On Tuesday, July 7, the San Diego City Council greenlit the housing development project at Radio Towers in Emerald Hills, despite controversy and community pushback.
The City Council, in an 8-1 vote, denied an appeal by the Chollas Valley Community Planning Group to stop the housing project from building over 100 homes atop Radio Towers Hill, which provides a unique 360-view of San Diego.
The development relies on Footnote 7 of the City’s Land Development Code, a controversial zoning provision that allows for higher-density housing in the Encanto and Southeast neighborhoods. After community pushback, the City Council voted to repeal the footnote in March 2025; however, the Emerald Hills Housing Project was already approved for construction.
The housing project includes 123 single-dwelling units, with the promise of 13 affordable dwelling units, 7 open space lots, and other improvements. The community has expressed health and safety concerns regarding these additions to an already heavily populated area with existing traffic and infrastructure issues.
Residents protested ahead of Tuesday’s meeting, and others took the floor to express their concerns and visions for the lot; however, the City Council still decided to move forward with the project. The vote is devastating to the community members of Emerald Hills, who have long hoped for the green space to be turned into a park for all to enjoy.
District 4 Councilmember Henry L. Foster, who voted in support of the housing development, shared in a press release:
“Our residents deserve the same investment and opportunities as every other community in this city. This project expands opportunities for homeownership, delivers meaningful infrastructure improvements, and represents an investment in the long-term success of District 4.”
