NBC 7’s Joey Safchik reports that housing development is a defining issue in the race to lead the city of Encinitas.
Encinitas mayor Tony Kranz and City Councilmember Bruce Ehlers, who is challenging him in November's election, have different views on housing and what role the state should play in mandating development.
“Ultimately, what I learned from sitting in this seat is that it’s important not to fritter away the public’s money by fighting lawsuits we can’t win,” said Kranz. "And so far, all the precedent is on the side of developers and the state when it comes to housing rights."
For many years, Encinitas had a reputation for resisting state housing requirements.
“I live two and a half miles inland," Ehlers said. "I would love to have a house, you know [gestures to beach]? Does it mean that because I can’t afford to buy a house there on the beach, the state should mandate that I can? No, of course not. That would be silly."
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In recent years, Kranz has ushered the city into compliance. The city's plan for housing growth was approved in 2021.
"I won’t say that I embrace the state’s housing laws," Kranz said. "I will say that the fact is we have to comply with them,. Affordable housing is something we are very short of here in our city, so we’re providing opportunities for people to live in the city that they work in.”
Kranz said projects to improve roads and congestion have helped mitigate some of the unwanted consequences of development. His opponent, however, wants to see the tides turn back to local control.
“It boils down to local control, not Sacramento," Ehlers said. "There is no one-size-fits-all for all of California. What is the prescribed method to protect your community character? It’s zoning laws.”
