San Diego has emerged as a leader in the nationwide effort to reform local zoning laws to build more housing. But most of the new apartments going up are studios and one-bedroom apartments. Families with children often have to look to the suburbs to find two- and three-bedroom homes they can afford.
As San Diego seeks to encourage more family-sized apartments in its urban core, architects say the key lies not in the city’s zoning laws but its building code. Specifically, a requirement that any building above three stories have two staircases.
A growing “single-stair reform” movement across North America argues this rule — adopted in the early 20th century to allow for faster evacuation during fires — has outlived its purpose. Most countries in Europe, Latin America and Asia, and a few cities in the United States, allow single-stairway buildings of six stories or taller.
Proponents say fire prevention and suppression technology has evolved to the point that a second staircase doesn’t provide much safety benefit. California now requires sprinkler systems in all new residential buildings, meaning fires are extinguished more quickly. Regulations on fire-resistant furniture and building materials have also reduced the risk of fires spreading out of control.
Advertisement
Late last year, the San Diego City Council voted to offer relief from fees on certain three-bedroom apartments to encourage developers to include them in their projects. David Pearson, a San Diego-based architect, said single-stair reform could go much further toward that goal.
Pearson designed a three-story, single-stair apartment building that’s due to break ground this summer in the backyard of a single-family home in Grant Hill. Four of the new homes will have two bedrooms, plus a den space that could serve as an office or nursery.
Pearson said he and his client chose a single-stair layout because it allowed for a shared courtyard, the preservation of the existing house and more space devoted to housing rather than halls and stairways. Single-stair buildings can also allow more units to have windows on multiple sides, which can reduce electricity use by providing more natural light and ventilation.
“If we were to build a second stair and try to create more units, it would have taken over any leftover space,” Pearson said. “It very likely would have incentivized the owner to demolish the existing home and just do the biggest thing possible.”
Most dual-staircase buildings use a layout called a “double-loaded corridor.” Pearson likened the design to a hotel: two staircases on opposite ends of the building connected by a long hallway. Most of the units in these buildings have only one side that opens to the outdoors.
Advertisement
Last year, California passed a law that directed the state fire marshal to produce a study on the safety of single-stair apartment buildings above three stories. The study is due by the end of the year.
Tony Tosca, San Diego’s local fire marshal, said his initial reaction to the law was concern. Building fires can be chaotic, he said, and having multiple paths of ingress and egress can be valuable.
“People are going up there to do rescue and fight fires and set up their operations,” Tosca said.”People are also coming out, so there’s this competing factor. That’s a huge concern for me.”
Still, Tosca said he’s open to allowing taller single-stair buildings if they’re coupled with other life and safety regulations, such as limiting the number of units allowed on each floor.
“Housing is an important issue here in California, especially in San Diego,” Tosca said. “As long as there’s something that maintains that life safety aspect, we’re all in support of it. But we just have to make sure that it’s done the right way.”
Advertisement
One organization pushing for statewide single-stair reform is the Los Angeles-based Livable Communities Initiative.
The group’s policy director, Ed Mendoza, said in addition to offering better light, ventilation and open space, single-stair reform can lead to greater density within smaller buildings that fit better into a neighborhood’s architectural character. Today, developers often have to purchase multiple lots to have enough space for a project that makes economic sense.
“We don’t have to wait for large sites to get combined, we don’t have to have half of our neighborhood block torn for one apartment complex,” Mendoza said. “The impact (of growth) won’t be that sudden. It’ll be a very gradual thing.”
Mendoza said he has worked with officials in cities like Santa Monica, Burbank and San Luis Obispo to study local building code amendments to allow taller single-stair buildings. He and Pearson also had a meeting with an aide to San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria last year.
Pearson said he hopes Gloria sees the value in single-stair reform and directs city staff to study the issue more closely.
Advertisement
“I would like to see the city look at building code reform as a means to create good, safe family units that ultimately provide more freedom of choice for residents of San Diego to stay put in San Diego, not move out to the suburbs,” Pearson said.
Oceanside Harbor Beach. (File photo courtesy of @CityofOceanside via X)
A man apparent drowned in the waters near the Oceanside Pier Saturday morning, despite efforts by lifeguards and paramedics to revive him.
The Oceanside Fire Department’s Lifeguard Division and the Oceanside Police Department responded to a report of a missing man at about 4:30 a.m.. Officials said the man was last seen swimming in the ocean about a half-hour earlier.
Lifeguards and police immediately initiated a coordinated search effort using pier vantage points, surveillance cameras and watercraft, but the search was suspended at approximately 5:30 a.m. after no one was found, fire officials said.
“At approximately 10:50 a.m., lifeguards discovered an unresponsive adult male, matching the earlier description, in the water near Lifeguard Tower 12, at Oceanside Harbor Beach,” Division Chief Blake Dorse said in a statement. “The individual was removed from the water, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation was immediately initiated.”
Advertisement
Fire and rescue personnel continued efforts to resuscitate the man on the way to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. He is believed to be the one who was reported missing near the pier.
Authorities did not release the man’s name.
“The Oceanside Lifeguard Division reminds the public to exercise caution when entering the ocean, especially during early morning hours or when lifeguards are not actively monitoring the water,” Dorse said. “Always swim near an open lifeguard tower and avoid entering the water alone.”
A decade of unforgettable meals calls for a proper celebration. This April, Herb & Wood marks its 10-year anniversary, honoring ten years of shaping San Diego’s culinary identity from its stylish home in Little Italy.
Since opening in 2016, the restaurant has played a defining role in modern San Diego dining, ushering in a more ingredient-driven, chef-forward era while setting the standard for design, hospitality, and overall experience.
A Month of Throwback Favorites and Celebratory Surprises
To commemorate the milestone, Herb & Wood is celebrating all month long by bringing back a selection of OG favorites alongside the signature dishes that have remained staples over the years.
Order from the anniversary lineup and receive a scratcher ticket for a chance to win prizes like a whole Jamón Ibérico ham leg, a custom Johnny Lane painting, and a coveted “lifetime” branzino card. It’s a fun and fitting way to toast one of San Diego’s most influential restaurants.
Advertisement
A Collaborative Anniversary Dinner
The celebration concludes with a special four-course anniversary dinner featuring standout chefs from the Puffer Malarkey Collective. Brian Malarkey, Aidan Owens, Tara Monsod, and Kylie Cablayan will come together for an unforgettable evening that highlights their creativity and culinary artistry.
The celebratory menu includes:
Course One
Parker House Rolls with honey herb butter
Oyster & Beef Tartare with smoked oyster mayo, caramelized onion, and beef fat snow
Course Two
Lechon Kawali with grilled strawberries, pickled mustard seeds, pickled Tokyo negi, mustard frill, and strawberry sarsa
Course Three
Woodfired Tenderloin & Charred Prawns with garlic and chili, fennel oil, celery root, and whipped tallow butter
Course Four
Funfetti Cake with blueberry jam, lemon curd, and Swiss meringue buttercream
This one-night-only collaboration is a delicious tribute to Herb & Wood’s legacy and a memorable way to toast ten remarkable years in Little Italy.
A Defining Force in San Diego Dining
Over the past decade, Herb & Wood has become a cornerstone of Little Italy’s vibrant dining scene. Known for its warm ambiance and thoughtfully crafted menu, it continues to set the tone for modern dining in San Diego.
Whether revisiting longtime favorites or discovering something new, this anniversary celebration is the perfect excuse to gather around the table and raise a glass to ten remarkable years.
See you there!
We’ll be celebrating in Little Italy with throwback bites, celebratory pours, and plenty of toasts to ten iconic years at Herb & Wood.
Advertisement
📆 April 3 – 29, 2026 | Culmination celebration April 30 📍 2210 Kettner Blvd, San Diego 🎟️ Book your table here ℹ️ Click here for updates
The San Diego Wave and their fans deserved every second of the festive Friday morning that played out at Snapdragon Stadium.
Wave personnel and fans erupted in cheers as Catarina Macario, a star striker with San Diego roots who agreed to a record-setting contract, displayed a Wave No. 20 jersey at an introductory news conference.
Macario, 26, has taken injury detours, but stands indisputably as one of the world’s better goal-scorers among women.
The Torrey Pines High School and San Diego Surf alum’s local pedigree may also boost the fifth-year Wave, who through no fault of the club’s current leaders, lost considerable star power in recent years, contributing to an attendance decline.
Advertisement
At a reported $8 million, the five-year deal is reportedly the most for a women’s soccer player.
Macario, smiling often, labeled her new reality “unreal,” while seated next to Wave sporting director Camille Ashton.
She was 12 when family members, seeking better opportunities, brought her from Brazil to live in San Diego after first visiting Dallas.
“I never would have imagined, I guess, that 12-year-old Cat, not knowing how to speak English, being super scared, would one day come back and get to represent her hometown team,” Macario said. “It’s very special. It’s something I’m very proud of. It will just mean that much more, once I step on the field.”
Catarina Macario, right, holds up her jersey with Camille Ashton, Sporting Director and General Manager, at a news conference held to announce
her signing with the San Diego Wave FC March 27, 2026 in San Diego, Calif. (Photo by Denis Poroy)
Ashton called it “a monumental signing.”
Advertisement
Ashton, formerly Camille Levin, won a national championship with Stanford as a player. She said Macario, who came to Stanford after Ashton turned pro, fits well into the possession-driven, uptempo style the Wave have developed in a season-plus under coach Jonas Eidevall.
“Cat is a world-class player of exceptional quality, intelligence and character,” Ashton said. “Her technical ability, vision and goal-scoring instinct make her one of the most exciting talents in the game today. Just as importantly, she brings a professionalism and competitive drive that will both complement and elevate the high standards already established within our squad.”
Turmoil marked the 2024 season, the franchise’s final one under team president Jill Ellis and coach Casey Stoney.
Ellis fired Stoney, the franchise’s coach since its inception, before midseason. The team’s offense was tedious, leading to a ninth-place finish and the franchise missing the playoff cut for the first time. Ellis, amid reports of a harsh work environment, moved on.
In the first full year under Ashton and Eidevall, the Wave’s offense improved and the team made the playoffs, but was bounced in one game.
Advertisement
Macario will give the Wave a better chance to rebound at the gate and on the pitch from the exodus of popular stars Alex Morgan (retirement in 2024), midfielder Jaedyn Shaw (traded at her request in January 2025) and defender Naomi Girma (who was transferred to Chelsea later that month for $1.1 million).
The Macario signing comes 16 months after Lauren Leichtman and Arthur Levine, founders of a private equity firm in Los Angeles, completed a $120-million purchase of the Wave.
The record contract “just shows how serious they are about me, and getting the club to succeed even more,” Macario said.
NWSL leaders facilitated the deal as well. Ashton said the league’s adoption four months ago of the High Impact Player Rule, allowing an exception to the salary cap, “came at an incredibly good time.”
Macario said she knows several Wave players and played with versatile fullback Perle Morroni on France’s top club team, Lyon.
Advertisement
Given that Macario has scored goals at an extraordinary pace throughout her career — with the Surf, Torrey Pines, Stanford, Lyon and Chelsea — there’s only one major concern about how her Wave career will play out:
Health.
A left ACL injury suffered in the final game of her season with Lyon four years ago cost her a full season.
An irritation in her right knee cost her a spot on the U.S. team that won gold at the 2024 Olympics in France.
She was sidelined in recent months at Chelsea, creating uncertainty about her Wave debut.
Advertisement
“We’re confident her best years are ahead,” Ashton said.
Macario offered no details Friday about when she’ll be ready to play for the Wave, who’ll face Chicago in a home game today.
Smiling, she suggested being in San Diego will improve her health.
“Maybe the skies were a little too gray for me,” she quipped about health setbacks in England and France. “The sunshine will help me heal a little bit quicker.”
For a franchise that was enveloped by clouds in 2024, the forecast grew much brighter Friday.
