July 26, 2016

November Ballot Measure will ask Voters to Increase the Capacity to Construct Affordable Rental Housing in the City of San Diego by an Additional 38,680 Units

Article 34 of the State Constitution requires voter approval for low-rent housing that is developed, constructed or acquired by a state public agency, such as the San Diego Housing Commission and the City of San Diego

San Diego, CA — The San Diego City Council voted 8-0 today to place a measure on the November 8 ballot that would ask voters to increase the capacity to construct an additional 38,680 affordable rental housing units in the city of San Diego.

The ballot measure would not raise taxes.

In addition, the ballot measure does not automatically guarantee that these additional 38,680 affordable rental housing units would be built.

“Affordable rental housing developments would still have to go through the permitting process, including community, environmental and San Diego City Council reviews,” said Richard C. Gentry, President & CEO of the San Diego Housing Commission.

Passage of the ballot measure requires a simple majority vote.

Article 34 of the State Constitution, adopted in 1950, requires voter approval for low-rent housing that is developed, constructed or acquired by a state public agency, such as the San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC) and the City of San Diego.

SDHC, which manages compliance with Article 34 on behalf of the City of San Diego, notifies the City when capacity falls below 4,000 affordable rental housing units.

“With this significant increase to the city’s capacity for affordable housing units, San Diego is continuing to show that it is committed to building more affordable housing for our residents,” Mayor Kevin Faulconer said. “This will nearly quadruple the number of units that could be built in the future, creating more opportunities for hardworking San Diego families struggling to make ends meet. Voter approval is just the first step and I plan on working with fellow City leaders to provide the incentives and funding available to make these affordable housing projects a reality in the years to come.”

The San Diego City Council designated Councilmember Todd Gloria to draft the ballot argument in favor of the ballot measure.

“I was glad to lead the City Council in approving the placement of a ballot measure to raise the city’s cap on affordable housing units so we can continue to increase our supply of low-income housing,” Councilmember Gloria said. “We need to maximize housing opportunities so all San Diegans can have access to secure housing which will serve as the foundation for their success. I commit to working with the San Diego Housing Commission and other housing partners to support housing opportunities and look forward to seeing the measure pass in November.”

To date, the list of supporters for the measure includes Wakeland Housing & Development Corporation, National CORE, Affirmed Housing, Chelsea Investment Corporation, BOMA (Building Owners and Managers Association) International San Diego, the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, San Diego Housing Federation, and the San Diego chapter of NAIOP (Commercial Real Estate Development Association).

Background:

Four prior ballot measures – in 1972, 1976, 1981, and 2002 – authorized a total capacity of up to 10,500 affordable housing rental units in the city, but the limit is approaching, with only 3,247 units of affordable rental housing capacity left. Without additional capacity, it is possible there could be a halt in construction of low-income rental housing units supported by government financing or assistance in the city of San Diego.

The San Diego City Council Rules Committee, chaired by Council President Sherri Lightner, on March 23, 2016, recommended a ballot measure that would create the capacity for an additional 38,680 affordable rental housing units.

That number stems from the 2011 San Diego Association of Governments’ (SANDAG) Regional Housing Needs Assessment, which stated that the city of San Diego needs 38,680 affordable housing units for low- and very low-income residents by 2020. Low-income San Diegans may include military Veterans, families, senior citizens, and disabled San Diegans.

On April 26, 2016, the San Diego City Council unanimously directed the city attorney to prepare the ballot measure.

For more information about SDHC, visit www.sdhc.org

###

Media Contact:
Maria Velasquez,
Chief Communications Officer
San Diego Housing Commission
619-578-7560
mariav@sdhc.org