Group Accuses City of Caving to Public Pressure as Local Politicians Line Up in Opposition
by Dorian Hargrove / Beach & Bay Press (Times of San Diego) / Nov. 2, 2026, 5:05 p.m.
A pro-housing advocacy group says San Diego officials are violating state housing laws by requiring special approval of a proposed 23-story mixed-use tower on Turquoise Street in Pacific Beach.
Developer Kalonymus first pitched “Project Vela” at 970 Turquoise St. in 2024. The developer proposed a 23-story tower offering 65 market-rate housing units, 10 low-income housing units, and 139 hotel units. The novel proposal would allow the developer to maximize the housing they could build by including the 139 hotel units, which would be filled through traditional long-term leases, not nightly or weekly hotel stays.
Pacific Beach residents quickly organized in opposition to the project, mostly because it exceeded the city’s 30-foot height limit on new coastal buildings.
The city has also laid out its concerns with the project.
In a December 2025 letter, San Diego planners alleged Kalonymus was trying to pawn off housing units as hotel rooms to avoid abiding by the height restrictions.
But in an Aug. 10 letter to Mayor Todd Gloria, the YIMBY Democrats of San Diego say the city is ignoring state housing laws aimed at expediting affordable housing construction.
The pro-housing group says California’s Density Bonus Law supersedes local building restrictions — including the 30-foot coastal height limit in Pacific Beach. To expedite permitting, the state housing law also lets city staffers approve projects, rather than requiring a public hearing.
The YIMBY Democrats say the city is caving to public pressure and opposition from elected officials.
“[Q]ualifying projects west of Interstate 5 face a review process that functions as discretionary in everything but name, shaped by organized opposition from some of the most affluent neighborhoods in the region,” reads the letter from the YIMBY Dems.
The group argues the project should be approved by city staff and not face a vote by the Housing Commission or City Council.
“While we applaud the city for its usual housing-forward approach, we are disappointed to see it take the position that housing, especially housing affordable to most San Diegans, doesn’t belong near the coast,” reads the YIMBY Dems’ letter.
Members of Neighbors for a Better California, the group that is leading opposition to Project Vela, say the YIMBY Dems are mistaken, and that developers still need to answer questions about the project before any decision is made.
Marcella Bothwell and Karen Ventimiglia, members of the opposition group, say the city still appears poised to let city staff review the project, without subjecting it to approval from appointed or elected officials.
“Our concerns aren’t about whether the city should follow state housing laws,” Bothwell and Ventimiglia wrote in an email. “They’re about whether this particular development meets the legal requirements for the substantial density-bonus incentives and waivers being requested.”
The community group emphasized that the proposal exceeds current zoning restrictions by more than 106,000 square feet.
“We believe the City’s responsibility is to apply those requirements consistently, regardless of whether a project is ultimately processed ministerially or discretionarily. The question is not whether politics should override state law, but whether the project satisfies the legal requirements for the development benefits it seeks,” they wrote.
As for the status of the project, a city spokesperson told Times of San Diego that the developer, Kalonymus, is expected to resubmit its plans.
“The City has requested that the applicant clarify outstanding issues where the developer is requesting exceptions to standards and building code regulations,” wrote spokesperson Richard Berg. “The City expects the applicant to resubmit plans with clarifications that address those issues.”
Copperhead Democrats
Tell the YIMBY’s to go to North Park, there’s plenty of multi-story, high rises, flat faces, flat tops, no charm or character at all, currently vacant at market rate, and a few for low income apts., and no parking. Nobody is swooping dozens of those apts. up.
NIMBY vs. YIMBY dodgeball game. Could be held where the volleyball courts are in South Mission. After party @ The Pennant.
What San Diego lacks at this point is not housing. It’s affordable housing. Building a luxury hotel on the coast that is 23 stories high is not going to contribute to the project of affordable housing for San Diegans no matter what the developer says. We have housing, we have built thousands of units and they sit vacant in North Park, in downtown and other parts of the county. The issue is that none of them are affordable. We have an affordability problem, not a housing one and that is an issue that won’t be solved by building more units.
YIMBY Dems is a developer front group.
They never, and I mean never, talk about thoughtful or strategic planning on where to build. They never talk about infrastructure, design, proper scale or appropriateness of a project.
They don’t call out government agencies or developers who are slow to build more housing, see Qualcomm stadium site.
There goal is to up zone as much of San Diego as possible and defend all new development from public scrutiny.
The media needs to stop treating these political hacks as a grassroots advocacy group.
The entire “housing shortage” is a mirage. It enables politicians to virtue signal while being showered with campaign support (ie: cash). Our 6% vacancy rate is set to soar as endless Borg Cubes go up everywhere thanks to Complete Communities (local) & SB79 (State). What we have a shortage of is real affordable housing. But as each Mom & Pop sells their NOAH rental house & it get replaced with another underparked featureless box of $2100 micro-studios, the community loses. But the State & City get more property tax revenue to then shower upon their constituents (their political supporters). It’s a closed loop racket.
Just because you don’t like something, doesn’t mean it isn’t working. Take the recent USC Lusk Center Report
“Housing cannot be affordable unless we have plenty of it,” said forecast author Moussa Diop, an associate professor of real estate at the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy.
The report credited increased density and San Diego’s Complete Communities initiative with helping the county respond to housing demand. It also said recent construction was not limited to luxury apartments, with midrange Class B units making up about 34% of recent deliveries.
“San Diego and the Inland Empire show that there is still hope for affordability, but meaningful gains take time and sustained development,” Diop said.
The report credited increased density and San Diego’s Complete Communities initiative with helping the county respond to housing demand. It also said recent construction was not limited to luxury apartments, with midrange Class B units making up about 34% of recent deliveries.
“San Diego and the Inland Empire show that there is still hope for affordability, but meaningful gains take time and sustained development,” Diop said.
https://www.kpbs.org/news/quality-of-life/2026/11/10/san-diego-apartment-boom-helps-ease-rent-pressures-usc-forecast-says
This is the false narrative that people with money, wealth, and power continue to stress as a logical economics, but it is a lie. Just like “Gratitude attitude” making people more successful & happy. But real truth is that being grateful for low things in a 1st class Nation/economy is dumbing down the fact that WE should be doing better for the ability, resources, and systems we have. Keeping people down because you don’t want to help & make life better is not an excuse for not treating others better. For millennium we’ve been holding back others because of fear caused injustice. It is Cliche, Club, or Religion control. Rather than truly freeing to HELP & SHARE GOODNESS and community assets. It is a form of bullyism!!!
That sadly very few will admit. A very shameful bullyism when done through “God”, Faith, Diety.
We shoulders of ENDED poverty in USA over 6 decades ago! WE should also have a lot more shared Medical Treatment systems at a limited cost. Rather those with power get us to pay for their healthcare & treatment. So many lower class nations have better realistic treatment plans than U.S.A.! Funny how we say U(noted) States of America…when we really want limited opportunity for treatment & betterment!!
WE SHOULD BE SO MUCH BETTER and Equitable than WE are!!!
Pretendocrats. I hope we realize the blue wave is not a band aid but a tourniquet.
To be clear , obey the will of the people not the venal moneyclass