Housing Affordability Crisis Deepens



Affordability remained unchanged for new homes but improved slightly for low-income families, with the CHI dropping from 77% to 75%. For existing homes, affordability improved for both median- and low-income families, with the CHI decreasing from 39% to 38% and from 79% to 75%, respectively.

The CHI also covers 176 metropolitan areas, showing severe cost burdens in 10 markets where families spend over 50% of their income on housing. The most burdened markets include San Jose, CA (85%), Urban Honolulu, HI (75%), and San Diego, CA (70%). Conversely, the least burdened markets are Decatur, IL (16%), Cumberland, MD-WV (18%), and Springfield, IL (18%)

Mayor Todd Gloria’s 2025 Plan: Overcoming Financial Hurdles and Prioritizing Committee Needs for Housing

In his 2025 State of the City Address, Mayor Todd Gloria outlined his vision for navigating San Diego through a challenging financial period while focusing on key priorities: safety, homelessness reduction, housing, and road repairs. He acknowledged the difficulty of making progress after the failure of Measure E, a proposed sales tax measure, and the need to address a $258 million budget deficit.

Mayor Gloria emphasized an optimistic and action-oriented approach, viewing the situation as an opportunity to reimagine city services. He announced immediate spending cuts, including a hiring freeze and halting non-essential spending, and plans to evaluate and potentially renegotiate city leases. He urged city departments to rethink their operations to focus on core services.

The mayor stressed the importance of addressing the budget deficit in 2025 without relying on one-time measures or external assistance. He reaffirmed his commitment to his core priorities, particularly increasing shelter options for the homeless, despite the financial constraints.

Mayor Todd Gloria has outlined several specific housing plans for 2025:

1. Increasing Shelter Opportunities: The mayor is committed to opening new shelter facilities, including a new Safe Parking site at H Barracks, to provide more options for people to get off the streets.
2. Permanent Housing Solutions: Continuing efforts to transition people from temporary shelters to permanent housing. Since taking office, City-funded programs have successfully placed nearly 4,700 people into permanent housing.
3. Evaluating City Leases: Assessing and potentially renegotiating or terminating city leases to consolidate space and reduce costs, which can then be redirected towards housing initiatives.



These plans are part of a broader strategy to address homelessness and increase the availability of affordable housing in San Diego.