Land Use and Housing Committee Meeting Summary – October 9, 2025
Land Use and Housing Committee Meeting – October 9, 2025
The Land Use and Housing Committee met on Thursday, October 9, 2025. The meeting covered public comments on non-agenda items, approval of prior minutes, and informational presentations on community land trusts, state housing legislation, and the city’s annual housing report. Two agenda items (items 2 and 3) were withdrawn.
Consent Calendar
- Approved the minutes of the September 4, 2025, meeting by a 4-0 vote.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Non-Agenda Public Comments (Polo Fields/Surf Sports): Multiple speakers, including Pauly Wheatley, Barbara, Christina Leva, Tess Wheatley, Lily Britt, Chloe Hugh, and Colin Parent, spoke against the removal of Exhibit B and deed restrictions on the Polo Fields property leased by Pioneer Sports (formerly Surf Sports). They argued that removing restrictions would allow unregulated commercial development, endanger sensitive habitat, increase traffic and safety risks, and violate prior promises. They cited documented violations, unpermitted structures, and financial underreporting.
- Non-Agenda Public Comments (Other topics): Speakers addressed concerns about land development code amendments, marijuana retailer proximity to youth, smoke-free public spaces, and conditions at Dreams for Change homeless facilities.
- Public Comments on Consent Agenda: Two virtual speakers commented on the minutes and general housing issues.
- Public Comments on Item 4 (Community Land Trusts): Multiple speakers, including Tyler Andre, Cynthia Johnny, Jeff Hooter, Goyo Ortiz, Dale McKenemy, Alexis Oberg, Colin Parent, Felix Lopez, and others (via Zoom), expressed strong support for community land trusts (CLTs) and cooperatives. They urged the committee to advance CLT policies, including technical assistance, grants, and carve-outs for CLTs in city funding.
- Public Comments on Item 5 (State Legislative Update): Jeff Hooter and two virtual speakers commented, with Hooter criticizing SB 79 and the lack of council debate on its support, and others emphasizing housing funding.
- Public Comments on Item 6 (Annual Housing Report): Aria Grossman (Circulate San Diego), Colin Parent, Jeff Hooter (detailed presentation), Evan Strawn (Chamber of Commerce), and others commented. Hooter highlighted blind spots in the report, including lack of demolition data, rent surveys, vacancy rates, and the impact of short-term vacation rentals. He noted that above-moderate housing is ahead of the RHNA target, but affordable housing is far behind.
Discussion Items
Community Land Trusts (Item 4)
Councilmember Moreno introduced the informational item. Presentations were given by Josh Newton (UCSD), former Councilmember Georgette Gomez (Casa Familiar/Avanzando San Isidro CLT), and Julie Corrales (Tierra Cenígena CLT). They explained the CLT model, highlighted the San Isidro project (103 units, rent-to-own, groundbreaking October 14, 2025) and the Barrio Logan CLT (purchased 2602 National Avenue, preserving families and indigenous-led birthing clinic). Councilmembers discussed funding, policy levers (including carve-outs, COPA, and technical assistance), and the importance of permanently affordable housing. Councilmember Moreno’s office plans to return by February 12, 2026, with a recommendation for a technical assistance program.
State Housing & Land Use Legislative Update (Item 5)
Walt Bishop and Moira (state lobbyist) presented a summary of major 2025 state legislation. Key bills: AB 130 and SB 131 (CEQA streamlining and building code freeze), SB 79 (transit-oriented development zoning, awaiting governor’s action), AB 507 (adaptive reuse), AB 1033 (ADU for-sale), SB 92 (density bonus loophole fix, city-sponsored), and others. The HAP program received $500 million (half of prior rounds). Councilmembers discussed potential impacts of SB 79 on San Diego and the need for coordination on HAP spending.
2025 Annual Report on Homes (Item 6)
Samuel Solis (Planning Department) presented the annual report. Key data: 8,782 new homes permitted in 2024, of which 1,061 were deed-restricted affordable (12%). 2,285 ADUs permitted (26% of total). 34,240 homes permitted since 2021 (32% of 108,000 RHNA target). Affordable housing remains concentrated in lower-resource areas; only 31% of affordable units were in high/highest resource areas despite 68% of the city being in those zones. Councilmember Moreno noted the sobering numbers and questioned how to increase affordable housing in higher-resource areas. Councilmember Campio asked about ADU bonus program details (164 of 653 bonus ADUs were in projects of 4+ units). Councilmember Lee discussed the need to track moderate-income housing metrics. Vice Chair Elo Rivera emphasized that the market cannot solve the affordable housing crisis and that local resources are needed.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Agenda: Motion to approve passed 4-0.
- Item 4 (Community Land Trusts): Informational only; staff will return by February 12, 2026, with a proposed technical assistance program.
- Item 5 (State Legislative Update): Informational; no action taken.
- Item 6 (Annual Housing Report): Informational; report will be presented to Planning Commission and full City Council in November 2025.
- Items 2 and 3: Withdrawn from the agenda; item 2 returned to staff for further work, item 3 delayed due to pending appraisals. Expected back next month.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon. Welcome to the Land News and Housing Committee meeting of October 9th, 2025. Our committee liaison Natalie Kessler will 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. Natalie, please call the roll. Vice Chair Elo Rivera. Councilmember Campio. Here. Councilmember Moreno. Present. And Chair, Council President Pro Tem Lee. Here. Also attending the meeting today, Chris Ackerman Avila with the mayor, with Mayor Todd Gloria's office, Deputy City Attorney Karen Newfer with the City Attorney's Office. Amy Lee with the independent budget analyst office, and Angeli Hoyos, committee consultants. If you're in person, please complete a speaker slip located at the entrance of chambers and place it on top of the box indicated at the front of the room next to the public comment microphone. Please do so in a timely manner to ensure proper meeting management. In-person testimony will conclude before virtual testimony begins, and members of the public can join the webinar by computer, tablet, or smartphone by accessing the link listed online in the preamble language of the agenda on the city's webpage. To join the Zoom webinar by phone, please dial 16692545252. The webinar ID is 1606 eight three zero six two three 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're 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're a call participant, press a star 9 on your phone. If you raise your hand during a non-comment period, your hand will be lowered. Chair. Thank you for reviewing those instructions for the benefit of the public. A quorum is now present. Uh as a note to the public, um item three was um previously removed from the agenda. And additionally, I understand that item two is being requested to be returned to staff. Is that correct? Um so just want to update everyone on those uh changes to the agenda. Uh we will now take up non-agenda public comment. 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. Um let's please proceed with non-general public comment. Per rule 2.7 non-agenda public comment is an opportunity for members of the public to comment on items that are not on the agenda, but within the subject matter jurisdiction of the committee. Each speaker will have two minutes. And as a reminder to our speakers, if there are eight or more speakers on a single issue during non-agenda public comment, the maximum time for this single issue will be 16 minutes. Hi there, good afternoon. My name is Pauly Wheatley, and I was born and raised in Pacific Palisades. Along with my childhood memories, 90% of my business burned down in January, and I should not be here today, but I am. I'm taking time off my work to talk to talk to you about something very important. What we know to be true. So why are we here?
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