The Surplus Land Act needs exemption for leased land
Editordude: the following was a Letter to the Editor in today’s SD Union-Tribune in response to a Feb. 28 UT article entitled, ““Bill aims to stop Mission Bay Park housing” .
By Sue Taylor
This article describes a proposed solution to a broader problem in how the Surplus Land Act is applied to leased public land. The Mission Bay exemption is a start but doesn’t go far enough.
Changes made to the Surplus Land Act in 2020 expanded it to include leased public property, allowing land to be treated as “surplus” simply because a lease is expiring. Before 2020, the city routinely leased public land for approved uses that provided amenities while generating revenue for city services.
Now lease renewals can trigger an affordable housing process even when housing is prohibited or inappropriate. Mission Bay is the current example, but the same issue applies to Balboa Park and other areas.
A broader exemption for leased municipal property is needed to restore how public land was managed when the Surplus Land Act focused only on the sale of public property rather than leases.
Sue Taylor is a former City of San Diego employee and a resident of Spring Valley
