Neighborhood Historic Preservation Coalition

07/01/2026

Easy ways to help historic preservation in San Diego.

Lots of ways to support SOHO!!

07/01/2026

Check out North Park Historical Society completely redesigned website! It's super nice, lots of information.

Same url- www.northparkhistory.org -all new look and content! Lots of photos, history and links to resources for your research!

Check out our completely redesigned website! Same url- www.northparkhistory.org -all new look and content! Lots of photos, history and links to resources for your research!

05/16/2026

The more we learn, the more we know!
Some of this will not be a surprise to those who live in historic neighborhoods and have seen firsthand what preservation means. Still, the hard numbers and analysis here help us tell the story. Thanks to everyone who helped make this important report possible.

05/15/2026

D2 voters, this one's for you!

Email from Save Our Heritage Organisation See where they stand Share This Email View as Webpage City Council District 2 candidates were invited to participate in a Q&A addressing issues that directly

04/11/2026

Historic preservation is proven to support local economies, reduce environmental impact, and build community stability. It’s smart policy!

Historic preservation is proven to support local economies, reduce environmental impact, and build community stability. It’s not nostalgia folks, it’s smart policy!

01/12/2026

On Wednesday, January 14, the San Diego City Council’s Land Use & Housing Committee will consider the City’s Preservation and Progress Package A.

This fast-tracked proposal would weaken San Diego’s historic preservation program by allowing the City Council to override expert historic designations, thereby stripping protections from historic districts such as Ocean Beach’s Cottage Emerging District and the Asian Thematic District, while prioritizing new construction over true preservation.

Your voice matters now. Please attend the meeting if you can and send a letter or email urging the committee to reject these harmful changes.

Land Use & Housing Committee
City Council, City of San Diego

Wednesday, January 14, 2026 • 2pm

City Administration Building
Council Chambers – 12th Floor
202 C Street, San Diego, CA 92101

Agenda Item: 3

Preservation and Progress Package A

Agenda: https://sandiego.hylandcloud.com/211agendaonlinecomm/Meetings/ViewMeeting?id=6815&doctype=1&site=comm

Send your letters and emails to Council Administration
Email [email protected]

Subject Preservation and Progress Package A / Land Use & Housing Committee

What’s at stake in Package A

The City’s proposals directly threaten San Diego’s preservation program and the places you love that make San Diego thrive. Use these points as your own, or personalize.

De Novo

A de novo process would allow the City Council to rehear historic designation cases from scratch—overriding the determinations of the Historical Resources Board (HRB), a body of trained experts in history, architecture, and archaeology. This politicizes what should remain a fact-based, impartial process.

It gives developers but not advocates a second bite at the apple
It creates unnecessary costs, delays, and uncertainty
It weakens public trust in the preservation program
Erosion of Historic District Protections

Neighborhoods—especially Ocean Beach’s Cottage Emerging District and The Asian Thematic district will be stripped of its current protections opening it up for the City’s destructive Complete Community program, along with pending districts, all are left vulnerable in this misguided initiative.

Misplaced Focus on New Construction

The plan prioritizes streamlining new construction under the banner of “preservation.” This is fundamentally incompatible with preservation policy nationwide. Adaptive reuse, infill, and design guidelines are what is appropriate. Bulldozing protections to clear the way for demolition is not only shortsighted, but it also goes directly against the city’s climate action goals.

01/12/2026

From The San Diego Community Coalition
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578246150953
Community Coalition Bulletin: This Week at City Hall
Wednesday, January 14: Land Use and Housing Committee, 2:00 p.m.

Agenda Link:
https://sandiego.hylandcloud.com/211agendaonlinecomm/Meetings/ViewMeeting?id=6815&doctype=1&site=comm

Items include: Preservation and Progress Package A

Why it matters: “Predation and Privateering” would be a more accurate name for this plan to scuttle San Diego’s historic preservation program so developers can bulldoze treasured structures to build large ugly boxes. For background, read Rag commentaries from SOHO on January 9 https://obrag.org/2026/01/key-council-committee-to-consider-citys-preservation-proposals-including-knocking-out-obs-historic-district-to-pave-way-for-over-development-wed-jan-14/
and Michael Stepner and Mary Lydon https://obrag.org/2025/12/historic-preservation-has-become-part-of-the-counterproductive-yimby-vs-nimby-debate/on December 12.

A huge turnout of community leaders is critical here.

In-person: Council, 202 C St.

To participate via Zoom and submit written comments, click on the meeting agenda and look for the links.

From SOHO On Wednesday, January 14, the San Diego City Council’s Land Use & Housing Committee will consider the City’s Preservation and Progress Package A. This fast-tracked proposal would weaken San Diego’s historic preservation program by allowing the City Council to override expert historic...