San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria gave an impassioned State of the City address on Jan. 11, culminating in the declaration that “The state of our city is rising.”
He cited the city’s many accomplishments over the past year such as lowering overall crime in the city by 7.5 percent, property crime by 9.7 percent, and violent crime by 13 percent, reforms on homelessness outreach programs, and what the mayor calls the “Ready to Rebuild” budget, the largest investment in infrastructure in our city’s history, and a newly announced executive order requiring relevant city departments to “complete review and approval of all affordable housing projects within 30 days.”
However, some San Diegans are calling for the city to tap the brakes and take a closer look at a proposal to provide more affordable housing in San Diego.
Some members of the organization Neighbors for a Better San Diego voiced concerns of a new proposal that would increase the range of properties eligible for incentives to build multi-story accessory dwelling units, and potentially larger apartment buildings in some neighborhoods.
One concern is that it will increase density in the city without adequately addressing the need for improving public transportation. The group also points out on its website that the city has not yet provided a detailed map of the sustainable development area because it is still in draft form.
While some council members recognize that mass transit in San Diego may not be ideal for the proposed density increase, it is also recognized that more affordable housing is urgently needed.
