SAN DIEGO — A four-story apartment building may be coming to Point Loma, and neighbors are reaching out to CBS 8 with concerns about impacts on their community. CBS 8 is Working For You to find out details on the project.
“We’re skeptical that this thing can really fit into our community here and not have real impacts that’ll be long-lasting,” said Point Loma resident, Mark Cervantes.
Some neighbors are learning that a mixed-use building with more than 50 housing units could be approved in the coming months for construction on the northwest corner of Rosecrans and Talbot Street. Records show the property at 1004 Rosecrans Street was purchased for more than $3.7 million on April 12, 2023.
“This is part of Mayor Gloria’s program to destroy our neighborhoods, especially along the coast,” said Eric Law, Chair of the Peninsula Community Planning Board's Project Review Committee. “This is the heart of our community, and he wants to put this huge building on the corner here.”
CBS 8 checked with the City of San Diego’s Development Services regarding the details of the project. A spokesperson told us that a building permit application has been under review since August 7, 2024, for a 4-story, 56-unit housing project with 1,770 square feet of commercial space along with 45 parking spaces in a basement garage.
“The fact that they’re only allowing 45 parking places, they think everybody is going to ride their bicycle and take the bus to and from this area is ludicrous,” said Sally Bixler, President of the Point Loma Assembly. "It’s going to create a lot of congestion.”
CBS 8 reached out to the San Diego County Recorder’s Office, which confirmed the property is owned by Northstar Homes, LP. CBS 8 reached out to them for comment but have not heard back.
According to the permit application, the developer is using the City’s Complete Communities density bonus program by including a percentage of affordable housing units that would be built close to public transit. The builder is planning to include 8 affordable units (3 very low-income, 2 low-income, and 3 moderate-income).
“These projects are extremely necessary,” said Nicole Lillie, Executive Director of the nonprofit, Our Time to Act. "We have lots of San Diegans who are in need of more housing. We have not built enough housing.”
In her position, Lillie regularly advocates for housing projects in San Diego that bring more options for people to live and work in the city.
“Not everyone moving into this new housing unit is going to have a car," said Lillie in response to neighbors' concerns about parking and increased traffic. “There will be parking built into the construction, so I think that does assuage some of those concerns. But rather than worrying about that, people should be worrying about how much public transportation we’re investing into our communities.”
Meanwhile, neighbors in the area told CBS 8 there has been no public input or discussion with community groups about the project. They're concerned about the impacts of traffic congestion for Cabrillo Elementary School next door and the Point Loma Assembly across the street.
“The project’s entirely out of keeping with what the community has here," said Cervantes. “We just feel like there should be a tremendous amount more communication with the community that’s going to be impacted by buildings like this.”
The City of San Diego told CBS 8 the building permit application is still under review.