Carlos Arteaga is a homeowner in the Talmadge neighborhood of San Diego. Right next to his home a two-story accessory dwelling unit, known as an ADU, is being built.
And there’s another one already finished, just down the road.
Arteaga is concerned that developers are outbidding families to create what he calls apartment-style buildings with units that are too small, and on lots that are overcrowded.
“This developer came and overbid by about $40,000 so [it's] impossible,” Arteaga said. “If this is the way the city feels that they’re going to solve a problem of housing in San Diego, by keeping families from purchasing houses, I don’t think that’s the way.”
Neighbors for a Better San Diego is a group that opposes the current laws for ADUs in San Diego.
The group’s chair, Geoff Heuter said they actually don’t mind the granny flats or casitas in general.
What they don't agree with is the distance allowed between ADU projects and transit lines and how many units can be built on a single property in San Diego, compared to other places in the state.
“Is this about creating more affordable housing with proximity to transit or is this really just about letting developers bring projects into single family neighborhoods?” Heuter said.
KPBS recently spoke with the developer of the property next to Arteaga’s house, Daniel Shkolnik, who said ADUs can be built in half the time compared to traditional multi-family structures.
While Arteaga said Schkonik has been understanding of his concerns, he and Heuter believe there’s a better way to address San Diego’s low-income housing shortage.
“The city should try to develop areas like corridors such as University [Avenue], El Cajon Boulevard or other places where they can actually construct highrises with garage and parking underneath,” Arteaga said.
In the City of San Diego, landowners who build a reduced-rent unit can also construct a bonus granny flat that can be rented at market rates.
The catch is that the rent-restricted unit has to be rented at a reduced rate to moderate-income residents for 15 years, or after a recent amendment, rented for 10 years to low-income tenants.
Arteaga said the current laws miss some of the small, but important details.
“Well if they’re going to do that they should ... charge developing fees to improve infrastructure. They should also think about parking and the trash,” Arteaga said.
Heuter said that the majority of ADUs are similar in cost to market rate units and don’t help many of San Diego’s lowest-income renters.
He said Neighbors for a Better San Diego supports one ADU and one junior ADU per property.
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