ENCINITAS — Measure T, the housing plan known as "At Home in Encinitas," was rejected by voters on November 8, with approximately 56% voting against the measure and roughly 44% in support. The result left Encinitas as the only city in San Diego County without a state-certified Housing Element and set the stage for continued legal and political battles over development in the coastal community.
The measure had been placed on the ballot because of Proposition A, a 2013 citizen initiative that requires voter approval for any increase in residential density beyond what existing zoning allows. The state of California had mandated that Encinitas demonstrate capacity for over 1,000 lower-income housing units as part of its Regional Housing Needs Allocation. Both the city's Planning Commission and City Council had approved the housing plan before sending it to voters for the required public vote.
A Divided Community
Supporters of Measure T argued that the plan represented the city's best path toward complying with state housing law while maintaining local control over where and how development would occur. They warned that failure to pass a certified Housing Element could expose the city to costly litigation and potentially strip Encinitas of its ability to regulate development on its own terms.
Opponents, however, contended that the plan allowed for more development than was strictly necessary to meet state requirements. Critics argued that the proposed zoning changes would fundamentally alter the character of established neighborhoods and that the city should push back against what they viewed as Sacramento overreach rather than capitulate to state mandates.
With the measure's failure, Encinitas faced an uncertain path forward. The city was expected to confront legal challenges from housing advocates and state agencies, and officials acknowledged that the lack of a certified Housing Element left the city vulnerable to builder's remedy applications and other enforcement mechanisms. The debate over housing in Encinitas — one of the most contentious issues in the city's history — was far from over.