VOICE & VIEWPOINT STAFF
San Diego City Council voted unanimously during its Feb. 3 meeting to establish an affordable housing ordinance to prevent low-income housing from being redeveloped into market-rate or luxury housing.
The soaring cost of living in recent years has driven many lifelong San Diegans out of the homes they’ve lived in for decades.
“The reality is that there are not enough affordable homes available.This ordinance will keep San Diegans from losing the affordable homes they live in,” said District 8 Councilmember Vivian Moreno, who brought the proposal forward.
The ordinance works to enhance state protections, ensuring affordable housing remains accessible and is not prematurely removed from the housing stock by developers who intend to raise prices above market.
“This new law gives the City and San Diego Housing Commission the power to work with property owners to find ways to keep units affordable, before they revert to market rate costs that many people cannot afford. It means more money in San Diegans‘ pockets, less stress for families, more people with a roof over their head, and fewer people falling into homelessness,” said District 6 Councilmember Kent Lee.
The ordinance has been a collaborative effort between the city and the San Diego Housing Commission for the last four years.
Affordable housing developers, property owners, tenant advocacy groups, apartment owners, housing policy experts, and the general public have also been involved in the creation of this ordinance, according to the city.
“I thank the San Diego Housing Commission for engaging with the community and collaboratively creating a mechanism that prevents housed individuals from losing their homes and maintains that truly affordable housing for the next generation,” said Council President Joe LaCava during the Monday press conference.
To learn more about the cities affordable housing activities visit: https://sdhc.org/housing-opportunities/affordable-rentals/
