Pastor seeks to build using Yes in God’s Backyard housing reforms

SAN DIEGO (KUSI) – San Diego City Council recently approved a housing reform that will allow affordable housing to be constructed in church parking lots and streamline the process for approving new senior living facilities.

Previously, churches and religious institutions required to provide a certain number of parking spaces based on church capacity. With today’s approved changes to the Land Development Code, qualifying churches can choose to build affordable housing units in their parking lots to better utilize large areas of the property that are typically unused during the week, according to the mayor’s office.

“There are so many religious leaders who want to know what they can do as we face a statewide housing crisis that is putting the squeeze on working families,” Mayor Faulconer said. “We have people in need and people who want to help so giving churches the opportunity to build affordable housing on underutilized parking lots makes all the sense in the world.”

Pastor Calvin Langston visited Good Morning San Diego to talk about his plans following the new rules.