There is the potential for 6,000 new units in the midst of San Diego's housing shortage under a recently approved city ordinance, one council member said Tuesday.
Earlier this month, the San Diego City Council approved a package of housing reform measures to tackle the local housing crisis.
The approved measures will make it easier to build granny flats and speed up the permit process for the construction of new homes.
Council member David Alvarez estimates that this new opportunity has the potential for 6,000 units to be built with these granny flats.
"We are just trying to make it easier for folks who own their own home and want to perhaps build a secondary unit to help supplement their income or if they have a loved one," Alvarez said.
The change in the ordinance means there will be less hassle during the permit process. There are even how-to manuals for building the granny flat to fit within city standards.
"I have an 84-year-old father at home, this is an option for me. I could build this in my backyard and have him be able to live in his own space and I could live in the front with my family," Alvarez said. "But it really could be for anyone else like a student."
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The law is meant for homeowners who have a home but have extra space in their yard or garage to add a granny flat. It was not designed for vacant lots.
According to the city, the average rent in San Diego is now more than $1,700 a month and the average price of a home is more than $500,000.
Families also spend approximately 30 percent of their income on housing.
