San Diego City Council Meeting June 16, 2025: ADU Reforms and Maintenance Districts

The San Diego City Council convened on Monday, June 16, 2025, at 2 p.m. after a closed session. The meeting addressed the fiscal year 2026 Maintenance Assessment District (MAD) annual reports (Items 200 and 201) and the major item of the day: comprehensive amendments to the Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) and Junior ADU regulations (Item 202). The debate drew extensive public comment, with over 700 written comments and hundreds of speakers. The council ultimately approved a modified package of ADU reforms.

Consent Calendar

• Item 200 – Fiscal Year 2026 Maintenance Assessment District Annual Reports (Parks and Recreation): Approved unanimously (8-0, Councilmember Ilo Rivera absent).
• Item 201 – Fiscal Year 2026 Maintenance Assessment District Annual Reports (Economic Development): Approved unanimously (8-0, Councilmember Ilo Rivera absent). Both items were approved as staff recommended, with a note that the Little Italy MAD reserve would be allowed to fall below the 10% threshold with a plan to comply in FY2027.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Closed Session Comments (pre-recess): Two speakers addressed litigation and real estate matters. One speaker criticized the city's handling of trip-and-fall lawsuits and the 101 Ash Street property, calling it a "blood-sucking money pit." The speaker also accused Councilmember Whitburn of conflicts of interest regarding Dreams for Change. A second speaker expressed support for selling the 101 Ash Street property and appreciation for SDPD.
• Items 200 and 201: Several speakers supported the MAD programs, while others raised concerns about complexity and transparency. One speaker urged the city to sell real estate assets to fund priorities. Another speaker highlighted the need for community input and equity in MAD funding.
• Item 202 (ADU Amendments): Over 200 in-person speakers and 19 virtual callers testified. The overwhelming majority opposed the existing bonus ADU program, citing: public safety risks (fire hazards, inadequate evacuation routes on cul-de-sacs and in high fire severity zones), loss of neighborhood character, parking shortages, and the displacement of starter homes by investor-owned multi-unit projects. Many speakers advocated for a cap of four units total on single-family lots ("four is fair everywhere"). Several speakers representing community coalitions, including Neighbors for a Better San Diego and the San Diego Community Coalition, presented detailed code recommendations. Some pro-housing speakers, including representatives from the Building Industry Association, Circulate San Diego, and the San Diego Housing Federation, argued that the program produces needed workforce housing and urged the council not to over-restrict it. A representative from the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce asked the council to preserve the program and focus on other housing policies. Several residents from Encanto, Linda Vista, Claremont, and other neighborhoods shared personal stories of large ADU projects disrupting their lives.

Discussion Items

• Staff Presentation: Principal Planner Liz Sadkonia presented 25 proposed amendments to the ADU and JADU regulations, including modifications to size limits, fire sprinkler requirements, setback changes, parking provisions, and a new unit cap based on lot size for the bonus ADU program. The presentation noted that between 2021 and 2024, 5,720 ADU homes were permitted, with 98% of projects involving 1–3 units. The bonus ADU program produced 875 units (14% of all ADUs), including 368 affordable units. Staff also highlighted revisions made after feedback from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) and the Land Use and Housing Committee.
• Council Debate: Council President Pro Tem Lee made a motion to adopt the staff recommendation. Councilmember Von Wilpert offered a substitute motion to cap total ADUs on single-family lots at four (including the main house), which failed 4-5. Councilmember Foster then offered a substitute motion to adopt the staff recommendation with a modified ADU cap table: 4 units on lots ≤8,000 sq ft, 5 units on lots 8,001–10,000 sq ft, and 6 units on lots >10,000 sq ft. He also accepted a friendly amendment from Councilmember Campillo to strike "moderate" from the community enhancement fee waiver, so that the fee is only waived for deed-restricted low- and very-low-income units in high and highest resource areas. Councilmember Foster's motion passed 5-4. During debate, councilmembers discussed fire safety, parking, the HCD letter, and the need to balance housing production with neighborhood protections.

Key Outcomes

• Item 202 approved as amended by Councilmember Foster's substitute motion. The vote was 5-4, with Councilmembers Whitburn, Lee, Moreno, and Ilo Rivera voting no. The approved package includes: (1) a tiered ADU cap on single-family lots (4–6 units depending on lot size); (2) a minimum gross floor area requirement (applied by an earlier amendment from Council President Lacava, which was not explicitly rejected but was not part of the final motion? Actually, Council President Lacava's four amendments were not included in the final motion; the substitute motion adopted only the staff recommendation with the modified unit cap and the strike of moderate. The summary should reflect that the main motion was the staff recommendation as modified by the unit cap and the moderate strike. The minimum floor area amendment was not part of the adopted motion. So the key outcomes are: adoption of the code amendments as modified by the substitute motion, including the unit cap table, the moderate strike, and all other staff-proposed amendments (fire safety, parking, etc.). The council also approved a resolution establishing the community enhancement fee.
• Closed Session: No reportable action.

Next Steps

• The final ordinance will be submitted to the California Department of Housing and Community Development for formal review. The city planning department will continue to coordinate with HCD to ensure compliance with state housing laws.