By Jessica Brodkin Webb
January 27, 2025 (Lemon Grove) -- Lemon Grove Mayor Alysson Snow called the Jan. 21 City Council meeting “very light,” yet there was time enough for staunch resident pushback against a historically controversial tiny homes project which was not on the agenda.
The project, funded and in development by the County of San Diego, is intended to house homeless residents in 70 tiny homes on Troy Street.
A previous iteration of the project, planned around State of California funding, was slated for over twice as many structures and originally destined for Spring Valley. However, state funding was rescinded following missed deadlines, and the project was downsized and relocated to Lemon Grove amidst Spring Valley resident pushback.
Tuesday, Lemon Grove residents once again questioned why an open community discussion about the project has yet to appear on an agenda.
“I’ve been here over six months asking for this item to be put on the agenda,” resident Ken King said.
King is one of several residents who have consistently voiced concerns about the project during time for public comments at city council meetings.
“Jennifer said the tiny home project would be on the agenda this meeting or next meeting. Those are her words,” King said, referring to Councilmember Mendoza.
Lemon Grove City Manager Lydia Romero said she is working with the county to schedule a special study session which would be open to the public.
“We are dependent on the County of San Diego because they’re the ones putting forth the project,” Romero said.
However, former Lemon Grove Chamber of Commerce president and resident Teresa Rosiak-Proffit addressed city council members with an emphatic comment, stating that residents “want each one of you to hear their concerns” at a regular city council meeting rather than a county presentation or other special meeting.
“We need a city council tiny homes presentation where the residents can speak with you directly. It is their right for you to hear them. You may not want to hear them, but you have to give them a chance to be heard. Normally, I don’t demand but I am demanding that this be put on the agenda as quickly as possible so you hear what residents have to say,” said Rosiak-Proffit.
Snow said she would look into adding a special city council meeting about the tiny homes project, to which Romero said that essentially constitutes a special study session.
As of publication, no special study session or additional meeting information had been announced. The next regular Lemon Grove city council meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 4 at the Lemon Grove Community Center, located at 3146 School Lane.