SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The San Diego Planning Commission decided Thursday to delay a vote on whether to send a Senate Bill 10 proposal, which would make it easier to rezone single-family lots for more housing units, to the City Council. However, it did unanimously approve 10 new housing policy reforms that will go to the council for further review.
Many people in San Diego have mixed opinions on SB-10; depending on who you speak with, the law would either create much-needed housing, or ruin local neighborhoods.
There was a line out the door for Thursday's meeting as people prepared their arguments, both for and against, the controversial bill.
Angeli Hoyos is part of the group called "YIMBY Democrats."
"It's another tool in the housing tool box, and we need it. We're in a housing shortage," says Hoyos.
YIMBY Democrats supports policies that make it easier to build housing, including SB-10. The new state law gives cities an option to make it easier to rezone single-family lots to allow for up to 10 smaller units, depending on the lot's size.
Opponents, like Normal Heights homeowner Charles Brock, believe rezoning single-family lots would have a drastic effect on neighborhoods.
"I've been through the five stages of grief like ten times," Brock says.
Brock says he was shocked when one day, his neighbor got a permit to build a two-story accessory dwelling unit nearby his home.
"It's been a huge source of stress and anxiety for my wife, my whole family and I throughout the process," he says. "I would not have bought the house had it been in this configuration before. Our value has plummeted as a result of this project."
Brock worries that if the city adopts SB-10, this type of project would appear in in backyards across San Diego.
However, the bill's supporters say there are protections to prevent against that. Additionally, they point out that using SB-10 to build a few small units makes more sense for some neighborhoods than building large complexes.
"It can create homes that won't necessarily have such a dramatic effect as high-density housing," Hoyos says.
Supporters also say SB-10 is a small price to pay to pay a smaller price to buy a home in one of the most expensive real estate markets in the country.
Although the commission punted on the vote today, it did decide to create a working group to study SB-10 and its impacts more in depth. The working group will study middle housing proposals, such as condos, townhomes and duplexes. The group will also collect more public input on the issue.
Ultimately, the city council will have final say on whether to adopt SB-10.
According to a press release from Mayor Todd Gloria's office, the housing action package the commission approved would create more homes for San Diegans and make more land available for housing.
One of the 10 new reforms sent to the city council would encourage the creation of more single-room occupancy homes at the very-low income level, especially for seniors, people with disabilities and people at risk of becoming homeless.
Another reform looks at college student home insecurity. It would allow for the creation of private, dorm-style student homes near universities, colleges and public transit, all while keeping the prices low enough for low-income students.
Additionally, an item in the package encourages the preservation of affordable homes, seeking to protect people from displacement as new developments pop up.
The mayor's press release also highlighted a proposal to put "all government land to good use." That part of the package would make it easier for local government agencies to develop homes on public land by allowing affordable home developments on areas zoned for residential or commercial purposes. The densities for those properties could be increased as well.
Of course, all of the proposals in the housing action package also need to be voted on by the city council.
You can read more about all of those proposals here.
