San Diego City Council rejects housing impact ‘linkage’ fee increase

On July 11, the San Diego City Council rejected the recommendation by the San Diego Housing Commission and Councilman Todd Gloria to double the commercial-industrial linkage fee. After a three-hour hearing with more than 50 speakers, the council ultimately deadlocked 4-4 on the recommendation to increase linkage fees. The motion was made by Councilman Todd Gloria and seconded by Councilwoman Sherri Lightner.

The proposal would have resulted in the doubling of the linkage fee. A fee increase of this magnitude would have been devastating to the local economy, which can ill-afford another cost added to efforts to stay afloat in this challenging economy.

Thank you to the CRA members who wrote, e-mailed and called the council offices in advance of the hearing, and to those who attended the hearing to speak in opposition. Without such persistence the outcome could have easily been much different.