San Diego‘s affordable housing fast-track program has now permitted 6,746 homes since 2023—with 2,148 of them completed and open to residents, averaging just nine days to clear city review.
The ‘Affordable Housing Permit Now’ program was created through a 2023 executive order from Mayor Todd Gloria, which directed the city’s Development Services Department to review 100% affordable housing and shelter projects within 30 days or fewer.
Three years in, the city has consistently beaten that target by a wide margin.
Nine days instead of thirty
Speed comes from faster coordination between developers and city staff, with clear communication on requirements from the start, according to the city.
Projects that qualify skip the lengthy hearing process—no further discretionary approvals are required—and must keep rents affordable for 55 years once they open.
“If we want San Diegans to stay in San Diego, we have to build more homes,” Mayor Gloria said. “Our ‘Affordable Housing Permit Now’ program is cutting review times, getting shovels in the ground faster, and helping build the affordable housing our city needs. As more homes become available, we’re starting to see rents come down.”
To be clear on the numbers: 6,746 homes have been permitted through the program, not yet all built. Of those, 2,148 are completed and open to residents. Another 22 projects totaling 2,205 homes are currently under construction, and 18 more—representing 2,393 additional homes—are still in the review pipeline.
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Search new constructionMt. Etna as a model
The most recent project to open under the program is Terrasini, a 95-unit affordable senior housing development in Mt. Etna that opened on March 18, 2026.
It’s the fourth affordable development that Chelsea Investment Corporation has built in that neighborhood using the fast-track process. Together, the four Mt. Etna projects represent 400 new homes—all permitted through the program.
San Diego drawing national attention
UC Berkeley’s Terner Center for Housing Innovation has pointed to Affordable Housing Permit Now—alongside the city’s related Complete Communities Now initiative—as an important reform that has expedited permitting and positioned San Diego as a leader in pro-housing policy.
That kind of recognition signals to developers that affordable projects can move forward in San Diego without getting buried in red tape—which matters for whether those projects get proposed in the first place.
Developers interested in the program can find requirements, fees, and frequently asked questions in the city’s dedicated information bulletin.
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