SAN DIEGO (NEWS 8) - High home prices and not enough homes has created a very real housing crisis in San Diego.
A local group is trying to fix the problem by converting empty parking lots throughout the city into affordable homes.
Colin Parent with the group Circulate San Diego says that MTS has at least 57 acres of land that is available for development and much of that land is currently not being used.
Circulate San Diego performed a study that found MTS could convert that land into approximately 8,000 apartments or condos and they could be located right near trolley stops or bus stops. The study analyzed parking lots near 14 stations and found that 6 of them are half empty on average. The lots are located in eastern San Diego, Chula Vista, El Cajon and Lemon Grove.
The group released their findings earlier this year and says since then MTS has agreed to commit twenty percent of any of its development info affordable housing - roughly 3,000 homes. Circulate San Diego say they want MTS to be aggressively pursuing bids from developers rather than waiting to be approached with a proposal.
During Thursday's meeting with the MTS board, Circulate San Diego had multiple speakers and had a few residents speak up during the question and answer portion.
Nothing was decided today, but it was a chance for the board to listen to both sides so action can be taken at a later date.
