Mayor Gloria Unveils Lot Size Reforms for Townhomes as San Diego Reports 11% Drop in Unsheltered Homelessness

Mayor Todd Gloria Advances Landmark Lot-Size Deregulation for Attainable Townhomes

SAN DIEGO, California — Championing decisive zoning reforms to expand attainable homeownership for the middle class, Mayor Todd Gloria and City Council leaders unveiled groundbreaking land-use legislation under the city’s Neighborhood Homes for All of Us initiative. The policy proposal systematically removes outdated minimum lot size restrictions in designated multi-family zones, permitting builders to subdivide traditional single-family parcels into smaller, 1,000-square-foot lots tailored for fee-simple townhomes and rowhomes.

The reform enables young families, educators, and healthcare workers to purchase starter homes without having to buy large, cost-prohibitive parcels of land. The legislation also features streamlined permitting pathways and pre-approved architectural plan sets, cutting development review times from twelve months down to sixty days.

Point-in-Time Census Confirms 11% Decline in Unsheltered Homelessness Across San Diego

Simultaneously, regional social service directors and the Regional Task Force on Homelessness released certified data from the annual Point-in-Time count, confirming a notable 11 percent decrease in unsheltered homelessness across the City of San Diego compared to the previous year.

Officials credited the reduction to aggressive municipal expansions of safe sleeping sites, safe parking facilities, and low-barrier shelter beds, paired with proactive street outreach teams. The achievement is further reinforced by the deployment of a **$32.4 million state housing grant in Birdland**, which is currently constructing 80 permanent affordable and supportive residences, with half dedicated exclusively to military veterans.

SANDAG and MTS Integrate Multimodal Corridors Near Redevelopment Hubs

Transportation leaders at the Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) and SANDAG coordinated transit improvements around major redevelopment nodes, including the Midway District Sports Arena revitalization and Trolley feeder routes.

Mayor Gloria reiterated that linking compassionate street outreach, innovative zoning flexibility, and rapid transit expansion ensures San Diego remains America’s finest and most livable coastal city.