here that show that the YIMBY view is not progressive and does not lead to more affordable housing, that several prominent YIMBY groups have become shrills for the pro-profit building industry. Yet, I understand your doubts, because when the mainstream Democratic Party, the mainstream media and influential groups carry the same tune of ‘build, bay, build’, it’s easy to start doubting yourself and your life-long perspectives. I also know that you’ve watched your local planning board gutted and turned into mush, ostensibly giving it no power, an organization you helped for years.
Paul, I can relate. When I hear people and politicians seriously discussing abolishing private property ownership, it astounds me. Do they think Trump, Zuckerberg, Bezos and Musk are going to stop owning private property? Why do people want to give up a hard won right? It hasn’t even been 200 years since women, African-Americans etc. won the right to own property in this country. Instead of pitting the lower and middle classes against each other, why aren’t the progressive politicians in this state demanding increased home ownership? All these giant apartment complexes going up could be condos. I think San Diego is almost 50% renters now. That’s half the population with zero equity.
I wish Kate and others would stop carrying water for one specific set of Grievance Fetish GH residents, and instead be willing to talk and share the voice of a wider set of GH residents. I have lived in GH for 15 years, own a house here, and plan to keep my family here for the next 30 years. I’m GLAD more housing is being built here. And I’m not alone. I don’t care about the developers one way or the other, but I do find it exceptionally disingenuous that this group of GH residents are claiming “Latino displacement” and “a plane might crash into it” as actually salient issues. Terribly embarrassing.
Good coverage of this important issue. Thank you Kate Callan, thank you Everett Delano, and thank you people of Golden Hill.
Another issue, though perhaps less important, arises when huge, commercial construction in old, quiet neighborhoods replaces single-family housing: environmental impacts of excess light on wildlife and humans.
Every new commercially developed housing replacement I’ve seen in Greater Golden Hill/South Park comes with all-night overly bright lighting fixtures mounted on exterior walls. The light-overkill ruins the opportunity for humans to enjoy dark skies and stars and the pleasure of leaving one’s windows unshaded at night in order to appreciate the peaceful tranquility of darkness.
Importantly, birds do poorly with bright lights all night long. It throws both resident and migrating birds off in many ways. Here are two articles that discuss this issue:
https://www.bigbenddarkskyreserve.org/birdsandlightpollution
https://abcbirds.org/news/dark-skies-help-birds/
If the overbuilding prevails, we might at least ask the new tenants to consider turning off most of the outdoor lighting at night. Just maybe they will sympathize.
Excellent article Kate! I worry about the this high rise being so close to a grade school. It always brings back the David Westerfield case peering out his two story window watching Danielle vanDam playing in her back yard. I wonder how many child pervs already live in the area. Parents need to remember to teach your kids from the time they’re in kindergarten, thru high school what to do in case someone accosts them.
I do hope the attorney has better luck with a judge that will stop the construction, Save 30th. St. Parking had a judge more interested in the bike lane on 5th. Ave., than 30th. and that went to court before the parking was removed.
Good Luck Golden Hills residents.
Thank you Andrew for writing in to express the views of a wider set of GH residents who are welcoming to new neighbors! Also 8 stories does not a monolith make….maybe turn down the inflammatory “reporting” Miss Callen. And as for Pats…you are really going down the rabbit hole with the David Westerfield reference. Stick with your bike lane rantings if anything, but please remember – our streets should work for everyone —— whether you walk, bike or drive.
I like your name, “karen banker.” Goes with mine, “nostalgic,” Likes things just the way the were just fine.
That’s a bold move by residents — defending their neighborhood shows real commitment! If you ever need a temporary but comfy place during transitions, **corporate housing Santa Fe** is a great option. See details: https://santafe-vacationrentals.com/month-to-month-rentals-santa-fe-nm/
It’s good that this housing is going across the street from the ever-expanding Albert Einstein Charter Academy since every student that can’t live nearby is one that must be driven or bussed.