San Diego Builders and Realtors Defeat Anti-Housing Bill

Power to the people: The San Diego housing industry is celebrating after a diverse coalition of builders and realtors spearheaded the opposition to an anti-housing bill in the rural areas of San Diego County, Calif. If passed, the measure would have required a countywide vote on major housing developments larger than six homes, a major blow to growth and adding much needed stock to the state's housing inventory. Other large projects, such as casinos and hotels, had loopholes and exemptions, so the bill targeted mostly residential developments. And at a time when affordable housing is in such high demand, the bi-partisan coalition, including the Building Industry Association of San Diego, got the votes it needed to defeat the bill. 

A diverse coalition led by the Building Industry Association (BIA) of San Diego County and local REALTORS® defeated a March 3 ballot measure that could have limited housing development in rural areas of San Diego County, Calif.

Measure A, if passed, would have required a countywide vote on any major housing project that involves a change to the county’s general plan. Developers working on any project larger than six homes would need permission from voters, rather than the approval of three county supervisors, if the project is outside the general plan guidelines for urban growth.

The “No on A” coalition, which brought together labor leaders, first responders and politicians on both sides of the aisle, argued the initiative is anti-growth and anti-housing, noting loopholes and exemptions existed for developments like hotels, resorts and casinos. They also said the current system did not need to change and would only add another regulatory layer to new home building in a county already plagued as one of the top five least affordable housing markets in the nation.

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