Media Release

EHC Opposes Approval of Ballpark Village

Calls Upon City Council to Provide Real Affordable Housing for Barrio Logan

(October, 18 2005) – Today, at a San Diego City Council hearing, EHC released its position statement regarding the hotly-debated Ballpark Village project, a massive downtown redevelopment project that will generate about $200 million in profit to its developers- which represents approximately a 20% return on investment.  EHC has major concerns about the project, and especially its potential to generate further displacement and gentrification in the surrounding communities. Paula Forbis, EHC spokesperson, explains: “These issues have not been adequately addressed by the Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) negotiated by the ACCORD coalition.  The surrounding communities, especially Barrio Logan, deserve a significant amount of resources dedicated to the creation of affordable housing to combat the effects of this project and of downtown redevelopment in general.” 

EHC supports many of the positive changes to the project brought about by the CBA. However, EHC cannot support the proposed Affordable Housing Agreement. EHC asked the City Council to postpone action on the project until an Affordable Housing Agreement is adopted which provides resources to the surrounding communities, especially Barrio Logan, as a means to mitigate the economic impacts from this project.  

Speaking on behalf of the EHC position was EHC’s Executive Director Diane Takvorian; Paula Forbis, EHC staff; Alexander Quinn, Senior Associate of Bay Area Economics; Marco Gonzalez of Coast Law Group; as well as EHC Community Leaders Guadalupe Orozco, Maria de Jesus Martinez and Georgette Gomez.

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