Walking Through History
Wandering the streets of South Park or Kensington feels like stepping back in time. Craftsman bungalows, Spanish Revival homes, and courtyard apartments reflect the streetcar era that shaped the city. Trees shade the sidewalks, corner shops invite neighbors to linger, and the streets remain human‑sized.
Today, these neighborhoods are doing more than preserving charm — they could help address San Diego’s ongoing housing shortage. An independent study commissioned by Save Our Heritage Organisation and prepared by PlaceEconomics found that historic districts are denser, more affordable, and growing faster than many other neighborhoods. They have roughly twice as many residents per square mile as other residential areas, produce more accessory dwelling units, maintain lower average rents, and support increasing homeownership among non-White residents. Pre‑1970 housing stock accounts for a larger share of rental units affordable to households earning less than 80 percent of the median income.
These numbers aren’t just statistics—they reflect streets, homes, and communities that have been shaping San Diego for more than a century.
Built for Community
These neighborhoods didn’t just appear—they were deliberately built during San Diego’s first major housing booms in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. South Park, laid out around 1905, grew along streetcar lines that connected residents to downtown. Its compact lots, tree-lined avenues, and front porches created a walkable, community-focused environment where families could meet neighbors and children could play safely in the street.
Kensington, established in the 1910s and 1920s, was marketed as a “garden suburb,” with winding streets, landscaped lots, and hilltop views. Families were drawn to the mix of small cottages and larger homes, local shops, schools, and parks that made the neighborhood feel self-contained yet connected to the city.
Golden Hill grew around streetcar lines, providing affordable housing for working families, while Burlingame offered small apartment courts and modest homes catering to middle-class households.
Normal Heights grew as a streetcar suburb around 1910, its bungalow courts and narrow streets reflecting the practical needs of a growing population. In all these neighborhoods, accessibility, affordability, and a sense of community were built into the streets themselves—a combination that drew residents then and continues to attract them today.
Streets That Tell Stories
South Park’s wide porches and tree-lined avenues continue to create spaces where neighbors meet and children play. Kensington’s winding streets and Spanish Revival homes convey the vision of a “garden suburb,” offering views, greenery, and a sense of retreat from the city’s bustle. Golden Hill’s compact streets are lined with bungalows and two-story homes, perfect for families working downtown.
Burlingame’s courtyard apartments foster tight-knit communities, while Normal Heights’ bungalow courts and narrow streets reflect practical design for a growing population.
Preserving History, Supporting the Future
Rehabilitation of older buildings produces far fewer greenhouse gas emissions than demolition, thereby making these neighborhoods environmentally responsible. They embody qualities city planners strive to replicate today: walkable streets, diverse housing types, and compact development that supports community life.
Bruce Coons, executive director of Save Our Heritage Organisation, said in a news release that the findings challenge the perception that historic preservation limits housing or primarily benefits affluent homeowners. “Historic neighborhoods are not frozen in time,” he said. “They are some of San Diego’s most dynamic, dense, and economically diverse communities.”
Living History
These neighborhoods show that preserving historic character isn’t just about nostalgia. Thoughtful maintenance and adaptive reuse allow older homes and apartments to meet modern needs, keeping streets vibrant and communities connected. They offer lessons for contemporary development: balancing growth with human-scale design, supporting walkability, and maintaining housing that is both attainable and sustainable.
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Sources:
PlaceEconomics. The Urban Vitality Blueprint: A Data-Driven Analysis of Equity, Affordability, and Vitality in San Diego’s Historic Districts. Prepared for SOHO, 2023.
Save Our Heritage Organisation (SOHO) – Historic Preservation & Housing in San Diego.
|San Diego History Center – Photograph Collection & Neighborhood Archives.
Mills Act Program, City of San Diego – Historic Property Incentives.
