Your BIA Working for You

City of San Diego: Street Design Map

Street Design Map needs a lot of improvement. This current document is over 30 years old, it needs an update. We have more infill development now and the current document does not address infill development in any constructive way. The Planning department is reviewing the Street Design Manual. BIA San Diego has compiled a number of examples where improvement would be very much appreciated. Specifically, infill projects as they are referenced in the current design manual cause a great deal of consternation and can take up to four months of intense negotiation to determine what really needs to be built. The Planning Dept is very sensitive about providing clarity for projects and will continue to reach out to our builders for input. 

Section 851 Legislation: AB 420

AB420 is a CBIA sponsored bill that will specifically help San Diego builders. Currently our builders go through a very long process to get clearances for SDGE Section 851 entitlements. It can add up to 18 months to a project’s review time. AB 420 will clarify the process for SDGE. SDGE will no longer have to submit clearances to the CPUC for approval. AB 420 has made it through the utility and commerce committee.

Oceanside Tenant Protection Ordinance

The City of Oceanside is pursuing a new tenant protection ordinance that will include one month's rent as relocation assistance for no-fault evictions and a 5% cap on annual rent increases for most properties, well below the maximum of 10% allowed by state law. The draft ordinance will return to the City Council for discussion and a vote at a future hearing. The BIA has joined a coalition of advocates to oppose this ordinance and will continue to engage on the issue.

BIA CEO Calls Out Supervisor for Misleading San Diegans on Housing

San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer recently released misleading information about housing production to the local media to try and change the negative narrative that accurately depicts how little the county has done to increase housing and reduce government regulations amid our region’s housing crisis.

“The county Board of Supervisors Wednesday voted unanimously to formally accept a report that its vice chair said shows progress on more housing development,” one story reads. “According to Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer’s office, new data shows that 84% of the state-mandated housing goal has already been met, just four years into the eight-year cycle.”

BIA CEO Lori Pfeiler said: “The truth is, the county has not and is not making progress on housing development, and to say otherwise is disingenuous at best. In 2022, the county issued 1,511 housing permits. Last year, in 2024, that number dropped to 1,088 housing permits.”

She added: “It’s also important to point out that 45 percent of the building permits the county issued last year were for Accessory Dwelling Units or ADUs. ADUs do not serve families and do little to meet our housing needs.”

Unless the county changes its Vehicle Miles Travelled (VMT) policy, progress will continue to evade the Board of Supervisors. The county’s own feasibility analysis shows housing can’t be built at the needed pace for a variety of reasons, including VMT policy, related regulations, rising costs, and interest rates.

“The BIA will continue to advocate for fewer government regulations and more housing San Diegans can afford, and we also will continue to pay close attention to the data and the rhetoric coming from the county,” Pfeiler said. “San Diegans deserve honest information from their elected leaders, especially is it relates to the housing crisis.”

Housing Advocates: there is strength in numbers so please forward this email to your network, including your employees. Help us grow our coalition of supporters advocating for more homes and apartments San Diegans can afford!