Encinitas has the lowest percentage of multifamily housing units in San Diego County, and for years it’s been defying California law by failing to craft a legally acceptable housing plan.
City law requires that residents vote on major land-use changes, and twice the voters have rejected plans that identify sites for possible affordable housing development. Measure U, the latest attempt at a housing plan, failed last month by about 1,800 votes, or 6 percent of the ballots cast.
Now the San Diego Superior Court is preparing to intervene. A judge next week is likely to suspend the Encinitas law that gives voters veto power over a housing plan. The only question is how long the city law might remain sidelined. It’s also unclear what plan the judge will put in place.
One thing’s for sure: The homeowners who killed housing plans in 2016 and 2018 aren’t happy that a judge is about to circumvent the will of Encinitas voters.
