Community sues city to stop housing complex in Golden Hill

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) -- Residents of Golden Hill are taking legal action against a city-approved development project that aims to build 180 new apartments under the Compete Communities program.

The project, which has already begun construction, is located directly beneath the flight path for San Diego International Airport and has raised concerns among residents about traffic congestion, fire safety and the displacement of existing affordable housing.

Richard Santini of the Golden Hill Planning Committee criticized the program, saying affordable housing seems to be leading to luxury apartments throughout the city.

Under the Compete Communities program, developers have been granted unprecedented freedoms, bypassing traffic studies, fire studies, and community planning groups in the name of creating affordable housing quickly.

The development has sparked protests as residents fear it will change the character of historic neighborhoods like Golden Hill and displace people living on the margins.

Joel Sevilla from Preserve Greater Golden Hill voiced concerns about displacement, noting that three homes have been removed from the community.

Despite the project's approval and ongoing construction, the community remains determined to challenge the Compete Communities Act in court, hoping to protect their neighborhood's character and address safety concerns.

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KSWB. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KSWB staff before being published.