San Diego proposes affordable housing on seven library sites under new master plan

San Diego officials unveiled an Affordable Home Development Master Plan that builds on a Home Opportunity Framework which screened 400 city-owned parcels for housing potential. The study narrowed the field to 20 sites, then to 11 deemed most viable, among them seven public library branches located in University Heights, University City, Allied Gardens, Mira Mesa, Linda Vista, North Park and Clairemont. The plan proposes that any library site slated for development would include a new library facility alongside affordable apartments, aligning with the Library Master Plan.

The city will now evaluate how essential services can continue at each location while adding housing, and has opened an online survey for community feedback through 5 p.m. on Friday, August 28. Under California’s Surplus Land Act, surplus public land must first be offered for affordable housing before other uses. Some residents, including Sam Chandna, have voiced concerns that libraries—key community resources for ESL classes and after-school safety—should not be repurposed. The proposal aims to address the region’s housing shortage while preserving library services.