SAN DIEGO — Hillcrest could look a lot different twenty to thirty years from now, after the San Diego City Council unanimously approved a plan Tuesday that could add 17,000 new homes to the neighborhood, and more than double the population by 2050.
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria signed the plan into law Wednesday afternoon at Rich's in Hillcrest.
The plan also includes adding an LGBTQ+ cultural district and an entertainment district, as well as protections for businesses that have been operating in Hillcrest more than 30 years.
The council also approved plans Tuesday for University City, which paves the way for adding 30,000 new housing units. Mayor Gloria will sign that plan into law at a later date.
During Tuesday's meeting, several people went before the council and voiced concerns about traffic, parking and infrastructure.
"I don't want to continue to see my colleagues and neighbors forced to live in closets of full bedrooms they split four ways because of the housing shortage," said a Hillcrest resident.
Although the plan opens the door for more housing, some say it doesn't go far enough.
"We need to guarantee affordability and accessibility and in it's current form I'm afraid this plan unfortunately falls short of those goals," said another speaker during Tuesday's meeting.
Wednesday, CBS 8 asked Mayor Gloria his response to critics who remain opposed to this plan.
"This plan started in 2009, we have had more than 10 years of community review and input," said Mayor Gloria.
"It's absolutely understandable that people fear change in their community. I've seen and witnessed that for many years. What I also see is that when that change is implemented, those same people embrace it and say 'This was good for the community,'" he added.
To read more about the Hillcrest plan, go to planhillcrest.org
To read more about the University City plan, go to planuniversity.org
ATCH RELATED: High-density housing plans approved for Hillcrest, University City
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