San Diego lacks enough affordable housing to meet the needs of our growing senior population and local government could do much more to increase the supply.

By 2030, there will be approximately 9 million baby boomers between the ages of 66 to 84. Most boomers will be on fixed incomes and will need some form of affordable housing. Some will have the option is to live in a nursing home or an assisted-living facility. The average cost to stay in a semi-private room in a nursing home in San Diego’s is $93,805. The cost to stay in an assisted-living facility is approximately $42,000 a year and most seniors pay for assisted living with private funds.

One solution to the senior housing crisis is to ease building restrictions surrounding accessory dwelling units also known as granny flats. Granny flats are smaller, independent units on the same lot as a single-family home. These units can accommodate future growth and could help meet the long-term care needs of baby boomers.


Granny flats are particularly appealing to homeowners who anticipate that they may have a future need for senior housing options, because they are generally less expensive to build than a standard single-family home. A recent Point Loma Nazarene University study determined building regulations are a significant factor in San Diego’s high housing costs accounting for approximately 45 percent of the total costs, so granny flats make the most sense. Granny flats also allow for flexible living arrangements for families and can provide financial stability to homeowners, especially seniors living on fixed incomes.

There are a handful of San Diegans who oppose making it easier to build granny flats, citing reasons such as undue strain on city services and infrastructure like parking, water, sewer and electricity. These opponents believe that the increased density will destroy the character of their neighborhoods, as these units could be turned into short-term vacation rentals. To address some of these concerns, the City Council has recommended a minimum 30-day rental period, that the main house be occupied by the owner and, to the extent legally possible, minimizing front-yard parking.

Nevertheless, local regulations and permit fees could still impede the development of these units in San Diego and there is no reason they should, because last year, Gov. Jerry Brown signed SB 1069, intended to reduce regulatory barriers facing homeowners who seek to build granny flats. The bill was introduced to increase the supply of affordable housing in California and the bill mandates local governments to adhere to new regulations regarding granny flats.

The law also offers local governments more flexibility to ease restrictions such as parking requirements and lower permit fees that have made it hard to build granny flats.


The city has drafted proposed changes to the municipal code and those updates must be made as soon as possible to avoid confusion and construction delays. Once the regulatory changes are made, the city should also do what it can to inform the public about the eased restrictions and help encourage people to build granny flats.

There is no arguing that San Diego is in a housing crisis as rent and housing costs continue to increase and San Diego’s affordable housing inventory is virtually nonexistent. No single solution will tackle the housing crisis surrounding our aging population and it is apparent that there will need to be a comprehensive approach to increase the number and affordability of homes. Costly long-term care housing will be needed to meet the needs of the growing numbers of elders and this will be a daunting task if changes surrounding most of the fees to build granny flats are not made.

San Diego’s City Council members have the ability to go above and beyond the eased regulations mandated by the state. They should reduce or waive as many fees as possible, including additional water or sewer fees, if the granny flat is detached from the main house.

The City Council appears to be working to put in place the needed changes to streamline the granny flat permitting process, but without removing or reducing most of the permitting fees, the changes may not be enough.


Powell is on the board of directors for the San Diego Association of Realtors and is a board member on the San Diego County Board of Education.