San Diego loosens rules for historic homes, hoping to boost new housing

San Diego softened its historic preservation rules Tuesday in order to accelerate homebuilding, despite objections from leading local historians and many Ocean Beach residents worried about community character.

The City Council voted 5-1 to approve a package of rule changes that include allowing the City Council to overrule the city’s Historical Resources Board when the board designates a property historic.

The updates also allow developers to take advantage of the city’s controversial Complete Communities incentive in Ocean Beach as long as a property isn’t the site of a historic cottage.

Developers and city officials praised the changes as modest and sensible reforms that will boost the impact of dozens of pro-housing updates and policies the council has approved in recent years.

Stefanie Benvenuto of the Building Industry Association said the changes will help avoid projects getting delayed or abandoned because of confusion about how city policies work.

“What our industry looks for is certainty, predictability and clarity,” Benvenuto said. “This is a very modest but very important step forward in that process and will help enhance all of the pro housing work this council and administration have already done.”

Bruce Coons, leader of the Save Our Heritage Organisation preservatio...