The San Diego City Council voted 5-3 on Tuesday to uphold the designation of the vacant Mission Hills Branch Library as a historic resource, complicating plans to build affordable housing on the site.
The library, built in 1961, was shuttered in 2019 after the opening of the new Mission Hills-Hillcrest Knox Branch Library a few blocks away. After its closure, former Mayor Kevin Faulconer sought to make the site available for permanent supportive housing.
That proposal sparked outrage among some Mission Hills residents, many of whom denigrated affordable housing and people experiencing homelessness in a series of community meetings.
Later in 2019, the historic preservation group Mission Hills Heritage applied to have the former library designated a historic resource, arguing it was the last example of mid-century modern architecture in the neighborhood's core business district. In September 2020, the city's Historic Resources Board (HRB) agreed.
Historic designations require the property's owner — in this case the city government — to preserve and maintain it according to guidelines set by the secretary of the interior.
Mission Hills resident Clint Daniels appealed the HRB's decision to the City Council, arguing it was a thinly-veiled attempt to block affordable housing in the mostly wealthy neighborhood. Daniels cited social media posts, editorials and other communications from Mission Hills Heritage opposing permanent supportive housing on the site.
"This item is about a concerted effort to hijack the historic review process to prevent affordable housing in Mission Hills," Daniels told the council Tuesday. "That's why we're here."
City law states the council can overturn HRB decisions only when it finds factual or procedural errors made in the designation process, or if new information is brought forward. Daniels argued city staff erred in several ways, including making inconsistent findings on the library's architectural style. The report presented by Mission Hills Heritage said the building is an example of Googie architecture, while city staffers said it was built in the contemporary style.
Daniels also argued the HRB had to make the designation within a 90-day window after the application was received. City staff said they interpret the municipal code to mean the 90 days starts on the date of the HRB hearing.
Councilmembers Joe LaCava, Stephen Whitburn, Marni von Wilpert, Kent Lee and Raul Campillo voted to uphold the historic designation. Whitburn said some of the evidence presented by Daniels was compelling, but that it was not enough to merit overturning the designation.
"I do think that our city staff makes a persuasive argument that there was no procedural error in this case," Whitburn said.
Council President Sean Elo-Rivera disagreed, saying that city staff were interpreting the 90-day time limit based on what they considered to be feasible, not based on the plain language of the municipal code. Councilmembers Jen Campbell and Vivian Moreno joined Elo-Rivera in voting to overturn the building's historic designation. Councilmember Monica Montgomery-Steppe was absent from the meeting.
Bruce Coons, executive director of the preservationist group Save Our Heritage Organisation, argued the city could still redevelop the site into affordable housing so long as it preserves the front portion of the building. The back section of the library, as well as the adjacent parking lot, are not covered by the designation.
"This property is ideal for redevelopment because the character-defining features exist in the front section that's only one room deep," Coons said. "It does not prevent (demolition) of the rest of the building and even a tower added to this site."
Modifications to the building are not impossible, but are more difficult and expensive with the designation in place.
Dave Rolland, spokesman for Mayor Todd Gloria, told KPBS in a statement: "Mayor Gloria and Councilmember Whitburn intend to redevelop this site into affordable or permanent supportive housing. We’re working to determine exactly what the process will be to accomplish that, which will affect the timeline. Regardless of what process we pursue, we will work closely with the community."
