Coronado and Imperial Beach, two neighboring California beach communities, present a stark contrast in demographics and governance.
While Coronado is known for its affluence, Republican-leaning politics, and exclusive atmosphere, Imperial Beach represents a more working-class, Democratic community that was once regarded as affordable and less popular among tourists.
However, both cities share an alarming statistic: neither permitted any affordable housing units from 2018 through the end of 2024, as revealed by an analysis from Voice of San Diego and KPBS.
This lack of affordable housing development stands in contrast to other coastal cities such as Del Mar, which, despite its small size and reputation for being unwelcoming to new home constructions, managed to permit 74 affordable housing units during that same period.
Stephen Russell, CEO of the San Diego Housing Federation, emphasized the requirement of both financial resources and political will to address housing needs within cities.
Russell remarked that while Imperial Beach showcases a greater willingness to develop affordable housing, it lacks necessary funding.
Conversely, Coronado has financial resources but falls short in the political will to accommodate affordable housing developments.
“They are one of the richest and one of the poorest coastal communities in the county,” Russell noted.
“Imperial Beach wants more affordable housing… Coronado does not have the will to do affordable housing.”
Affordable housing is generally classified into two categories: subsidized housing and naturally occurring affordable housing.
Both types are reported annually to the state Department of Housing and Community Development.
Between 2018 and 2024, Coronado and Imperial Beach reported neither form of affordable housing.
The only new homes permitted in these areas were designated for individuals with “above moderate” income levels.
The mayor of Imperial Beach, Paloma Aguirre, recently transitioned to the County Board of Supervisors but has yet to be sworn into her new role.
In a statement shared through her campaign staff, Aguirre expressed her commitment to making housing more affordable.
She emphasized that small cities like Imperial Beach face significant challenges in building affordable housing primarily due to funding limitations rather than an unwillingness to support such initiatives.
Sean Foltz, the city manager of Imperial Beach, corroborated Aguirre’s statement, noting some affordable housing projects have been approved in recent years.
Despite this, Foltz indicated that developers had not progressed past the initial approval stage to apply for building permits.
In housing terminology, these projects are described as “entitled,” meaning they have received city approvals but lack building permits required for construction.
Foltz explained, “Following entitlement, it is the responsibility of the developer to finance and construct the projects.”
In contrast, Richard Bailey, who served as Coronado’s mayor during the analyzed timeframe, conveyed that Coronado’s high costs make it an impractical locale for affordable housing development.
In a text message, Bailey stated, “I wouldn’t say Coronado is hostile to subsidized housing, we’re just realists.
The reality is there is no good or cheap way to build below-market rate housing, which is why it hasn’t been effective in higher-priced areas throughout California—it’s just the economics of development.”
He argued that it’s more cost-effective to build affordable housing in less affluent regions, where development expenses are lower.
However, housing advocates have critiqued this viewpoint, warning that concentrating affordable housing in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods perpetuates a troubling cycle.
If all affordable housing is developed in lower-income areas, the existing divide in access to quality parks, schools, and employment opportunities is exacerbated.
As housing demand in San Diego County continues to exceed supply, the urgency for affordable housing becomes ever more critical.
In the analysis period, around 83,000 new homes were permitted countywide, with only 22 percent classified as affordable for people with moderate income or lower.
This presents an alarming situation as communities like Coronado and Imperial Beach grapple with the implications of their housing policies.
image source from：voiceofsandiego
