Land Use and Housing Committee Meeting - December 12, 2024
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Land Use and Housing Committee Meeting - December 12, 2024
The Land Use and Housing Committee of the San Diego City Council met on Thursday, December 12, 2024, with Chair Councilmember Lee presiding. A quorum was present (Council President Lacava, Councilmember Whitburn, Councilmember Moreno). The committee considered two consent agenda items (land acquisitions) and two discussion items (nonprofit leases), along with public comments on non-agenda topics.
Consent Calendar
- Item 1: Approval of committee minutes from November 21, 2024.
- Item 2: Acquisition of 9.4 acres of unimproved land in East Elliott for habitat conservation and open space.
- Item 3: Acquisition of 5.5 acres of unimproved land in East Elliott for habitat conservation and open space. All three items were approved unanimously (4-0) after public comment. Public commenter Sharon Calkin (graduate student, Scripps Institution of Oceanography) expressed support for the acquisitions and requested inclusion of Indigenous land management acknowledgment. Joyce Yata (District 3) also supported the acquisitions but questioned the use of development funds for maintenance given the city's budget deficit.
Public Comments & Testimony
Non-Agenda Public Comment:
- Valerie Triena (District 4) expressed anger that Councilmembers Whitburn and Moreno had not supported legislation to ban rodeos, citing animal welfare concerns and the San Diego Humane Society's presentation.
- Joyce Yata (District 3) discussed the city's structural budget deficit and suggested using the time to shadow departments and reevaluate governance, including the definition of affordable housing.
- Peggy Walker, a public health advocate, spoke against retail outlets selling illegal intoxicating products (Delta 8/9 THC, psilocybin) targeted at youth, noting that 60% of tested samples contained controlled substances, and requested committee oversight.
Item 4 Public Comment:
- Christy Green, operation manager and volunteer at the Blind Community Center of San Diego, spoke in support of the lease, describing the center’s free daily lunches and its role as a home away from home for blind and low-income individuals.
- Joyce Yata also spoke in support, praising the center’s work and the IBA’s analysis, but questioned the rent calculation and noted the center had operated without a lease for 23 years.
Item 5 Public Comment:
- Joyce Yata spoke in support of the College Area Economic Development Corporation lease, again questioning the rent calculation and comparing it to the Blind Community Center lease, and reiterated the need for fiscal belt-tightening due to the budget deficit.
Discussion Items
Item 4: 25-Year Nonprofit Lease – Blind Community Center of San Diego
- Staff (Ian Riley and Jim Manler, Economic Development Department) presented a 25-year lease with one 10-year extension option for the city-owned property at 1805 E Street in Balboa Park (14,580 sq ft, appraised at $5,980,000). Annual base rent is $4,532.52 (approx. $380/month or 3 cents/sq ft/month). The tenant is responsible for all maintenance, repairs, and improvements. The Blind Community Center, founded in 1949, serves blind and visually impaired residents.
- The Independent Budget Analyst (Noah Fleischman) commended the lease but recommended the city revisit its leasing strategy to better align with market rates given fiscal challenges, suggesting the first quarter of 2025 when the comprehensive user fee study is considered.
- Council President Lacava expressed support, citing the public benefit and the center’s good stewardship. Councilmember Lee seconded, acknowledging the IBA’s broader fiscal concerns but emphasizing the value of nonprofit services. The motion passed unanimously (4-0).
Item 5: 10-Year Nonprofit Lease – College Area Economic Development Corporation
- Staff (Charlotte Alexander, Economic Development Department) presented a 10-year lease with no extension option for a city-owned building at 4704 College Avenue (1,534 sq ft, appraised at $997,000). The same annual base rent of $4,532.52 applies (approx. $380/month or 25 cents/sq ft/month). The tenant administers Business Improvement District and Maintenance Assessment District contracts, supporting 550 small businesses and 250 commercial property owners. The tenant is responsible for all maintenance and improvements.
- The IBA reiterated similar comments about reviewing lease pricing.
- Councilmember Whitburn questioned the equity of providing a nonprofit lease to this organization while other BID/MAD organizations in his district (District 3) pay market rates. Economic Development Director Christina Bibler confirmed that the city supports BIDs/MADs through other means (SBAP funds) and is open to conversations with other organizations. Councilmember Whitburn expressed appreciation for the discussion. Councilmember Moreno moved the item, Councilmember Lee seconded, and it passed unanimously (4-0).
Key Outcomes
- Consent agenda approved unanimously (4-0).
- Item 4 (Blind Community Center lease) recommended to full City Council for approval (4-0).
- Item 5 (College Area EDC lease) recommended to full City Council for approval (4-0).
- The IBA’s comments on reviewing nonprofit lease pricing and the city’s overall real estate strategy were noted for future discussion, particularly in relation to the comprehensive user fee study expected in early 2025.
- The meeting was adjourned; the next regular meeting is scheduled for Thursday, January 16, 2025, at 1:00 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon. Welcome to the land use and housing committee meeting of December 12th, 2024. Our committee lays on Natalie Kessler. We'll go over instructions for today's meeting. Thank you, Chair. While members of the public are able to attend the meetings in person, this meeting is being televised and live streamed on the city's website in the council administration. We'll continue to make arrangements for the public to comment using the Zoom webinar platform. Members of the public who wish to provide virtual testimony must enter the virtual queue by raising their hand before the virtual queue closes. The queue will close when the last virtual speaker finishes speaking or five minutes after in-person testimony ends, whichever occurs first. This will allow for better meeting management between the two platforms and ensure the committee is able to manage and conduct city business. We appreciate the public's cooperation. Chair I will now call the budget and government efficiency committee meeting. Sorry. I will now call the Lane Houston Housing Committee meeting of Thursday, December 12th, 2024 to order. Natalie, please call the role. Council President Lacava. Present. Councilmember Whitburn. Sure. Councilmember Moreno. Present. And Chair, Councilmember Lee. Here. Also attending the meeting today, Chris Ackermanovilla with the mayor's office, senior chief deputy chief city attorney, Kryn Newfer from the City Attorney's Office, Amy Lee with the Independent Budget Analyst Office, and Madison Coleman, committee consultant. If you're in person, please complete a speaker slip located at the entrance of the committee room and place it on top of the box indicated at the speaker's lecture and at the front of the room. Please do so in a timely manner to ensure proper meeting management. In person testimony will conclude before virtual testimony begins. Members of the public can also join the webinar by computer, tablet, or smartphone by accessing the link which is listed online in the preamble language of the agenda on the city's website. To join the Zoom webinar by telephone, please dial 1669-2545252. The webinar ID is 161-286-5933 pound. This information is also available on the agenda and will appear on the screen during the public comment period for each agenda item. Please note that if you are watching via City TV 24 or online, there may be a delay. Please participate via the audio on your phone and mute your TV or computer when it is your turn to speak. And if you wish to speak on a particular item, wait for that item to be called and then raise your hand to speak by tapping the raise your hand icon. Or if you are a call in participant, please press star nine on your phone. If you raise your hand during a non-comment period, your hand will be lowered. Chair. Thank you, Natalie, for reviewing those instructions for the benefit of the public. A quorum is now present. We will be taking up non-agenda public comment. Uh the council members respect and appreciate the public's input and are fully committed to protecting every participant's free speech rights at council and committee meetings. And let's go ahead and proceed with public comment. Thank you, Chair. Each speaker will have two minutes. If you have joined the Zoom webinar online or by phone and you have non-agenda public comment at this time, please raise your hand. And um and so, Chair, we have not received any speaker slips from individuals in the committee room for non-agenda public comment, but we do have five hands, uh, three hands raised in the virtual queue. So I'll begin the five-minute timer. We will begin with Valerie. Please provide your comments. You'll have two minutes.
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