SAN DIEGO — Mayor Todd Gloria announced a plan Friday to fast-track more affordable housing.
Gloria's Complete Communities Now program speeds up the permitting review process, requiring all relevant city departments to review housing projects that fall under this program within 30 days.
"I hear a lot of people opposed to new housing, but I guarantee the vast majority of San Diegans support new housing because all of us are paying rent and mortgage we cannot afford," said Mayor Gloria. "We need more housing in order to reduce the price, so we can actually afford to live here."
He said the goal is to build more affordable housing faster.
The mayor held a news conference near Kansas and Adams Street in North Park, where a building that falls under this program is currently under construction.
The building offers studio, 1, 2, and 3 bedroom apartments for cheaper prices than what you pay at the market rate.
Mayor Gloria said he hears from a lot of people who don't qualify for "low-income housing" because they make too much money. However, they don't make enough money to afford market-rate housing. Gloria said Complete Communities development helps address that.
Critics who do not want large buildings like the one near Kansas and Adams in their neighborhood argue they ruin the aesthetic of the neighborhood and point out they often include little to no parking.
"Change is going to happen, it just does. The question is are we going to do we curate in a way that we think will improve communities? Or do we just allow it to happen without any planning? We are updating plans with robust community input to make sure where we put these projects these new homes are suitable for the community," said Mayor Gloria.
Geoff Hueter, of Neighbors for a Better San Diego told CBS 8 more housing is needed in San Diego, but he said it needs to be done in a thoughtful way.
"I think what the city hasn't done a good job of is the city hasn't provided the overall context of where these planning areas are headed," said Hueter.
"In an ideal world it wouldn't just be we would stick one building at that corner of Adam's Avenue. You would do a moderate densification along all of Adams and it would result in more overall units by a substantial factor, you would preserve the economic vitality of all of Adams Avenue," he said.
Mayor Gloria said parking is offered at the Kansas and Adams building, though it is unclear how much. Rent prices run between roughly $2000-$3000. The building is scheduled to open in May.
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