Countless families across San Diego County lie awake at night wondering how they can afford a home or even remain in San Diego. For so many, the housing crisis feels hopeless.
But right here in our region, San Marcos has proven what is possible when local leaders focus on real, long-term solutions. We rolled up our sleeves and delivered results. Put simply, we are building hope, one home at a time.
You may have heard some concerns that San Marcos is overdeveloping. I hear those concerns, and I understand that change can feel overwhelming. But growth isn’t optional — state law mandates how much housing every city must plan for and accommodate.
These mandates come with real consequences if we fail to meet them. The real choice is whether we let it happen to us, or shape it thoughtfully for our community. In San Marcos, we’ve chosen to shape it.
That means sitting down with developers and doing the hard work of negotiation to get the best possible outcome for our community — securing more affordable units, better designs, responsible parking ratios and amenities that actually serve families. While others debate or delay, we build and deliver.
Right now, housing remains one of the toughest challenges facing families across San Diego County. The median home price is over $900,000, while the typical household earns about $110,000 a year. Families often need well over $200,000 annually just to comfortably afford a median-priced home.
That means only a small fraction or roughly 11% to 15% of local households can realistically qualify to purchase one. For our teachers, nurses, first responders, young professionals and working parents, the dream of homeownership feels more like a distant hope than a realistic step.
As a mother who raised my kids right here in San Marcos, I feel this pressure in a deeply personal way. Like every parent, we want our children to have the same opportunities that we had — to build a life here, buy a home and one day raise their own families close enough that we can be part of their world, watching our grandchildren grow up with Sunday dinners and backyard games. That is why I am so passionate about creating a community where our kids aren’t forced to leave simply because housing has become out of reach.
At the heart of San Marcos’ progress is a simple truth I have lived by since taking office: When local government sticks to its core job of improving our quality of life and delivering the services our residents count on, it can be remarkably effective and successful. That principle guides every decision I make.
In recent reporting, San Marcos is highlighted for “crushing” its state-mandated housing goals. We are already on track in three of the four income categories and far ahead in the moderate-income tier, with 871 homes permitted. That is real progress.
Take North City, our 200-acre urban village rising next to Cal State San Marcos. This $2 billion project will deliver 3,400 new homes, including hundreds of affordable units, alongside parks, shops, restaurants and offices. It is a community where people can actually live. When we build housing at every level of the ladder, something powerful happens:
Workers can live near their jobs Families stop living paycheck to paycheck Homelessness decreases Communities become more stableA functioning housing ladder with options at every affordability level keeps our teachers near the schools they serve, lets young families put down roots and opens up pathways to the American Dream. We are already seeing it happen here in San Marcos: fewer families priced out, stronger neighborhoods and a brighter future where the next generation is not forced to leave because housing is out of reach.
San Marcos is not an exception — it is a blueprint. We can replicate this. We proved that local leadership focused on results can cut through the noise and get things done. That same results-driven approach can work across San Diego County if we have leadership willing to focus on results instead of rhetoric.
We don’t measure success by plans, we measure it by homes built, improved communities and thriving families. Hope is not a slogan. In San Marcos, it is under construction, literally.
Let’s build a San Diego County where our kids can afford to stay, our workforce can thrive and opportunity is within reach again. One home at a time.
Rebecca Jones is the mayor of San Marcos and a candidate for the San Diego County Board of Supervisors in District 5.
Want to submit a letter to the editor, guest column or opinion piece? Find our guidelines and submission form here.
Hence then, the article about opinion how san marcos is getting housing right one home at a time was published today ( ) and is available on Times of San Diego ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Opinion: How San Marcos is getting housing right — one home at a time )
Also on site :