Complete Communities Housing Solutions in San Diego

Complete Communities Housing Solutions is San Diego's local bonus program. In place of a unit count, it sets the floor area ratio by tier, waives density and the base-zone height, and grants incentives and waivers without a development permit, in exchange for affordable units and neighborhood amenities.

Where it applies

• An applicant's election, on a site in a Sustainable Development Area zoned commercial, residential or mixed use that allows 20 or more units per acre (SDMC 143.1002(a)). The tier comes from the City's Housing Solutions Areas layer.
• Not combined with the State Density Bonus under Division 7.
• Not in Prop A lands, designated historical districts (with two exceptions) or Old Town, and not below 80 percent of the base density outside downtown San Diego and mixed-use zones (143.1002(b)).

Amendments adopted in 2026 (O-22050, O-22076 and O-22109) are not yet effective in the Coastal Overlay Zone.

What it permits

The floor area ratio is reset by tier, up to 6.5 in Tier 3, with a further 1.5 for family units; density and the base-zone height are waived, and incentives and waivers are granted without a development permit (SDMC 143.1010).

The set-aside and the amenities

A written agreement with the San Diego Housing Commission, secured by a deed of trust, restricts 40 percent of the pre-bonus units for 55 years: 15 percent at 50 percent of area median income, 10 percent at 60 percent and 15 percent at 120 percent, or an alternative set (143.1015). The project pays the Neighborhood Enhancement Fund fee or provides a public space on premises of 25,000 SF or more (143.1020).

How approval works

With no discretionary permit otherwise required, the building permit follows Process One, a staff decision with no hearing and no appeal (SDMC 112.0502). The optional Complete Communities Now track offers City review cycles of 30 business days or fewer after a focused preliminary review, accepted subject to the Development Services Department's capacity (IB-411).

Questions

Can Complete Communities be combined with the State Density Bonus in San Diego?

No. A project uses either Complete Communities Housing Solutions or the Division 7 density bonus.

What floor area ratio does Complete Communities allow?

It is set by tier, up to 6.5 in Tier 3, with a further 1.5 for family units (SDMC 143.1010).

Sources