SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — San Diego has nearly doubled the number of permits for new homes in recent years compared to the past two decades, according to Mayor Todd Gloria during his State of the City address.
However, local building companies say the city still has more work to do to address the housing crisis.
"That's not enough, but that's a good start," said Gregg Cantor with Murray Lampert, a home design and building company.
Gloria called housing "the thread” that runs through everything.
He also highlighted construction progress from Mission Valley, Barrio Logan, Clairemont, to the College Area and other areas in his speech. The mayor credited fast-tracked building through programs like Affordable Housing Permit Now and Bridge to Home.
"You don't need a chart to understand what that means. You can see it. Cranes in the air, crews at work, foundations being poured, roofs popping up, homes are being built," said Mayor Gloria.
Cantor said while new housing is needed in San Diego, the city needs to evaluate how and where it's approving projects.
"There's so many homes that are over 40 years old in San Diego, and those developments are well entrenched in their communities, and they're uncomfortable about having these multi-family towers being built in their backyard," said Cantor.
From a real estate perspective, more and more people are looking for single-family homes.
"Definitely single-family homes, you know, that's the best investment, that's what most people are looking for. Also, if it's a condo, or if it's an apartment or something of that nature, they're looking for some outdoor space. We live in sunny San Diego, so that extra backyard space, it's almost like extra square feet in the home," said Spencer Soto, a local realtor with RE/MAX Connections.
Whether you’re a single-family home buyer or a low-income renter, high price tags are everywhere.
"We have to get that under control because that is what is driving people out of the state, out of the city, or into the streets," said Stephen Russell, the President and CEO of the San Diego Housing Federation.
Gloria plans to bring a middle-class housing initiative to City Council later this year and move forward with Midway Rising, the bold arena and housing combination that aims to create more than 4,000 new affordable homes.
