2 Beach Communities Not Producing Enough Homes?

I'd like to correct some misgivings printed a few days ago in an online newspaper with the tagline "Investigative journalism for a better San Diego." I think they need to delve a little deeper into the subject matter.

Will Huntsberry of Voice of San Diego wrote the article, "Coronado and Imperial Beach Haven't Produced a Single Affordable Home in Years."

I read Mr. Huntsberry occasionally and enjoy his writing. As a senior investigative reporter, his articles are usually spot on. But I feel that he is off base on this article and would like to add my own investigative reporting.

I lived in Coronado for 26 years and wrote "Coronado Common Sense" which was pretty widely read by the community. Because of that, I attended many Coronado Council Meetings and discussed first-hand the development topic in front of the microphone and TV camera.

This is the first statement I disagree with.

When I moved to Coronado from Arizona in 1997, it was mostly a navy community with residents inheriting their homes from their parents. These homes, purchased in the 1940s and '50s for around $30,000 had escalated in price to $1 million for even the smallest cottage. Now the homes are much more. That's how Coronado became known as wealthy, but only in home value.

Imperial Beach, to the south, is often referred to as "South Coronado". Many second- and third-generational children growing up in Coronado have now moved to Imperial Beach. The "wealth" went with them, as it was.

The affluence in Coronado came mostly from Arizonians (Zonies as they are affectionally known as) that vacated the 120° summers and bought second homes in Coronado.

Presently half the homes in Coronado are second homes, meaning they are empty most of the year and the community as shrunk in half.

Republicans vs Democrats

Second statement I find fault with is Coronado being referred to as Republican.

I don't understand what difference it makes who the people vote for. Since 1993, we have had 20 years of Democrat Presidents and 12 years of Republican Presidents. I feel that this comment about Coronado being Republican and Imperial Beach being Democrat is just another way to divide the communities.

Coronado was mostly Republican (with a strong Navy presence) in 1997 but gradually switched to Democrat over the ensuing twenty years. The popular FaceBook page Coronado Happenings became an attack page on Republicans so the Republicans formed a Coronado Happenings 2.0 which became more fodder for arguments, with accusations of name stealing. Participants like to spy on the opposing FB page and report as to what is being said.

Republicans lay low in Coronado these days and political signs in front yards are rare. Words such as "Trump" or "MAGA" being uttered may result in getting your vehicle keyed.

Why Homes Cannot Be Built

I don't know as much about IB but Coronado is built out, not a single empty lot anywhere. If you want to build in Coronado, you're going to be knocking a house down.

I remember when the state came in and said that Coronado had to build 100 low-income homes. Where? You could only build up with apartment buildings and that had been done in the 1970s with the arrival of seven Coronado Shores high-rises.

"Billy Boxes" or "long and narrows" followed, created by contractor Bill Lyons in the early 1980s. A home would be torn down and replaced by two Billy Boxes, 25 feet wide and the length of the property long. One notable street tore down 7 single-family homes and a 1940's 6-unit apartment building. They were replaced by 27 Billy Boxes and condos.

These were followed by Cloud Homes, built four-to-a-lot with no land.

So many beautiful historic homes have been razed that the town no longer resembles what it looked liked when I moved there. New residents thought they were clever by turning their garages into extra living space. Now they have to park on the street where there are not enough spaces and they can't leave or someone will steal their parking space. And speaking of stealing, the thieves are active at night breaking into cars.

Long-time resident Keven Reilly wrote about the "Biggest Problem" in Coronado back in 2008. He nailed it on the head and Coronado has evolved into his worst nightmare.

So you can understand why it would be difficult for Coronado to build more low-income houses. There is no room. They have built several affordable housing properties. The following information is from their website:

List of Subsidized Housing Units

The following are properties where the Agency has agreements whereby rents on units are restricted to rates affordable to households in very-low (50% of Median), low (60% of Median), low (80% of Median), and moderate (110% of Median) income categories. To find out whether there are currently any vacancies or to place your name on a waiting list, please call the owners/managers at the numbers listed below. The owners/managers listed below will provide application information if a vacant unit is available at one of the properties, or information on being added to a wait list.

Properties operated by San Diego Interfaith Housing Foundation  https://www.sdihf.org/ Contact Jessica Fitch, San Diego Interfaith Housing Foundation at (619) 522-0892 for information:   

• 225 Orange Ave (Orange Villas): 6 units consisting of 2-bedroom town home style units. Available to low-income (80% of Median) tenants. https://orangevillas.sdihf.org/ 

• 450 Orange Ave (Orange Villas): 12 units consisting of one studio, five I-bedroom apartments and six 2-bedroom townhouse units. Available to very low-income tenants. https://orangevillas.sdihf.org/ 

• 406-430 Orange Ave (C4): 17 units consisting of two, I-bedroom apartments and fifteen 2-bedroom apartments. Available to very low and low-income (80% of Median) tenants. https://c4.sdihf.org/ 

• 445-451 Orange Ave (C4): 3 units consisting of one I-bedroom house and two 2-bedroom houses. Available to very low and low-income (80% of Median) tenants. https://c4.sdihf.org/ 

• 560-566 G Ave (C4): 4 units consisting of 2-bedroom apartments. Available to very low and low-income (80% of Median) tenants. https://c4.sdihf.org/ 

• 840 G Ave (C4): 11 units consisting of 2-bedroom apartments. Available to very low and low-income (80% of Median) tenants. https://c4.sdihf.org/ 

• 525 Orange Ave: 16 units consisting of one 2-bedroom apartment, eleven I-bedroom apartments and four studios. Available to very low-income tenants. https://525orange.sdihf.org/ 

• 550 Orange Ave (Coronado Senior): 30 units consisting of I-bedroom apartments. Available to very low and low-income (80% of Median) senior tenants, aged 55 and over. https://coronadoseniors.sdihf.org/ 

Properties owned and operated by private property owners, contact property managers associated with each individual property for information:

• 1212 and 1226 9th Street: Contact Eric Bauer at (619) 985-9870. 9 units consisting of studios, I-bedroom apartments, and I-bedroom house. Available to very low and low-income (60% of Median) tenants.

• 415 F Ave (Patio Laguna): Contact Scott Aurich Jr. at (619) 435-6918. 23 units consisting of studios, I-bedrooms, 2-bedrooms, and one 3-bedroom unit. Available to very low, low (60% of Median), and moderate-income tenants.

• 308-330 Orange Ave (Del Island): Contact Property Manager ParkLife Real Estate (619) 435-9100 Email: PM@parklifeproperties.com. 29 units consisting of studios, I-bedrooms, and 2-bedrooms apartments. Available to very low and low-income (60% of Median) tenants.

• 924 Orange Ave: Contact Property Manager at (619) 251-9885. 11 single room units with a shared bath. Available to very low, low (60% of Median), and moderate-income tenants.

California creates its own dilemma in my opinion. They are trying to keep up with a population that keeps moving in and so they'll never catch up. If they draw a line in the sand, people will start looking at more affordable housing across the United States.

Undesirability of Imperial Beach and Coronado

These communities used to be very similar. However, the City of Coronado formed the Community Development Agency (CDA) in 1985 in cooperation with the Coronado Unified School District to address blight caused by inadequate public facilities. It wasn't really a "blight" but was a scam used to improve Coronado. That is when Coronado pulled ahead of Imperial Beach because the public facilities greatly improved.

Now, the two communities are pretty much at the same level again because of the Tijuana Sewage Crisis. The Pacific Ocean in both communities is polluted and no longer usable. Even the Navy SEALs had to vacate the Coronado beach for health reasons. The stench is stronger in IB but will eventually get worse in Nado as the flume moves up the coast. There's also an issue of airborne bacteria created by the crashing waves being pushed into the living areas.

Does the State of California really want to force more housing in Coronado and Imperial Beach at this time? Maybe it would be best to wait until the sewage crisis gets corrected.