It’s been a whirlwind of a year.
Across North County, we saw voters shift City Council dynamics, followed interesting housing decisions, witnessed changing homelessness policies and more.
As we head into the New Year, I’m excited to see how the issues facing North County cities continue to unfold. Here are a few stories I’m looking forward to following in 2025.
Seaside Ridge and That LA Builder’s Remedy Case
You may be familiar with our previous coverage of a proposed housing development in Del Mar called Seaside Ridge that I’ve been following since 2023, but this year, things got a lot more interesting.
Some background: Seaside Ridge is a controversial housing development proposed for an ocean bluff site near Del Mar’s Dog Beach. The project proposes 42 low-income units, 43 moderate-income units and 174 market-rate units.
One big obstacle for the project is Del Mar doesn’t want it. City officials say they already have enough affordable housing projects in the pipeline to meet their affordable housing goals. They also say they would have to rezone the site to even seriously consider the project.
In February, the developer of Seaside Ridge sued the city of Del Mar for repeatedly rejecting the project. They argued the city should have approved it under the Builder’s Remedy and other state housing laws.
The Builder’s Remedy says if a city doesn’t have an approved Housing Element, a housing plan required by the state, by the time an affordable housing project is proposed, then the city can’t deny it.
It’s very similar to a case in a city called La Cañada Flintridge in Los Angeles County that became one of the first real tests of the Builder’s Remedy. In that case, a judge sided with the developer who was using the Builder’s Remedy to get their affordable housing project approved and ordered the city of La Cañada Flintridge to approve the project.
But La Cañada Flintridge has since appealed the judge’s decision, which means it will be heard in front of an appeals court. And developers of Seaside Ridge are postponing their lawsuit to see what that appeals court decides.
That decision could be an indication of how the Del Mar lawsuit, and other Builder’s Remedy cases around the state, may turn out.
Escondido’s New Approach to Homelessness
Earlier this year, Escondido leaders approved a homelessness policy that indicates a significant shift in how the city will address homelessness moving forward.
The policy rejects Housing First and calls for a “public safety-first” approach to addressing the city’s growing homelessness crisis. It calls for tougher consequences on criminal activity among the city’s homeless population and says the city will eventually open a city-run shelter that requires sobriety and prioritizes Escondido’s unhoused residents.
Since then, Mayor Dane White has continued to talk about his goals of opening a city-run shelter, which was inspired by a shelter he visited in Huntington Beach. In 2025, we may see city officials finally open one.
ICYMI: Escondido also approved a public camping ban this year that allows city officials to shut down homeless encampments if there’s shelter available or if it poses a health or safety threat. Earlier this week, city leaders did just that.
Officials conducted a sweep on Monday, shutting down a large homeless encampment near a section of Escondido Creek called Harmony Grove after water quality tests revealed elevated bacteria levels in the creek.
The New Year could also bring further crack downs on homeless encampments in the city.
Palomar Health’s Worsening Financial Crisis
Palomar Health, the state’s largest public healthcare district, is losing a lot of money.
The hospital system, which operates Palomar Medical Centers in Escondido and Poway, revealed that it had a $165 million operating loss in its previous fiscal year, the Union-Tribune reported.
And in October, a report from Moody’s, one of the world’s big-three credit rating agencies, warned that Palomar might break financial rules because it’s falling below requirements for how much it should have in cash reserves and available cash flow. That could force the hospital system to repay over $700 million in bonds right away.
In 2023, Voice of San Diego was the first to report that Palomar Health financial position was rapidly declining. It’s part of a larger trend of hospitals across the nation seeing less patient volume and less overall revenue.
Soon after our story, Palomar Health’s CEO Diane Hansen told media outlets that the hospital system’s finances were in good shape, promising that it would quickly see big financial gains.
But that didn’t happen. In 2025, we’ll find out if Palomar will start to turn things around or if it’s headed for bankruptcy.
Encinitas’ Proposed Affordable Housing Project, Plus a New Housing Approach
We may not have to wait long for a decision on what will become of a city-owned property in Encinitas known as L-7.
By the time you read this, the Encinitas City Council will start discussing a proposal to turn the lot on Quail Gardens Drive into a park. The previous council had been considering turning it into an affordable housing project that could’ve helped the city meet its state-mandated affordable housing goals.
But after swearing in a new mayor and two new councilmembers, the new City Council isn’t keen on the idea of an affordable housing project, especially in a neighborhood that’s already seeing a lot of new housing construction.
The Council is set to start the discussion tonight and make a final decision early next year.
Also: I recently wrote about how the city’s new mayor and two new councilmembers will likely bring a big shift in housing policy. The newly elected officials are ready to push back on state housing laws and overdevelopment. This may be the first decision we’ll see that signifies that shift.
Thank you all for reading and supporting our North County coverage this past year. I’m excited to bring you more news! If you have any tips or story ideas, please reach out to me at tigist@vosd.org. Happy New Year!
In Other News
- ICYMI: This year, as we followed the plan to move a portion of the train tracks that run along the Del Mar bluffs into an underground tunnel, we learned that the slow pace of infrastructure funding and the difficulty of getting public officials to agree means it’s going to take a while. (Voice of San Diego)
- Initial expenses for Oceanside’s sand replenishment and retention project will cost the city nearly $3.3 million, which would be taken from the city’s Covid relief funds. Officials say construction will cost between $30 million and $50 million and could begin as early as 2026. (Union-Tribune)
- The Encinitas City Council will be appointing a new councilmember to fill the Council’s District 4 vacant seat, left empty by Bruce Ehlers who was recently elected mayor. (Coast News)
- Ramona Municipal Water District and the city of Poway have entered into a memorandum of understanding to look at the feasibility of sharing water resources. (KPBS)
