The San Diego Planning Commission passed two proposals Thursday that could double the populations of Hillcrest and University City by adding more housing and jobs.
Item 3, the University City plan, on the agenda during Thursday's planning commission meeting was passed with a unanimous vote. Item 4, the Hillcrest/Uptown plan, also passed with a unanimous vote.
The proposal for Hillcrest would add 17,000 new homes, some in buildings with 20 stories or more. The populations in the Uptown area would increase from roughly 40,000 to 100,000 by 2050.
A similar situation for the plan in University City, where the growth proposal would add an estimated 30,000 housing units, which would add roughly 64,000 residents by 2050. The area currently has a population around 65,000.
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The plans would also add an expected 72,000 new jobs.
City planners favor growth plans in Hillcrest and University City because that's where the jobs are. Both are employment-rich regions, so putting housing closer to jobs is the idea.
After passing the planning commission, the next step is the growth plans to be debated and eventually voted on by the San Diego City Council.
