DEL MAR, Calif. — Del Mar’s long-term plan for housing, including affordable housing, has been officially certified by the state. It’s a process that took two years of revisions before getting to this point.
The city of Del Mar is now the 12th in San Diego County to have its housing element certified by the state. Through California’s “regional housing needs allocation” process, each city and unincorporated area in the county is required to provide a certain number of housing over an eight-year cycle. The current cycle runs from 2021 to 2029.
For Del Mar that means adding 175 new housing units, including 113 for low-income residents.
While the city of Del Mar approved its plans in 2021 and met the deadline, it took two years of back and forth with the state to get the all clear from the State’s Department of Housing and Community Development.
Despite that, a spokesperson for the city of Del Mar told FOX 5:
“It should be noted that since the time of original 2021 adoption, the City has been implementing its Housing Element including the completion of several important studies related to future development of affordable units at the State Fairgrounds property and many other important programs.”
A proposed affordable housing development at the Del Mar Fairgrounds would provide about 50 low-income units.
Another project being proposed is Seaside Ridge on Del Mar’s north bluff. It’s seen some pushback from local residents, but the goal there would be to allocate about 86 units for moderate-to-low-income tenants.
There are 45 housing action programs required in the Del Mar housing element.