SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Neighbors in Golden Hill and South Park marched Sunday, pushing back on local housing policies, voicing concerns over safety, affordability and liveability.
About 40 people marched for what they say is the future of their neighborhoods, specifically bring light to housing policies like Senate Bill 79, which is currently waiting confirmation in the Senate.
It aims to help with California's housing shortage by making it easier to build multi-family housing near major public transit lines.
But the Preserve Greater Golden Hill Community Action Group is speaking out against the bill, with concerns over how these kinds of large developments might impact San Diego neighborhoods.
"What we're trying to do is let people know that they don't just have to sit back and watch a neighborhood transform before their very eyes, lose its character, lose its affordability,and lose its safety. We're trying to let people know that they have a voice," said Richard Santini, a neighbor and a member of the group.
They're trying to get the attention of Mayor Todd Gloria and city council, in hopes they take a stance against the project.
"We can talk to our elected city officials, and they are willing to work with us from the mayor's office to our assemblymen to our state Senator, to our district council, people are there to help us, so they need to hear that. Everybody has a voice and that voice is extremely important, so we're here to help magnify that voice," Santini said.
They hope demonstrations like this will possibly change the trajectory of these development projects.
Supporters of the bill, such as Yes In My Backyard, are pushing for more housing development to address housing shortages and affordability.
Their website says, SB 79 will, "make it faster and easier to build multi-family housing near transit stops... by making it legal for more homes to be built in these areas."
