County leaders looking to use government land to build affordable housing

SAN DIEGO – 1000’s of inexpensive housing models are within the works for San Diego County.

On Friday, County Board of Supervisors chair Nathan Fletcher, supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, members of The San Diego Basis and different housing leaders and builders introduced plans to construct housing models on authorities land.

Leaders mentioned they need to sort out to the general high quality of life, they usually mentioned that begins with with the ability to afford the place you reside.

“The easy actuality is individuals who work full time ought not battle to have the ability to put a roof over their head,” mentioned Fletcher.

Fletcher, Lawson-Remer, and others made the announcement at a San Diego County-owned lot in Linda Vista on Friday. The lot will quickly flip into 126 inexpensive properties for seniors. Nevertheless, that’s solely a place to begin for the county.

“Our purpose is formidable,” Fletcher mentioned. “We wish to grasp plan to construct 10,000 models of inexpensive housing.”

“The plan is easy. We’re utilizing public land for the general public good,” mentioned Lawson-Remer.

The leaders mentioned constructing the properties might be a pricey and prolonged course of, however needed.

An S&P Case and Shiller Index exhibits residence costs in San Diego County elevated 26.9%- the most important annual rise since 2004. Rental costs are additionally up; Lease.com exhibits a two-bedroom condo is up 21% from final yr.

County leaders say they need all 18 cities within the county to be on board with utilizing authorities land for inexpensive housing.

“We’ve obtained to do extra and I feel each metropolis has to really feel the identical manner.” “It’s an financial situation, it’s a household situation, it’s an environmental situation. It actually cuts throughout the board, so we have now to maneuver in artistic methods and new methods,” Fletcher mentioned.

“All the pieces comes again to housing,” mentioned Mark Stewart, the president and CEO of The San Diego Basis.

The San Diego Basis board voted unanimously to put aside $10M for inexpensive housing, whereas additionally pledging to lift one other $90 million to make the mission a actuality. The inspiration is seeking to assist housing for lecturers, law enforcement officials, and firefighters.

“Those that handle us in our service financial system,” Stewart mentioned. “San Diego can’t be this unbelievable place to dwell work and play with out them. So that’s the attraction we’re going to make.”

The cash from the muse might be versatile, leaving it as much as every mission and inexpensive developer to hunt what they want. Inexpensive housing will appear to be a wide range of choices, resembling one-bedrooms and condos, relying on the placement.