San Diego judge halts Golden Hill apartment tower project

The order halts construction on a 186-unit, eight-story apartment tower in Golden Hill, following a lawsuit by the community group Preserve Greater Golden Hill.

SAN DIEGO — A San Diego Superior Court judge has issued a temporary restraining order halting construction on a 186-unit, eight-story apartment tower in Golden Hill, following a lawsuit by the community group Preserve Greater Golden Hill that challenges the city’s approval of the project.

Despite the restraining order issued last Friday, construction work continued at the site when news cameras arrived today. The temporary order prohibits work on the project until the lawsuit is heard in court.

Preserve Greater Golden Hill sued the city earlier this month over the project’s approval under the Complete Communities Program, which is designed to add affordable housing to the city. The judge’s decision to issue the restraining order suggests the court found merit in the group’s arguments.

Neighbors contend the city granted an unusual waiver to permit what they characterize as a luxury apartment building that would destroy the character of their affordable and quiet community. “It shows that the judge thinks our case is serious,” said John McNab, a Golden Hill resident.

McNab expressed concern about the tower’s incompatibility with the neighborhood, stating “to have someone come in and put a 8 story luxury apartments is totally antithetical to our neighborhood,” he said.

Another resident questioned the city’s decision-making process. “The city went ahead and allowed for this type of building when we don’t have the infrastructure or mass transit as they said, so the judge ruled on that, the judge caught it, so our city is corrupt,” said Susan Swisher.

Neighbors worry that if the courts rule the project legal, it would set a precedent allowing developers to target lower-income rental areas like Golden Hill under the guise of affordable housing programs.

The eight-story tower is being developed by Chicago-based Cedar Street. The lawsuit is scheduled to be heard in court on November 26th.