Today’s newsletter is presented by Kaiser Permanente.
Hello, La Mesa!
Every eight years, California jurisdictions have to put out a plan on where new housing can go to accommodate population growth and make up for years of housing shortages. All of Southern California recently hit the halfway point on those eight-year plans.
The state found La Mesa needed 3,797 new units total by 2029, with the plan breaking down further by cost, with housing goals for very low, low, moderate and above moderate incomes.
CalMatters published a sort of mid-term exam on how California jurisdictions are doing in meeting these housing goals. The answers: Most places get Ds and Fs.
Very few big jurisdictions are on track to meet any housing goals, although the city of San Diego was an exception, at least when it came to above moderate income housing, which is typically market rate.
Affordable housing on the other hand had very few successes, as public funds to subsidize this type of building ran out (lawmakers hope you will approve a bond measure in November to fill up the affordable housing piggy bank).
La Mesa did have something unique in its numbers. It exceeded the goal for moderate income housing. CalMatters reported that this “missing middle” housing is particularly tough to build as units charge too much to qualify for government subsidies, but also cost too little for most developers to make a project pencil.
I checked in with former City Councilmember Colin Parent, to see why he thinks that is. He says meeting middle-income goals can largely be attributed to one development: 8181 Allison Ave. It used a state program that was new at the time to fund 147 deed-restricted, mixed-income housing units.
In other metrics, La Mesa came halfway to building the needed amount of low-income housing. However, very low income housing was pretty dismal, with only 4% of the need met.
Drew Sitton
La Mesa Courier newsletter host
La Mesa story spotlight
La Mesa prepares for possible El Niño and urges residents to clean out storm drains and debris from rooftops
By Times of San Diego Staff Reports
La Mesa prepares for what forecasters say is a 90% chance for “very strong,” possibly historic el Nino this winter.
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