Project Background

Governor Newsom and the California Legislature have taken decisive action to combat the state’s severe housing shortage, including passage of new legislation. As of September 25, 2022, the City of Del Mar was not compliant with state housing law - therefore enabling Seaside Ridge to come forward.

March 25, 2021 – City of Del Mar (City) adopts the 6th Cycle Housing Element Update (6th Cycle). The Housing Element Is updated every eight years to meet local housing need.  The 6th Cycle identifies the Seaside Ridge project site as one of the inventory sites that would help the City meet its state-mandated regional housing needs allocation, including affordable housing.

April 15, 2021 – Deadline for adoption of the 6th Cycle.

September 28, 2021 – Governor Newsom signs AB 1398 into  law, effective January 1, 2022. The legislation creates a mechanism to hold cities that do not provide their fair share of housing accountable by removing regulatory barriers so much-needed housing can be built without the usual level of local control cities are accustomed to.

December 13, 2021 - City re-adopts a revised 6th Cycle to address the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) comments.

March 21, 2022 – HCD informs the City that it has failed to meet the requirements of the Housing Element Law. 

April 15, 2022 – Deadline set by AB 1398 for City to rezone its inventory sites identified in the 6th Cycle. As of this date, the City has not taken the required steps to comply with state housing law.

July 13, 2022 – The California Coastal Commission accepts the amendments to the Housing Element Implementation Overlay Zone (HEI-OZ) and approves the HEI-OZ as part of the Local Costal Program.

September 25, 2022 – As of this date, the City has not complied with HCD’s requests to update its draft Housing Element and obtain compliance.

October 4, 2022 – A Preliminary Application to develop the Seaside Ridge property into a mixed-income residential community is submitted to the City. After 20-plus years of ownership of the land, and multiple attempts to develop the property for tourist-serving uses, it has become clear that a residential community is the most beneficial use of the land for the City and the region. 

March 30, 2023 - Formal application submittal for Seaside Ridge

February 23, 2024 - After more than a year of thwarted efforts and repeated application submittals to deliver affordable housing in Del Mar, the property owner has decided to sue the city.