SAN DIEGO — Construction on a new multi-family housing unit in the middle of a residential neighborhood has some homeowners concerned.
CBS 8 has been covering the push and pull over accessory dwelling units or ADU’s, which City of San Diego leaders have said is a way to provide more affordable housing.
A neighbor who didn’t want to identify herself didn’t know what was going on when construction started on her neighbor’s home that was recently sold on Ivory Coast Drive in Mira Mesa.
“I saw red flags. I’m thinking this is something else, this is not a one home buyer,” said the homeowner.
When CBS 8 read concerns on Facebook about plans for an ADU project in Mira Mesa, we got to work and found city permits issued for three two-story ADU’s in a backyard along with additional units in the existing home.
“Well, my privacy is gone. Totally,” said the neighbor.
We spoke to the developer for the Mira Mesa project. CBS 8 has spoken to Daniel Shkolnik for previous stories about several of his ADU projects in the College East area.
He says to address the housing shortage, neighborhoods need to evolve.
“They bought their home, not the neighborhood, as things are going to evolve, zoning is going to evolve,” said Shkolnik.
Shkolnik is not doing anything illegal, he’s taking advantage of the city’s ADU Bonus program, which allows for every deed-restricted moderate-income ADU in a transit priority area, a builder can add an additional market-rate ADU.
“What we're doing in terms of buying properties and redeveloping and transforming them from a single use asset, it could be a single-family home and duplex into a gentle density community,” said Shkolnik. “Further that it provides housing instead of a one family, provide housing for six to 10 families. And so that is really moving the needle in terms of affordability and housing in the city.”
Before the city’s new rule in 2021, there were very few deed-restricted ADU’s. Currently, the city has issued 151 ADU permit applications in the last month .
Neighbors for a Better San Diego argue this is turning into a city of renters and squeezing out homeowners.
“Every property that’s bought and turned into a multi-unit ADU, a de facto apartment building is now one last home we have for sale in San Diego and we’re not adding to our for-sale housing stock in San Diego,” said Geoff Hueter, Chair Neighbors for a Better San Diego.
But Our Time to Act, a youth non-profit advocating for ADU’s, says multi-family housing is the future.
“While there are some frustrating scenarios, we have to build more accessory dwelling units, because they have a proven benefit of lowering the rental rates. And youth need a place to live here in San Diego where we’re going to lose the incredible talent that was brought in to San Diego,” said Nicole Lillie, Director of Housing Justice, Our Time to Act.
Long-term homeowners said they feel like they’re losing their neighborhood. “It’s very discouraging,” said a neighbor.
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