Area Without School May Get One

You can read more about our plan to bring a new K-8 charter school to Mission Valley in the recent San Diego Union-Tribune here.

High Tech High operates six public charter schools in the former Naval Training Center and has two more in the works in the county. High Tech High schools are known for engaging students through hands-on projects, integrating technology into the curriculum and offering an intimate learning environment.

Lack of Land, Traffic Congestion Forcing More Mixed-Use, Infill Projects

It is clear that San Diegans find it more and more difficult to live close to where they work. A recent article in the San Diego Business Journal shows that the severe lack of land, increased traffic congestion, and demand for shorter commutes has made it more and more difficult to create larger, master-planned communities in suburban areas of the county. This forces future development to shift from master-planned communities to smaller infill mixed-use projects where people can live close to where they work. Quarry Falls is exactly the type of mixed-use project that helps solve this problem by creating a livable, sustainable community where people can live, play, and work without having to commute.

Commute Eats Up Housing Savings for Many

In an in depth article, the Union-Tribune reported recently on a national study conducted by the Center for Housing Policy. The study looked at San Diego County and 27 other metropolitan areas, and found that many workers are caught in a vicious cycle where commuting costs make it too difficult for them to save money for a home closer to their jobs. This, in turn, leads to increased traffic congestion.

Sue Reynolds, president of Community Housing Works, a lender and developer of affordable rental properties, said the study shows the connection between congested freeways and the region’s shortage of homes for working families.

“There really is a link between the traffic that drives everybody crazy and our failure to invest in affordable housing and transportation infrastructure,” Reynolds said.

As in much of the country, relatively few residents here use public transportation. Eighty-eight percent of low-to-moderate income workers within San Diego County arrive to work in private vehicles, the study said. The report recommends that civic and government leaders nationwide look for ways to increase housing densities near job centers while encouraging the construction of affordable housing along public transit corridors.

“It is essential for regions to coordinate their housing and transportation policies to ensure they fully reflect the needs of working families,” said the report, titled “A Heavy Load: The Combined Housing and Transportation Burdens of Working Families.”

Tom Scott of the San Diego Housing Federation agrees the solution is to build more affordable housing along transit systems. “The transit system is not going to catch up to the population until there is enough population along transit lines,” Scott said.

Alleviating Growth in Commuter Traffic

The San Diego Union Tribune recently ran a story about the growth in commuter traffic. The article quoted Jeff Tayman, director of research for SANDAG, who said that to address the problem we need to create more housing opportunities close to jobs.

In the last 25 years, the number of commuters from outside San Diego who drive through our neighborhoods has doubled with our inability to create new homes close to San Diego’s jobs at a fast enough pace. Workers are driving longer and longer distances, and sprawl is increasing as a result. This threatens our families’ quality of life with more emissions and longer commutes, and is very expensive with the rising cost of fuel.

With Quarry Falls, we can help alleviate the increasing congestion caused by commuter traffic by providing homes close to jobs in Mission Valley.