Understanding what "affordable housing" means, where to find it, and how the City is addressing the challenge is crucial for residents and policymakers alike.   

How do you define “affordable housing”?   
 

Housing in San Diego is considered “affordable” when it doesn't cost more than 30% of a household’'s gross annual income. This amount includes rent or mortgage, utilities, and insurance. As of 2024, the Area Median Income (AMI) for San Diego County is $119,500 for a family of four. The phrase “affordable housing” typically refers to housing that is required to keep rents affordable for individuals and families earning at or below 60% of the AMI. This is also known as “deed-restricted” affordable housing. Some housing, such as single-room- occupancy units, often are not required to limit the amount they charge for rent, but they still tend to be affordable for households with lower income. This is referred to as “naturally occurring affordable housing.” 

For a one-person household earning 60% of the AMI ($63,660 annually), the gross rent — or the total amount of money a tenant pays for a rental property plus any additional costs like utilities and property management fees — for deed-restricted housing is $1,592. For a two-person household earning 60% of the AMI ($72,720 annually), the gross rent at a deed-restricted unit would be $1,818. For a three-person household earning 60% of the AMI ($81,840 annually), the gross rent for a deed-restricted unit would be $2,046. And for a four-person household earning 60% of the AMI ($90,900 annually), the gross rent for a deed-restricted unit would be $2,273. These calculations are adjusted by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and based on the guideline that affordable housing costs should not exceed 30% of a household's gross annual income.  

These guidelines ensure housing remains affordable and doesn’t consume an excessive portion of household income.  

Where can I find affordable housing in San Diego?   

You can find affordable housing across the county through several resources:  

• San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC) Affordable Housing: You may search and apply online for deed-restricted affordable housing that SDHC owns or manages by visiting https://rentals.sdhc.org/searchlisting.aspx 

• Affordable Housing Resource Guide: This guide, published annually by SDHC, provides listings of affordable housing complexes, eligibility requirements, and important contact information. Most apartment complexes have waiting lists, so it’s important to contact property managers directly for rental availability and specifics.  

• County map: There's also an interactive website and map where you can search for affordable housing developments built with the help of County funds.  

What is the City doing to help create and preserve more affordable housing?  

San Diego is actively addressing the housing crisis through several initiatives aimed at increasing affordable housing availability. Here are just some of the policies and initiatives that are helping create more affordable housing across the city:  

• Streamlined Permitting: Policy reforms and efficient permitting management have reduced approval times, enabling affordable or transit-oriented housing projects to secure permits in 30 days or fewer. These policies have started to really pay off. In 2023, we permitted nearly 9,700 homes and about 8,800 in 2024. This compares to 4,300 annually, on average, over the prior 20 years. While we had hoped to keep this pace going, we anticipate a slowdown starting this year due to the tariffs and economic uncertainty around labor, availability of construction materials and federal tax policy — all of which are creating uncertainty and a likely slowdown in the development industry.

• Bridge to Home Initiative: This innovative program provides crucial financial support for affordable housing construction. The City has invested $108 million into 24 projects, creating over 2,140 affordable apartments from Rancho Bernardo to San Ysidro since 2021.  

• SDHC Affordable Housing Initiatives: SDHC makes funding available and authorizes financing to support affordable housing development and preservation, owns affordable housing properties, and monitors many affordable housing properties to ensure they comply with affordability terms. More than 24,000 affordable housing units in the city have been created or preserved with SDHC’s participation. 

• Updated Community Plans: The City has updated community plans, significantly increasing housing capacity in neighborhoods across San Diego, making it easier and more efficient to develop much-needed affordable homes throughout San Diego.  

• Preservation Ordinance: The City has an affordable housing preservation ordinance, which aims to ensure that affordable housing units, particularly those for very-low, low, and moderate-income individuals, remain affordable, even if the property is sold.    

• Eviction Prevention Program: The city’s Eviction Prevention Program (EPP) helps renters with low income in San Diego who are facing eviction for not paying their rent. EPP is operated by Legal Aid Society of San Diego through a contract with SDHC. 

• Housing Instability Prevention Program: The City funds this SDHC program, which helps pay rent and other housing-related expenses for families in San Diego with low income, experiencing a housing crisis, and at risk of homelessness. 

Because of these initiatives, we are trending in the right direction when it comes to affordable housing, reflected by flattening rents and, in some  neighborhoods, rent reductions. But much more has to be done. We can't reverse decades of underbuilding housing overnight. My goal as mayor is to do everything I can now to ensure the momentum continues, helping future generations of San Diegans secure an affordable place to live.  

This week’s “Ask the Mayor” question is a variation of one I hear from constituents all the time: “When is the City going to fix the road in front of my house?” 

As a San Diegan myself, I share your frustration with the condition of our streets. Years of disinvestment have brought us to this point, and I'm committed to fixing the damn roads—even amid significant budget constraints. 

To answer the question: Our City fixes roads across San Diego based on the Transportation Department’s Pavement Management Plan, a comprehensive and data-driven approach based on the latest 2023 pavement condition assessment. This plan uses objective criteria to prioritize street repairs, ensuring our limited resources are invested strategically. 

The objective criteria used to prioritize street repairs in San Diego include: 

• Pavement Condition Index (PCI): A numerical rating based on pavement surveys assessing overall road condition. The lower the PCI, the worse the shape of the street. The street condition dictates what repair treatment type is required, and therefore the estimated cost of those repairs. 

• Road Type and Traffic Volume: Main thoroughfares and arterials often get precedence over smaller neighborhood streets. 

• Equitable Communities: Streets within communities of concern are prioritized higher than streets with the same road type and PCI that are in communities with more resources. 

• Proximity to High Use Areas: Streets located near high-use areas such as tourist attractions, schools, and shopping centers are prioritized higher.  

• Maintenance History: Past repairs and maintenance records are evaluated. 

• Planned Construction Projects: Repairs are coordinated with other infrastructure projects to minimize disruption and maximize efficiency. 

These factors ensure a data-driven, strategic approach to efficiently maintain San Diego’s streets. 

The Pavement Management Plan outlines specific streets targeted for improvements over the next five years and is updated annually. Our aspirational goal is to achieve a citywide average Pavement Condition Index (PCI) of 70, a score that signifies good street condition. Achieving this rating requires dedicated annual investments totaling $1.9 billion over the next decade. My administration has been working hard to identify savings and establish new revenues so we can continue making progress on fixing the roads.  

Residents can view the Five-Year Plan via the Streets SD website. Type in the name of the streets you’re wondering about to see its current status. The map shows pavement conditions, planned paving dates (pending funding), and past paving projects, with updates occurring at least annually based on funding, project conflicts, and potential delays such as weather or supply issues. 

If your street isn't on the list, there's no need to report it for resurfacing since we don’t prioritize street repairs based on residents’ reports, instead we use the data-driven process detailed above. However, potholes can and should be reported. These smaller, bowl-shaped pavement depressions are typically caused by water seepage and vehicular traffic, especially after rain. The City repairs more than 40,000 potholes each year using reliable materials like hot patch compound and bagged asphalt. Your participation helps us target repairs effectively and keeps San Diego moving forward. 

Here are three recent questions we’ve received. Vote on the one that matters most to you:  

A key stretch of University Avenue is back open with new safety and mobility improvements as part of the City’s Complete Street project in City Heights. Upgrades include new roundabouts, wider sidewalks, improved crosswalks, and better drainage. 

Despite delays caused by utility conflicts, the $13.2 million investment is moving forward. Final touches like resurfacing and striping are underway, with full completion expected this spring.  

Each week in this newsletter, I’ll be sharing something a little different—whether it’s what First Dog Diego’s been up to, a favorite song or book, a fun piece of San Diego trivia, or a social media post that caught my eye. It’s a chance to mix things up, spotlight the city we love, and bring a bit more personality to your inbox.  

First up, a spotlight on San Diego social media: Mike Stark, known on Instagram as @sdthrowbackguy, shares incredible historic videos from around the region—and as a history nerd myself, I love his post featuring 1920s Downtown San Diego. You can even spot the original Horton Plaza fountain, which is once again visible to the public now that construction fencing has come down. A perfect reminder of how our past and present come together in the heart of our city.