Since 1990, Carlsbad has provided one new home for every three new residents, compared to one home per five new residents in the rest of the region. It never has been, it never will be, and given the amount of land that scenario would consume, it's a good thing it's not. Lofts, apartments and condos are renting and selling as fast as they can be built. Vacancy rates throughout the country are at historic lows. Given our demographic outlook for the next 20 years, there is little doubt that this demand will continue.
Smart growth means different things in different places.
San Diego doesn't need urban growth lines to grow smartly. What we need is a better geographic balance of jobs and homes, so people can make smart decisions about where to live. We need smart developers, too. People who realize there is a huge and growing market here for something other than large, expensive single family detached homes with built-in long commutes. We need a resolution to the construction defect litigation issue, so developers and lenders stop using it as an excuse for not thinking outside the box.