San Diego Mixed-Use Project Up for Public Vote in March

A San Diego mixed-use development on a private land site in San Diego is going up for public vote at the next election in March. Measure B—known as the Better Choice Measure—will allow for the development Newland Sierra, a mixed-use master plan community with 2,135 new homes, of which 60% are affordably priced for working San Diego families, along with open community space and a school.

“The property that is the subject of Measure B is privately owned and will be developed one way or the other,” Rita Brandin, SVP and development director of Newland, tells GlobeSt.com. “Currently, the County’s General Plan designates this site for development of up to 2 million square feet of big box retail and office space and 99 large estate lots ranging from 10 acres to 40 acres.”

Supporters of the measure are advocating that the development will bring affordable housing to a constrained market, which, like much of California, is suffering from an affordability crisis. “Voting yes on Measure B is the better choice for this property because it provides much needed new housing for working San Diego County families in an ideal location, instead of another massive shopping and office development, and helps address the County’s housing crisis,” says Brandin. “The property is located right off I-15 less than 2 miles from Escondido, Vista and San Marcos and close to more than 283,000 jobs along the Highway 78 corridor. It’s ideal for creating housing and, more importantly, housing close to jobs that working families can actually afford.”

Interestingly, the project is a private development on private land, but a neighboring community advocated for a public vote to approve of the development. “The project is a product of more than five years of a public planning process that included significant community input, comprehensive environmental review and consistency with smart planning principles,” says Brandin. “Despite going through the required public planning process and receiving unanimous approval from the San Diego County Board of Supervisors in 2018, this project was forced to a countywide vote by owners of the nearby $10,000-a-week luxury Golden Door Spa who spent more than $5 million to finance both a referendum process and the election campaign opposing it.”

However, the measure is already seeing widespread community support. “The Yes on B campaign is widely supported by a broad-based, countywide coalition of public safety officials, affordable housing advocates, educators, elected officials, and business and community leaders,” says Brandin. “Endorsements in support of Measure B include CALFIRE Firefighters Local 2281, San Diego County Deputy Sheriff’s Association, San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce and the San Diego North Economic Development Council, Casa Familiar, Pacific Southwest Association of REALTORS, all five North County San Diego Mayors, Chula Vista Mayor Mary Salas and San Diego Mayor Kevin L. Faulconer, along with five other Mayors in the region.”