Ensuring Affordable Housing in University Heights: A Call for Equitable and Collaborative Solutions

As the San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) Board of Trustees approaches its pivotal decision regarding the Brucker site redevelopment at the January 26 board meeting (see front page for details on how to attend), I want to reflect on the extensive journey that has brought us to this moment. For more than seven years, University Heights residents have actively partnered with SDUSD to re-imagine the Brucker site along Normal Street. This collaborative process included four large-scale community workshops and more than nine task-force meetings. Multiple plans were discussed, revised, and refined, resulting in a proposal presented by the district in November 2023 that garnered over 77% support from surveyed UH residents. Then SDUSD trustees completely restarted the process earlier this year, bringing us to this point. 

Housing Crisis Context: Citywide Challenges and Impacts to UH 

There is no question that San Diego is grappling with a housing crisis—especially when it comes to affordability. The fact that the Brucker site project is slated to provide primarily affordable housing is amazing, and SDUSD deserves praise for tackling this critical issue. The proposed development on the Brucker site will have a profound and lasting effect on our neighborhood, one of the smallest in San Diego, just 1.1 square miles with a density of 8,950 people per square mile. 

UH has experienced significant growth in recent years, much more than other neighborhoods, growing households by at least 30% over the last decade according to U.S. Census data. Most of these new homes have been smaller micro, studio, and one-bedroom rental units at “market-rate,” contributing to a persistent gap in affordable housing, especially for families seeking two- and three-bedroom homes. If the largest proposal for this site is adopted, an increase of 1,500 units would bring that growth rate to over 55%, compared to the 7.1% increase reported across the San Diego region as a whole, it’s clear that UH is being asked to shoulder a disproportional share of the needed growth in housing. 

Infrastructure Concerns and Equitable Distribution 

A recent survey confirmed that the vast majority of UH residents (including myself) support more affordable housing, especially for the SDUSD workforce. The same survey also highlighted issues UH is facing due to its limited size and infrastructure. The dramatic increase in housing units without needed infrastructure improvement has already placed strains on essential services such as parks, libraries, streets, transit, water, and power. Unlike other neighborhoods with lower density or more space, UH lacks the capacity to sustain a disproportionate share of high-density projects. The Brucker site serves as a gateway to University Heights, and any new development there needs to thoughtfully transition into our smaller community and not overwhelm it. 

A Call for Unity and Collaborative Problem Solving 

As UH faces the prospect of continued and substantial growth, it is essential that development at the Brucker site honor the history of both the site and neighborhood, provide much-needed open space, and remain appropriately scaled to avoid overwhelming our small neighborhood. By working together as residents, policymakers, and advocates, we have to find an equitable solution that addresses the urgent need for family-sized affordable housing while preserving the qualities that make UH special. Somewhere between the extreme positions of unlimited density and slow/no-growth lies a path forward that will enable us to thrive as neighbors who share a desire for a more equitable and inclusive San Diego metro area and a livable UH. 

I implore everyone on all sides of this issue to reach for compromise for the greater good—something that seems all too difficult in these polarized times. 

In this month’s column, I am speaking as a UH resident, and these thoughts and opinions are mine, not an official position of UHCA. UH News welcomes our neighbor’s voices and viewpoints. See www.uhsd. org/newspaper for guidelines and how to make a submission.