Gloria signs community plan for College Area, paving way for nearly 18K more homes

The future of San Diego’s College Area is set for a major transformation after Mayor Todd Gloria signed a new community plan into law, the first update to the area in more than 30 years.

City leaders say the plan paves the way for up to 17,750 new homes along College Avenue, Montezuma Road and El Cajon Boulevard. While no specific projects have been finalized, the plan supports a mix of housing options intended for students, young professionals and families.

The signing took place Wednesday morning near San Diego State University, where city officials highlighted the scale of change expected in the coming years.

In addition to housing, the community plan calls for new public spaces, including a linear park along Montezuma Road, wider sidewalks, more trees and expanded opportunities for local businesses. City leaders say the goal is to create a true college town that benefits both students and longtime residents.

San Diego City Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera, who represents District 9, said the plan addresses the housing challenges facing students who want to remain in the city after graduation.

“I’ve stood in classrooms at SDSU with hard-working students who want to live in San Diego, many who grew up in San Diego and who did not see a future for themselves in the city because of the lack of housing,” Elo-Rivera said. “That is not OK, and plans like this make it more likely that they will not only see a future for themselves, but be able to find and attain the future that they are working so hard to pursue.”

This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC San Diego. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC San Diego journalist edited the article for publication.