The grassroots, volunteer group “Neighbors for a Better San Diego” (NFABSD) is now spreading its message across the city, urging San Diegans to fight back against irresponsible city regulations that allow speculators and absentee landlords to build multiple rental units on single-family lots, with no parking, no landscaping, and little or no setbacks from neighboring properties.
NFABSD started its campaign for sensible development in April, when a group of Talmadge residents learned of plans by the new, absentee owner to convert a single family residence on 49th Street into a six-unit complex. A review of city permit applications confirmed that the developer will convert the garage to an “accessory dwelling unit” (ADU/JADU), build four more ADUs in the property’s modest backyard, and also rent out the existing home, for a total of six rental units.
City regulations allowed the developer to proceed without notifying neighbors, and the community had no opportunity to review the plans or comment on the proposed construction. The city’s ADU regulations, approved in October, 2020, also go far beyond what is required by state law. No off-street parking is required, adding up to a dozen or more cars and trucks to the already crowded streets in our established neighborhoods. There are no side or rear setbacks required for the backyard ADUs, so those additional buildings can sit right on their neighbors’ property lines. Developers can “clear-cut” backyard trees, shrubs and greenery to make room for the ADUs, with no requirement that they replace any of that desperately needed “urban forest”. The backyard ADUscan be 30 feet tall, dwarfing the surrounding single-story homes. Even worse, the absentee landlords don’t pay development fees, which robs the city of desperately needed funds to improve the outdated and inadequate infrastructure in our established neighborhoods.
Despite our best efforts, the absentee owner of the 49th Street property started that work on that project on July 5. And just as we feared, the developer has clear-cut the backyard to make room for the ADUs
Neighbors for a Better San Diego appealed to our newly-elected District 9 Council Member, Sean Elo-Rivera for help in repealing the most damaging aspects of the city’s ADU regulations, which apply to neighborhoods throughout the city. But to date, Elo-Rivera has refused to take a leadership role in rewriting the regulations. Mayor Todd Gloria has also defended the regulations, which go far beyond existing state law, which allows a property owner to build an ADU and junior ADU on a single family residential lot.
Proponents of the city’s destructive, irreversible regulations also continue to misrepresent the facts by insisting that the new rules simply bring the city into compliance with state regulations, which is patently false.
In response, Neighbors for a Better San Diego has stepped up its organizing effort, spreading its message to other communities in District 9, and throughout the city. Community groups and homeowners from Valencia Park to Clairemont and South Park to University City are joining our effort to roll-back the most damaging aspects of the new regulations. Neighbors across the city are planting “No on GrannyTowers” yard signs in their front lawns, and contributing to NFABSD’s effort to expand affordable housing options for San Diegans, while retaining common-sense regulations.
NFABSD volunteers also joined a July 9 demonstration in Downtown San Diego against Senate Bill 10, which would allow developers to build up to 14 apartment units in a high-rise building on a single family lot.
With your help and support, Neighbors for a Better San Diego will continue its effort to restore common sense and basic environmental standards to new construction in San Diego’s older neighborhoods, and throughout the city.