Opening of the 379-unit apartment building—along Park Blvd between El Cajon and Meade—continues to reverberate across my neighborhood of University Heights and nearby Hillcrest and North Park. Winslow’s rentals reset the comparative market rate—a term that I loathe—that other landlords would use to charge their tenants, exiting or new, more.
Another impact is the building, which fills one full block and dramatically changes the character of that stretch of Park Blvd. The residential complex, and other newer multi-unit structures, also increase congestion and traffic—oh, let’s not forget competition for parking spots.
Monthly rents start at $2,400 for studios and go up to $5,945 for some two-bedrooms. I want to know: Who can afford about $72,000 a year in rent, before other costs, such as parking and utilities? According to the US Census Bureau, median household income in the city is $89,457, which means not enough take-home pay to cover the amount. Looking at the entire area, San Diego County government data puts the median household income for one person at $81,750; $93,450 for two; $105,100 for three; 116,800 for four. You see the point.
This missive is not a complaint, though you could presume so. Rather, I am perplexed and genuinely want to know who can afford to live at Winslow? You tell me.
I used Leica Q2 Monochrom to capture the Featured Image, today. Vitals, aperture manually set: f/5.6, ISO 200, 1/400 sec, 28mm; 2:56 p.m. PST.