The City Council has approved Mayor Todd Gloria’s latest package of policy reforms aimed at building new housing that San Diegans can afford.  

“The lack of affordable housing is central to many of our City’s top challenges, particularly homelessness and sky-high rents,” said Mayor Todd Gloria. “This series of reforms will boost the supply of homes and reduce the cost of housing, help our businesses recruit and retain talent and put more hard-earned dollars back into the pockets of everyday San Diegans.” 

Mayor Gloria’s Housing Action Package (HAP) 2.0, part of his Homes for All of Us initiative, includes amendments to the Land Development Code to preserve existing affordable homes and encourage the construction of more new homes, with new protections for the City’s most vulnerable community members. This includes people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, people with disabilities and seniors. The package of amendments also includes incentives for homes for students and in areas with greater access to jobs and high-performing schools.   

“The current housing crisis has caused much hardship for so many San Diegans, which in turn affects everyone,” said City Planning Director Heidi Vonblum. “These new amendments will help us continue the mission toward building more new homes for San Diegans at all levels of income, while also creating healthier and more stable communities.”  

The reforms included in the Mayor’s HAP 2.0 are:  

Affordable Homes for Those at Risk of Homelessness: Encourages the creation of single-room occupancy homes, which have shared kitchens and bathrooms, particularly at the very-low-income level. This is a housing option primarily for seniors, people with disabilities and people vulnerable to becoming homeless.   

Addressing College Student Home Insecurity: Allows the development of private, dorm-style student homes near transit and near universities and colleges and ensures they are affordable to low-income students. 

Homes for Seniors and People with Disabilities: Encourages the development of accessory dwelling units (ADU) homes, which are secondary housing units on the same lot as single-family homes, that are accessible for people with disabilities by amending the ADU Home Density Bonus Program. 

Putting All Government Land to Good Use: Provides public agencies greater flexibility in developing homes on publicly owned land by increasing allowed densities and allowing affordable home developments on premises zoned as commercial or residential. 

Fighting for Environmental Justice in Communities of Concern: San Diegans deserve to live in healthy, thriving communities. However, some communities continue to endure toxic pollution from land uses that no longer comply with local zoning and development regulations. Harmful land use, such as wrecking and dismantling motor vehicles, would no longer be allowed to continue after a transition period if it has been rezoned for homes or mixed-use development as part of a community plan update in the Promise Zone.  

Preventing Displacement and Preserving Existing Affordable Homes: Promotes the preservation of affordable homes, protects residents from displacement caused by new development and complements the new Residential Tenant Protection Ordinance.  

Flexible Parking Requirements: Implements Assembly Bill 2097 and gives residential and commercial builders within a half-mile of a major existing or planned public transit stop the flexibility to build the number of parking spaces they need. 

Turning Underused Strip Malls and Parking Lots into Homes: Provides additional incentives for homes and mixed-use developments in malls and parking lots near transit. 

Building Family Homes in Places with Good Schools and Job Availability: Streamlines regulations to remove barriers to constructing family homes, encourages the development of middle-income homes and allows for affordable homes to be located in areas with good job and school opportunities and a clean environment. 

Mayor Gloria’s first Housing Action Package was passed in 2022.  

With the City Council’s initial approval, the HAP 2.0 package is expected to return to the City Council for a second reading in early January before heading to the Mayor’s desk for his signature.