As San Diego grapples with an ongoing affordable housing crisis, efforts to increase housing density through Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) are sparking heated debates. In the Clairemont neighborhood, a proposed project to build ten new units in the backyard of a single home has residents rallying against what they see as an unfair strain on their community.
Affordable Housing vs. Neighborhood Concerns
The Bonus ADU program, which allows property owners to add bonus units for every affordable unit they build, has been heralded as a solution to the housing shortage. Affordable units must be deed-restricted to serve very low, low, or moderate-income households for 15 years. Developers have leveraged the program to build multiple units on single properties, with some projects adding as many as 17 units.
In Clairemont, SDRE Homebuyers plans to remodel an existing home and garage while constructing five two-story units in the backyard. Each ADU will reportedly range between 500 and 800 square feet. However, residents on Shoshoni Avenue are pushing back, citing concerns about parking and the transformation of their quiet cul-de-sac into what they fear will resemble an apartment complex.
“It’s super frustrating,” said Jerry Rapp, a Clairemont resident. “You buy into a neighborhood, you’ve got these fantastic neighbors, and then we’re going to get an apartment complex right here. It’s not what we signed up for.”
Legal Battle Brewing
Neighbors for Clairemont, a community group, has filed a lawsuit against SDRE and the City of San Diego, challenging the project’s legality under the city’s zoning laws. The project qualifies as part of a Transit Priority Area (TPA) due to its proximity to a bus stop, which exempts it from parking requirements and caps on the number of ADUs. The first court hearing is scheduled for May.
The Broader Housing Crisis
While ADUs have become a critical piece of San Diego’s affordable housing strategy, the larger housing market continues to put immense pressure on residents. According to the University of San Diego’s Nonprofit Institute, only 10% of residents can afford a median-priced home. Zillow reports the average home value in San Diego at over $1 million, and rents remain among the highest in the nation.
Schyler Hoffman, an attorney representing SDRE, argues that ADUs are designed with modern renters in mind. “Millennials and Gen Z-ers do not own cars in the typical fashion that we did 20 years ago,” Hoffman said. “They’re taking Ubers, public transportation, and working from home.”
A Balancing Act
As housing prices climb and affordability shrinks, San Diego faces a delicate balance between addressing its housing crisis and maintaining neighborhood character. For many, the need for affordable housing is undeniable, but projects like the Clairemont ADUs highlight the tensions that arise when solutions clash with residents’ expectations.
Whether ADUs prove to be a long-term answer remains to be seen, but the controversy underscores the complexities of solving San Diego’s housing crisis—a challenge that will likely persist well into the future.
