NATIONAL CITY, Calif. — National City has one of the lowest homeownership rates in the county.
That's why Councilmember Jose Rodriguez helped draft a policy that would create opportunities for home buyers in the area.
“The truth is in the last 10 years in National City, we have developed 1000 units and only 18 of those 1000 have been for sale,” said Rodriguez.
The city owns several vacant parcels of land, under the new policy, National City would build homes like condominiums and townhomes on city-owned property to keep outside developers from selling at higher prices.
“It's essentially saying we are going to utilize every city property to make sure we develop homeownership opportunities, affordable home ownership opportunities for National City residents,” said the councilmember.
It's a problem people living in South County have already noticed.
“There aren't enough homeownership opportunities here in National City,” said Amelia Hernandez, who has owned a house for 20 years in National City.
While she knows she is fortunate—Hernandez is concerned that her college kids won’t be afforded the same opportunity.
“What’s going up is apartments, it seems like,” said Hernandez.
She believes renting is temporary and can eventually lead to displacement.
Councilmember Rodriguez says the recently approved policy is good timing.
Requests for developers looking to build homes on city property could come as early as January of next year.