Senior & Starter Homes Project

Overview

Housing is increasingly unaffordable throughout California, and the County of San Diego is working to do its part to help solve this crisis. The Senior & Starter Homes project is focused on creating attainable homeownership opportunities and expanding housing options for older adults, including assisted living and age-friendly housing.

This initiative aims to make it easier to build:

Smaller “starter” homes, ideal for first-time buyers, smaller families, and downsizing seniors
Senior housing and assisted living facilities, ensuring older adults can age in place in their communities.

By reducing regulatory barriers and offering new tools for flexible housing design, the County is working to create inclusive, welcoming communities for everyone, now and in the future.

Background

On July 14th, 2021, as part of the County's 6th Cycle Housing Element adoption, the Board of Supervisors (Board) directed staff to explore the feasibility of developing several new housing programs, including:

A Small Lot Subdivision Ordinance.
A program that would facilitate/remove barriers to senior and assisted living housing development.

For each of these efforts, the Board directed staff to identify program options, funding, and resource needs. Following best practice research and receiving stakeholder feedback, County staff returned to the Board on October 9, 2024, with a set of program options as part of the Opportunities for Streamlining Affordable and Attainable Housing report back. The Board then directed staff to move forward with program development, launching the Senior and Starter Homes project. See the minute order and the Housing Opportunities project page to learn more.

What Are Senior & Starter Homes?

Senior Housing

Senior housing is a broad term that means any type of living facility for people who have reached the age of retirement. The County zoning ordinance defines a senior citizen as someone 62 years or older. For mobile homes, the zoning ordinance cites the California Civil Code, which lists a “senior homeowner” as someone 55 years or older.

Assisted living is a facility where older adults live to receive help with the daily tasks of living such as eating, using the restroom, getting dressed, and taking a shower.

Starter Homes

Starter homes are compact, more affordable single-family homes created through small lot subdivision. These developments can include attached or detached units, often share driveways or infrastructure, allow for reduced setbacks and parking requirements, and do not increase density—they simply offer more flexibility in how homes are designed and laid out. This type of housing is especially helpful in giving first-time buyers access to ownership in markets with limited inventory and high prices.

Stay Connected

The County is committed to receiving community and stakeholder comments. As the project progresses, outreach presentations and other related materials will be posted for the community and stakeholders to review and provide comments on. Please click the link below to update your subscription lists to ensure you receive continued updates on the project and opportunities to get involved.

Subscribe to email listserv (GovDelivery) here!

Please contact Sara Thornburgh at PDS.LongRangePlanning@sdcounty.ca.gov, or by phone at (858) 505-6677.