Housing Town Hall
NFABC Town Hall: "Overruled! How State Housing Laws Override Local Communities"
Thursday, Sept 18, 2025 | 6:30–8:00 PM
Phil’s BBQ Event Center – Board Room, San Diego
Why This Town Hall?
California faces an urgent housing affordability crisis but top-down laws may unintentionally threaten neighborhood character, homeowner rights, and public safety. Join Neighbors for a Better California (NFABC) for a critical panel discussion about how recent and pending state housing laws affect communities and how we can protect neighborhoods from unintended harm.
What’s At Stake? Key Bills We’ll Discuss
AB 130 & SB 131 (2025 CEQA Overhaul)
Recently inscribed into law, these budget trailer bills create sweeping CEQA exemptions for infill housing, dramatically speeding up development in urbanized communities.
Implications for neighborhoods: Faster permitting but fewer local environmental reviews, fewer community input opportunities, and potential ecological risks.
SB 79 – Abundant and Affordable Homes Near Transit Act
This pending bill would upzone areas around transit stations, allowing 4–9 story buildings, streamlined permits, and density bonuses. It mandates affordable units and includes “fire flexibility” to adapt planning for wildfire-prone regions.
Neighborhood concerns: May override local housing plans and public participation, along with potential displacement and service strain.
SB 1037 & AB 2023 – Enforcement & Penalties for Housing Element Noncompliance
SB 1037 imposes fines of $10K–$50K per month on local jurisdictions found in violation of housing element laws.
AB 2023 strengthens the legal gravity of HCD’s findings of non-compliance and adjusts timelines for rezoning based on compliance.
Local communities may face heavy penalties without flexibility or resources to adapt.
AB 3093 – Expanding Housing Element Requirements
Adds requirements to plan for extremely low- and acutely low-income housing, mandates coastal zone alignment between housing and zoning, and requires review of historic preservation rules for housing impact.
This could pressure neighborhoods to permit more housing even in sensitive or historic areas.
SB 684 / SB 1123 – Streamlining Multifamily Subdivisions
These laws streamline ministerial approvals for subdividing multi-family lots into up to 10 housing units (SB 684) and apply similar legislation to single-family vacant lots (SB 1123).
The result: quicker approval but reduced local say over density and neighborhood layout.
AB 457 – Farmworker Housing Streamlining
Targets Fresno, Madera, and Merced Counties by expanding eligibility and increasing the permitted size for ministerially approved farmworker housing developments LegiScan.
Good for housing farmworkers—but may bypass conditional-use review that local communities rely on for context and safety.
Be Part of the Conversation
Our panel of local leaders and the audience will explore how these laws affect:
Fire safety, parking, infrastructure, and neighborhood services
Property rights and homeowner protections
Developer incentives versus community benefits
Environmental justice and planning transparency
Submit your questions ahead of time or ask them live. Your voice matters.
Meet the Voices on Our Panel
Facilitator
Marcella Bothwell, MD, MBA – Chair, Pacific Beach Planning Group & Founder, San Diego Parks Foundation
Speakers
John Terrell, AICP – Certified Planner & Retired Community Development Director, Moreno Valley
Charlie Nieto – President, Pacific Beach Town Council & Former San Diego Youth Commissioner
Richard Bailey – Former Mayor, Coronado
Shane Harris – CEO, S Harris Communications
Rick Snyder -
Event Details
When: Thursday, September 18, 2025 | 6:30–8:00 PM
Where: Phil’s BBQ Event Center – Board Room, 3750 Sports Arena Blvd, San Diego, CA 92110
Admission: Free and open to all. Doors open at 6:00 PM.
RSVP & Submit a Question
About NFABC
Neighbors for a Better California is a grassroots community committed to addressing California’s housing crisis responsibly, promoting solutions that uphold fire safety, preserve neighborhood character, respect homeowner rights, and ensure equitable development.
San Diego Community Coalition Workshop
The San Diego Community Coalition is hosting a FREE workshop to Stop the Housing Mayhem this Saturday, July 26th 2025, 10:00am to 12:00pm at the Pacific Beach Library. This is event is Free and they are expecting a turnout of 50 plus people who support responsible housing, not ADU apartment buildings and luxury towers. Neighbors from Encanto, University City, College East to Ocean Beach will be there. We will share effective ways of opposing developer overreach in your neighborhood, starting from when a neighbor may first hear about the project throughout the entire process.
Address:
Pacific Beach Library
4275 Cass St.
Pacific Beach, 92109
Free parking on both sides of the library and on the street
SANDAG Board of Directors Regular Session
The SANDAG Board of Directors is scheduled to meet on Friday, June 27, 2025, at 9:00 AM. As of now, the agenda for this meeting has not been published. Agendas are typically released 72 hours before the meeting and will be available on the SANDAG Meetings & Events page.
Given Neighbors for a Better California's (NFABC) focus on housing, land use, and local governance, it's advisable to monitor the agenda once it's released. SANDAG meetings often address topics such as regional transportation planning, housing developments, and infrastructure projects, which could have implications for local communities.
Recommended Actions:
Monitor the Agenda: Check the SANDAG Meetings & Events page regularly for the upcoming agenda.
Attend the Meeting: Consider attending the meeting in person or virtually to stay informed and provide public comment if necessary.
Engage with Representatives: Reach out to your local representatives on the SANDAG Board to express any concerns or to seek clarification on upcoming agenda items.
Staying proactive will ensure that NFABC remains informed and ready to respond to regional decisions that may affect local neighborhoods.
SD City Council ADU Meeting
On Monday, June 16, 2025, at 2:00 PM, the San Diego City Council will vote on significant amendments to the city's Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) regulations, including changes to the ADU Home Density Bonus Program.
SANDAG Board of Directors Meeting
The SANDAG Board of Directors meeting scheduled for Friday, June 13, 2025, at 10:30 AM does not currently have a publicly available agenda. Typically, agendas are posted 72 hours before the meeting, so the specific items to be discussed are not yet known.
Given Neighbors for a Better California's (NFABC) focus on housing, land use, and local governance, it's advisable to monitor the agenda once it's released. SANDAG meetings often address topics such as regional transportation planning, housing developments, and infrastructure projects, which could have implications for local communities.
Recommended Actions:
Monitor the Agenda: Check the SANDAG Board of Directors meetings page regularly for the upcoming agenda.
Attend the Meeting: Consider attending the meeting in person or virtually to stay informed and provide public comment if necessary.
Engage with Representatives: Reach out to your local representatives on the SANDAG Board to express any concerns or to seek clarification on upcoming agenda items.
Staying proactive will ensure that NFABC remains informed and ready to respond to regional decisions that may affect local neighborhoods.
San Diego City Council Meeting
Why This Matters for NFABC:
The City Council will be voting on a package of housing recommendations forwarded by the Land Use & Housing (LU&H) Committee. These proposals could significantly impact:
🏘️ Zoning rules and density bonuses that affect the scale and type of housing in our neighborhoods
🏠 Affordable and middle-income housing production goals
🧱 Streamlining processes for developers—possibly reducing community oversight
🌳 Impacts on neighborhood character, parking, and infrastructure
Why You Should Pay Attention:
These policies will influence how and where new housing is built in San Diego—including in and around the North Fairmount area. If passed, they could permanently reshape our neighborhood.
What You Can Do:
Attend in person or watch online
Submit a public comment or eComment
Talk to your neighbors and make your voice heard!
SANDAG Meeting
SANDAG will be discussing several key issues that directly impact housing across San Diego County, including updates on:
🏘️ Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) – Determines how many housing units each city must plan for in the coming years.
🚧 Housing Acceleration Program (HAP) – Regional strategies to speed up housing development.
🏠 Affordable Housing Initiatives – Policies that could affect the kinds of developments coming to our neighborhoods.
What You Can Do:
Attend the meeting in person or tune in online.
Stay informed about regional decisions that affect local housing policy.
Share your thoughts with NFABC or consider offering public comment.
Let’s stay engaged in shaping a better future for our neighborhoods. The decisions made here will influence how our communities grow and who they serve.
SB 79 Senate Appropriations Committee Hearing
SB 79 (Wiener) – Transit-Oriented Development on Public Land
Status Summary:
SB 79 is currently in the Senate Appropriations Committee and is set for a hearing on May 19, 2025. The bill has passed two Senate committees — Local Government and Housing — and was amended on April 23. A previously scheduled hearing on May 12 was canceled at the author's request.
City of San Diego Bonus ADU Hearing
San Diego Land Use & Housing Committee | Thursday, May 15 @ 1 PM
On Thursday, May 15, the San Diego City Council’s Land Use and Housing Committee will consider the Mayor’s proposal to repackage the controversial Bonus ADU Program — a policy that has already destabilized neighborhoods, fueled investor-driven overdevelopment, and increased fire and infrastructure risks.
Let’s be clear:
This is not reform. It’s retreat.
And unless we raise our voices now, the damage will deepen.
We urge all San Diegans who care about neighborhood stability, family housing, and responsible planning to take immediate action.
City of San Diego Land Use and Housing Committee (Copy)
THE LAND USE AND HOUSING COMMITTEE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO
COUNCILMEMBER KENT LEE, CHAIR
COUNCIL PRESIDENT PRO TEM JOE LACAVA, VICE CHAIR
COUNCILMEMBER STEPHEN WHITBURN
COUNCILMEMBER VIVIAN MORENO
AGENDA FOR THE COMMITTEE MEETING OF
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2024 AT 1:00 P.M.
CITY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING
COUNCIL COMMITTEE ROOM – 12TH FLOOR
202 “C” STREET, SAN DIEGO, CA 92101
For Information, contact Council Administration
Email: CouncilCommittee@sandiego.gov or (619) 533 - 4474
City of San Diego Land Use and Housing Committee
THE LAND USE AND HOUSING COMMITTEE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO
COUNCILMEMBER KENT LEE, CHAIR
COUNCIL PRESIDENT PRO TEM JOE LACAVA, VICE CHAIR
COUNCILMEMBER STEPHEN WHITBURN
COUNCILMEMBER VIVIAN MORENO
AGENDA FOR THE COMMITTEE MEETING OF
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2024 AT 1:00 P.M.
CITY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING
COUNCIL COMMITTEE ROOM – 12TH FLOOR
202 “C” STREET, SAN DIEGO, CA 92101
For Information, contact Council Administration
Email: CouncilCommittee@sandiego.gov or (619) 533 - 4474