San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer recently released misleading information about housing production to the local media to try and change the negative narrative that accurately depicts how little the county has done to increase housing and reduce government regulations amid our region’s housing crisis.
“The county Board of Supervisors Wednesday voted unanimously to formally accept a report that its vice chair said shows progress on more housing development,” one story reads. “According to Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer’s office, new data shows that 84% of the state-mandated housing goal has already been met, just four years into the eight-year cycle.” BIA CEO Lori Pfeiler said: “The truth is, the county has not and is not making progress on housing development, and to say otherwise is disingenuous at best. In 2022, the county issued 1,511 housing permits. Last year, in 2024, that number dropped to 1,088 housing permits.” She added: “It’s also important to point out that 45 percent of the building permits the county issued last year were for Accessory Dwelling Units or ADUs. ADUs do not serve families and do little to meet our housing needs.”
Unless the county changes its Vehicle Miles Travelled (VMT) policy, progress will continue to evade the Board of Supervisors. The county’s own feasibility analysis shows housing can’t be built at the needed pace for a variety of reasons, including VMT policy, related regulations, rising costs, and interest rates. “The BIA will continue to advocate for fewer government regulations and more housing San Diegans can afford, and we also will continue to pay close attention to the data and the rhetoric coming from the county,” Pfeiler said. “San Diegans deserve honest information from their elected leaders, especially is it relates to the housing crisis.”
