San Diego, CA
In Hillcrest, San Diego seeks to balance new housing with protections for LGBTQ+ nightlife
When Brian Jennings purchased Number One Fifth Avenue in 2019, he did so to preserve the historic Hillcrest gay bar for future generations. Shortly thereafter, he was confronted with a major decision.
A development firm had purchased a neighboring property — an eyesore that had been vacant since 1985 — and was planning to build apartments. The firm approached Jennings and his business partner asking if they were interested in selling.
Despite the opportunity to earn a quick profit on their investment, Jennings said they weren’t interested. He supports more housing coming to Hillcrest, but not at the expense of its history and culture.
“There has been a pattern where these neighborhoods that are being built up by the LGBTQ community become much higher quality than how they started,” Jennings said. “When the gentrification happens, a lot of these institutional bars are not in a position to be able to withstand the influx of new residences.”
While another loss of one of San Diego’s gay bars was averted, the threat of displacement remains. That’s why city planning officials and Hillcrest activists are working to establish an LGBTQ+ cultural district that they hope can balance the need for more housing with protections for the neighborhood’s nightlife.
The cultural district is one element of the Hillcrest Focused Plan Amendment, a long-term growth plan that is expected to go before the City Council this summer. The latest draft of the plan was released last month. Public comment on the plan is open until April 29.
The cultural district calls for public art honoring the LGBTQ+ community’s history in Hillcrest. Landlords of new developments would be required to disclose to their tenants that they’re opting into a historically LGBTQ+ neighborhood that can get noisy on nights and weekends. And legacy businesses would get first dibs on new commercial spaces if their property gets redeveloped.
The push for the cultural district began in 2022, after the City Planning Department had proposed an LGBTQ+ historic district. Businesses and nonprofits argued a historic district would stifle new development in Hillcrest while failing to protect the things that really matter.
“The historic designation is much more about brick-and-mortar buildings, and the cultural district is much more about people and a culture that has been created here over the years,” said Susan Jester, a longtime lesbian activist and fixture of Hillcrest who has been advising city planners.
The Hillcrest plan still includes a historic district, but city officials agreed to ease some of the restrictions on new development in the neighborhood’s core.
Jester said Hillcrest’s bars and nightclubs are more than just places to go drinking. They have been refuges for LGBTQ+ people, who, even today, can face violence for living their lives in public.
“I couldn’t go down to the Gaslamp Quarter or anywhere else in town to dance with my partner in 1980, but I could come here,” Jester said. “Same thing with mourning a lost friend or organizing our community … It’s sacred ground to us. And we want to keep it, not just for us and for the history, but going forward so that young gay people, LGBT people, come here and continue to feel that this is a safe and protected spot for them.”
The most controversial changes the city is proposing for Hillcrest are new allowances for high-rise buildings — though such developments would have to include new public gathering spaces, such as mini parks and plazas. Parts of the neighborhood would continue to be restricted to single-family homes and duplexes.
Still, the proposed zoning changes are too extreme in the eyes of some residents in and around Hillcrest. Residents in neighboring Mission Hills have threatened to sue the city over the plan, though previous lawsuits to block denser housing in the area have mostly failed.
City planning officials say Hillcrest’s walkability and proximity to public transit and major employers like Scripps Mercy Hospital and UC San Diego Medical Center make it a prime location for high-density housing.
Jon Anderson, a renter in Hillcrest who has been advocating around the Hillcrest growth plans, said more housing, paired with the planned improvements to bike, pedestrian and public transit infrastructure, will make it easier for new residents to live without a car — like he does.
“If you build these high rises and you have the transportation network as it’s being proposed in the plan, people will move here and they won’t bring a car, or they might only bring one car,” Anderson said. “That’s going to be what allows the neighborhood to retain the charm that it has now, I think, while still bringing more people into the neighborhood to be able to afford to live here.”
Anderson said most of the new apartments in Hillcrest are out of his price range, but that they can still ease the demand for the neighborhood’s older homes that are more affordable. He lives in a one-bedroom apartment built in the 1940s.
“When I went to renew (my lease), there were enough other vacant units in my building that they tried to raise my rent, and I was able to ask them not to, and they didn’t,” Anderson said.
The new apartments next to Number One Fifth Avenue range in price from $2,450 per month for a studio to $4,889 per month for a large two-bedroom apartment. The developer is offering up to six weeks of free rent — the type of incentive that is increasingly common as the housing market floods with new supply.
Sixteen balconies in the new complex open up directly onto the bar’s back patio, which frequently hosts late night karaoke, dance parties and drag shows.
In an effort to get ahead of potential conflicts with neighbors, Jennings said he is spending several hundred thousand dollars to enclose the patio and contain its noise.
“It’s one of the largest investments that this bar has ever seen in history,” Jennings said. “We’re taking a big risk, but we believe that we can make it work.”
Remarkably, the San Diego State Aztecs can still win a share of the Mountain West title despite losing four of their last five games.
SDSU (19-10, 13-6) needs to beat UNLV (16-14, 11-8) on Friday night in its home finale and then have New Mexico win at Utah State on Saturday for a three-way tie.
The Aztecs had their destiny in their hands less than a week ago, but then lost at New Mexico (13-6) on Saturday and then again at Boise State on Tuesday night, pretty much snuffing out their NCAA Tournament at-large bid chances and apparently ending their hopes at the MW title in their final season in the conference.
But then Utah State (14-5) was routed at UNLV and New Mexico lost at home to Nevada, setting up the possibility of a three-way tie. It’ll be moot, however, if the Aggies beat the Lobos, which will give them the title outright and the No. 1 seed in next week’s conference tournament in Las Vegas.
That’s life in the MW, which the Aztecs and Aggies are leaving after this season to join the new-look Pac-12, along with Boise State, Fresno State and Colorado State.
The big picture
The Aztecs were voted the unanimous preseason favorite to win the regular-season title, based on a loaded roster under coach Brian Dutcher, including the return of Miles Byrd and Magoon Gwath after pulling out of the NBA Draft, and Reese Dixon-Waters after missing last year with a foot injury.
But it’s been a rough go from almost the start, when a rough showing in the non-conference schedule put them on the bubble for an at-large NCAA Tournament berth.
They started to find themselves early in league play by running off a seven-game losing streak, but then lost consecutive games at Grand Canyon and Utah State. Their current skid includes a surprising home loss to Grand Canyon and then a startling road loss to Colorado State.
They routed Utah State at home last week before losing at New Mexico on Saturday and then being routed at Boise State on Tuesday night, when they were outrebounded 37-15.
The last three games were all Quad 1 opportunities in the NCAA NET Rankings, but going 1-2 in those games further hurt their already weak chances at an at-large tourney berth. Those rankings are used by the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee as the primary sorting tool for selection and seeding for March Madness.
Now they’ll almost certainly have to win three games in three days at the MW tournament to claim the automatic bid to reach March Madness for the sixth straight year.
Key facts
The Aztecs will be facing UNLV for the final time in the regular season, as the Runnin’ Rebels will be remaining behind in the MW.
The teams will meet for the 86th time overall, with the Aztecs leading the series 45-40. SDSU is 21-14 against the Runnin’ Rebels in San Diego and 18-8 on Steve Fisher Court.
Below is a look at how to watch UNLV at San Diego State
How to watch UNLV at San Diego State
Date: Friday, March 6
Game time: 7 p.m. PT
Where: Viejas Arena | San Diego
How to watch: CBS Sports Network
How to listen: San Diego Sports 760 (local)
On Thursday, the average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in San Diego County recorded its largest increase since Sept. 28, 2023, rising 8.7 cents to $4.894, its highest amount since Nov. 13.
The average price has increased 15 consecutive days, rising 28.7 cents, including 7 cents on Wednesday, according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service. It is 22.4 cents more than one week ago, 38.6 cents higher than one month ago and 14.5 cents greater than one year ago.
The average price has dropped $1.541 since rising to a record $6.435 on Oct. 5, 2022.
“Gas prices are rising primarily due to a recent surge in crude oil following strikes on Iran by the U.S. and Israel,” Kandace Redd, the Automobile Club of Southern California’s senior public affairs specialist, told City News Service. “Any conflict with Iran can send oil prices higher, as Iran is a major oil producer and about a fifth of the oil consumed globally travels through the Strait of Hormuz between Iran and Oman.
“Gas prices are increasing because of seasonal factors too. Refineries are beginning the switch to more expensive summer-blend fuel, and demand is picking up as we head into the spring break season with more people on the road.”
The national average price rose 5.3 cents to $3.251, its highest amount since Sept. 11, 2024. It has risen five consecutive days, increasing 26.9 cents, including 8.9 cents on Wednesday.
The national average price is 26.8 cents more than one week ago, 36 cents higher than one month ago and 14.4 cents greater than one year ago. It has dropped $1.765 since rising to a record $5.016 on June 14, 2022.
UNLV Rebels (16-14, 11-8 MWC) at San Diego State Aztecs (19-10, 13-6 MWC)
San Diego; Friday, 10 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: UNLV faces San Diego State after Kimani Hamilton scored 24 points in UNLV’s 92-65 victory over the Utah State Aggies.
The Aztecs have gone 13-2 in home games. San Diego State is eighth in the MWC with 9.0 offensive rebounds per game led by Miles Heide averaging 2.0.
The Rebels have gone 11-8 against MWC opponents. UNLV ranks eighth in the MWC shooting 34.4% from 3-point range.
San Diego State averages 79.1 points per game, 0.6 more points than the 78.5 UNLV gives up. UNLV averages 7.2 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.9 fewer made shots on average than the 9.1 per game San Diego State allows.
The teams play for the second time in conference play this season. San Diego State won the last meeting 82-71 on Jan. 24. Miles Byrd scored 23 points points to help lead the Aztecs to the win.
TOP PERFORMERS: Reese Dixon-Waters is shooting 35.9% from beyond the arc with 1.6 made 3-pointers per game for the Aztecs, while averaging 13 points. Byrd is averaging 10.2 points and 5.1 rebounds over the past 10 games.
Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn is shooting 50.9% and averaging 20.6 points for the Rebels. Hamilton is averaging 1.4 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Aztecs: 5-5, averaging 74.9 points, 28.9 rebounds, 13.7 assists, 6.9 steals and 4.2 blocks per game while shooting 46.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 69.0 points per game.
Rebels: 6-4, averaging 84.1 points, 32.3 rebounds, 14.7 assists, 6.4 steals and 4.8 blocks per game while shooting 50.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 80.8 points.
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
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