Abstract

Abstract:San Diego, California, is the eighth largest city in the United States and one of the least affordable cities in the world. Many people in San Diego experience significant ramifications from competition for space. Currently, the southern side of downtown San Diego is the hottest area for development in San Diego county. This article examines the redevelopment of Barrio Logan, a small Latino community that borders downtown San Diego. Barrio Logan is a part of San Diego's third oldest community. The study interviewed ten planning board members who participated in redevelopment and rezoning processes and provided thematic data. In addition, ten U-T San Diego newspaper articles also provided data on a referendum initiated by the marine industry to repeal adopted zoning ordinances. The data are used to discuss the construction of personal, group, and institutional social reality that influenced the outcome of the redevelopment and rezoning processes. The successful Barrio Logan Redevelopment Project Area process was about both the restoration and the sociopolitical empowerment of the community. Due to that redevelopment process, Barrio Logan has begun to emerge as a vibrant, exciting community. A subsequent redevelopment effort, the Barrio Logan Community Plan Update (BLCPU), focused on instituting new zoning ordinances to address the incompatible land uses and toxins in Barrio Logan. Industry in the community has resisted these types of changes to the zoning ordinances for decades. This resistance culminated with a referendum that repealed the BLCPU, which had been passed by the San Diego City Council. The marine industry's central selling vision of jobs influenced a majority of San Diego City voters outside of Barrio Logan to reject the Plan 1A version of the BLCPU. The reasons for and ramifications of the rejection of Plan 1A are discussed and steps Barrio Logan and the other San Diego redevelopment districts could take to improve their chances of winning a future referendum election are recommended.