Complete Communities Housing Solutions Initiative in San Diego

The San Diego City Council this week capped off a year of housing-forward legislation by adopting the Complete Communities Housing Solutions initiative (CCHS). Initiated by Mayor Kevin Faulconer and supported by Council President Georgette Gomez, the program allows for increased density and height limits for developments near transit, provided that certain requirements are met including the provision of affordable housing at various area median income (AMI) levels.

Passing this legislation was not an easy lift, and city staff engaged in a tremendous amount of outreach to get to build a base of support. MID was one of the stakeholders asked to participate in a dialogue with city staff as part of this process. CCHS evolved to incorporate the feedback that was received, including feedback from community groups, and new provisions were added to address various issues and concerns.

CCHS provides another tool for developers to facilitate housing production in San Diego. Coupled with several other less-noticed housing legislative code updates to the city’s affordable housing density bonus program, San Diego’s planning department has provided a policy model for other cities to emulate.

A detailed analysis of CCHS benefits and requirements is beyond the scope of this blog. CCHS is not a one-size fits all program, and may be found to work better for some sites than for others. As adopted, it is an intricate and nuanced program, that will likely be the subject of interpretation in the months to come.

Our team looks forward to being part of those discussions, and continuing to play a role in meeting San Diego’s housing needs and creating vibrant, walkable urban places.