Land Use and Housing Committee Meeting – April 10, 2025
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Land Use and Housing Committee Meeting – April 10, 2025
The Land Use and Housing Committee of the San Diego City Council met on Thursday, April 10, 2025, at 1:00 PM. The meeting was chaired by Council President Pro Tem Lee, with Vice Chair Ela Rivera (attending remotely due to contagious illness), Councilmember Campio, and Councilmember Moreno present. The committee considered a consent agenda, discussed a contract for the Safe Parking program, a request to update a nexus study for a short-term residential occupancy affordable housing impact fee, and received an informational presentation on an affordable housing preservation fund. All action items were approved unanimously.
Consent Calendar
- Item 1: Approval of the committee minutes of March 6, 2025.
- Item 2: Approval of a 10-year lease (with two five-year options to extend) with Pioneer Hook and Ladder Company (Firehouse Museum) for city-owned property at 1572 Columbia Street.
- Public comment: One speaker (Joyce, District 3) expressed concern about general fund oversight but supported the lease.
- Motion by Councilmember Campio, second by Councilmember Moreno. Passed unanimously (4-0).
Public Comments & Testimony
Non-Agenda Public Comment:
- A speaker (in-person) suggested converting commercial/office property to mixed-use/housing, using 3D-printed homes, shipping containers, and boarding house models, and inquired about eminent domain for the California Theatre site.
- John Brady (Lived Experience Advisors) proposed a pilot program using recreational vehicles (RVs) as emergency housing, citing 85,000 RVs in San Diego County. He noted a willing landlord at 359 South Bancroft.
- Madison (mother of three) urged a smoke-free and vape-free multi-unit housing policy, citing health risks from secondhand and thirdhand smoke, especially to children.
- Peggy Walker (county tobacco control coalition) supported smoke-free multi-unit housing, noting 100 California cities have adopted such policies, including Carlsbad.
- A speaker (phone ending 870) praised Jeff Felix’s 100-day homeless solution and noted 90% of homeless have disabilities, calling for acute listening and resources.
- Becky Rapp (public health educator) encouraged a citywide ban on smoking/vaping in multi-unit housing, citing Carlsbad’s law and the new Skyline Apartments project as an opportunity.
- Judy Strang urged adoption of a smoke-free public places policy, noting eight other cities in the county have such policies.
Item 3 – Safe Parking Program:
- John Brady, Lori Saldania, and Jess Felix (in-person) expressed support for the program. Lori Saldania noted potential increased need due to federal budget cuts. Jess Felix suggested expanding onto city-owned land in San Pascual Valley.
- Joyce (District 3, virtual) praised the program and requested data on participant support groups at Rose Canyon.
- Catherine Douglas (District 1, virtual) supported the program but requested that SDPD be able to communicate with lots in real-time to check availability overnight.
Item 4 – Nexus Study Update:
- Craig Benedetto (representing Airbnb) urged caution, noting short-term rentals contribute $35 million+ annually in TOT, argued housing underproduction is the real issue, and requested exemption for home-share (tier 1 and 2) permittees.
- Stephen Russell (San Diego Housing Federation) supported the study, noting that short-term rentals remove housing from supply and that seven of ten fastest-growing jobs cannot afford to live in San Diego.
- Lori Saldania (former chair of Assembly Housing) supported the study, citing displacement of families and conversion of affordable housing into short-term rentals.
- Joyce (District 3, virtual) stressed the importance of listening to all voices and considering the impact of revenue loss on other priorities.
Item 5 – Affordable Housing Preservation Fund:
- Stephen Russell (San Diego Housing Federation) urged creation of a fund, noting that affordable housing (for 50% AMI) dropped from 90,000 units in 2000 to 30,000 in 2020, and that when Blackstone bought 6,000 units, the city lacked resources to intervene.
- Manny Rodriguez (City Heights CDC) supported the fund, noting that new affordable housing is merely replacing lost units.
- Lori Saldania suggested incentivizing conversion of short-term rentals into permanent affordable housing.
- Joyce (District 3, virtual) expressed concern about silos and urged collaboration, referencing the $5 million neighborhood enhancement fee.
- Gil Vera (Legal Aid SD) supported the fund, emphasizing that substantial remodel evictions threaten naturally occurring affordable housing (NOAH).
- John Brady (Lived Experience Advisors) supported the fund.
- Kathleen Livett (virtual) criticized the city’s approach to ADUs and parking requirements, suggesting developments may become problematic.
Discussion Items
Item 3 – Approval of Contract with Jewish Family Service for Safe Parking Program
- Sarah Jarman (Director, Homelessness Strategies and Solutions Department) presented the program, which serves individuals/families living in vehicles. Three models: 24/7 trailers (Rose Canyon, 19 trailers), overnight parking (Arrow Drive, Balboa, upcoming H Barracks), and 24/7 parking (Mission Valley). Total 396 spaces plus 19 trailers. Served 1,139 individuals (March 2024–February 2025): 900 adults, 250 children, 65 veterans. 12% chronically homeless. 278 individuals (25%) exited to permanent housing. RFP selected Jewish Family Service to operate all four sites (Rose Canyon, Arrow Drive, Mission Valley, H Barracks) under a contract with initial term through June 30, 2025, and four one-year options. Total not-to-exceed $14.1 million (fiscal year 2025: $251,000; fiscal year 2026: $3.46 million city share, $900,000 leveraged from JFS). Funding from General Fund and state HAP grants.
- IBA (Amy Lee) noted fiscal year 2026 costs total $3.96 million for all five sites (including Balboa), a $314,000 increase from fiscal year 2025, funded by HAP funds. No concerns.
- Councilmember Campio moved approval, citing success (over 70% have income, over half exited without subsidy). Seconded by Chair Lee. Vice Chair Rivera questioned cost per household: Rose Canyon average household size is 4, cost per person is lower than shelters. She noted that without safe parking, vehicles would be parked illegally. Passed unanimously (4-0).
Item 4 – Request to Update Nexus Study for Short-Term Residential Occupancy (STRO) Affordable Housing Impact Fee
- Catherine Johnson (Strategic Policy Advisor for Council President Pro Tem Lee) presented. A 2018 nexus study by Kaiser Marston established a legal nexus between STROs and need for affordable housing for service workers. Council adopted fees ($2.73/night home-share, $3.96/night whole-home) but they were repealed in November 2018 along with the larger STRO licensing framework. The request is to update the 2018 study and return with findings and recommendations. Coordination with Council District 2, industry stakeholders, and platforms is planned.
- Councilmember Campio moved approval, seconded by Vice Chair Rivera. Vice Chair Rivera expressed support, noting tourism should work for San Diegans and that STROs chew up housing supply. Passed unanimously (4-0).
Item 5 – Affordable Housing Preservation Fund (Informational)
- Colin Miller and Wendy DeWitt (San Diego Housing Commission) presented options for a public-private preservation fund to preserve deed-restricted and naturally occurring affordable housing (NOAH). The 2020 study estimated 9,250 NOAH units and 4,200 deed-restricted units would lose affordability over 20 years. Examples from Washington D.C., NYC, San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, and Charlotte. Suggested steps: explore seed funding, identify financing options, consider using Housing Development Partners (HDP) to manage the fund.
- IBA (Amy Lee) cautioned against using residual redevelopment property tax trust funds (RPTTF) as it would worsen the city’s budget deficit, and suggested the neighborhood enhancement fee ($5 million balance) as a possible source.
- Vice Chair Rivera requested the Housing Commission to move forward with the steps identified: explore next steps, identify funding sources, determine financing options, and return with analysis and recommendations. She noted that creating a city-owned mixed-income housing model could be social housing.
- Chair Lee supported the effort, noting seed money can have a multiplied impact through partnerships with banks and CDFIs.
- No vote required; item was informational.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Agenda (Items 1 & 2): Approved unanimously (4-0).
- Item 3 – Safe Parking Contract: Approved unanimously (4-0).
- Item 4 – Nexus Study Update: Approved unanimously (4-0).
- Item 5 – Affordable Housing Preservation Fund: Vice Chair Rivera directed the Housing Commission to begin exploring next steps, identifying funding sources, and returning with recommendations. No formal vote.
- The next regularly scheduled meeting is Thursday, May 15, 2025, at 1:00 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Hi, Councilmember, can you please do an audio check for us? Okay. One, two, three. Thank you. Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome to the land use and housing committee meeting of April 10th, 2025. 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, and the council administration will 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 not call the land use and housing committee meeting of Thursday, April 10th, 2025 to order. Natalie, please call the role. Vice Chair Ela Rivera. Present. Council of Campio. Here. Councilmember Moreno. Present. And Chair, Council President Pro Tem Lee. Here. Vice Chair Elo Rivera, can you please share your declaration at this time? Yes, thank you, Natalie. I'm notifying the land use and housing committee that I will be attending the meeting today remotely due to just cause related to contagious illness. Pursuant to the Crown Act. I'm disclosing that there are no individuals 18 years of age or older present in the room with me. And I will update this disclosure if that changes during the course of the meeting. Thank you. Also with me in the meeting today is Chris Ackermanavilla with the mayor's office, Deputy City Attorney Corinne Newfer with the city attorney's office, Amy Lee with the independent independent budget analyst office, and Angeli Hoyos, 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 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 webpage. To join the Zoom webinar by telephone, please dial 16692545252. The webinar ID is 6830623 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. 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, 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. Uh we will take up non-agenda public comment to start. 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. Natalie, please proceed with non-agenda public comment.
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