Why this matters
The developers say the project brings more attainable housing to a suburban neighborhood; the residents say it brings a density that would destroy the rural character of the place they call home.
David Mackintosh enjoys the quiet: For 20 years, he has sat under the jacaranda tree at his home just outside of Escondido and looked out at an open field.
Then last year, he received a notice in the mail about “future uses” of property in his area. Later, he learned he might get 140 new neighbors across the street and his property in unincorporated San Diego County might become part of the city of Escondido.
He and his neighbors didn’t like the sound of those plans, but what could they do? Amid California’s housing availability and affordability crisis, they were about to find out.
After Mackintosh’s neighbor Tedi Jackson learned of the proposed housing development and annexation, she started “Protect Rural Escondido,” and organized neighbors to sign petitions, show up to meetings and voice opposition.
Developers Oscar Uranga and Keegan McNamara pitch their project as part of the solution to housing’s “missing middle.” While other projects around the county offer high-density apartments or high-end homes for the ultra-rich, they said theirs could be for first-time home buyers.
Uranga, who lives in Huntington Beach, and McNamara, who lives in San Diego, have both worked on projects throughout San Diego County. The two want to bring more attainable housing to the suburban neighborhood; residents say it would destroy the rural nature of their home.
“We go out at night and it’s quiet. We can see stars,” Mackintosh said. “That will change.”
‘Attainable housing’
The 140 two-story homes, which would occupy 17 acres between Idaho Avenue and Birch Avenue currently just outside Escondido, could sell in the high $700,000 range in today’s market, Uranga said, though construction will take time and he can’t predict the eventual price.
The Escondido City Council cleared the way for the county to pursue annexation in 2024, but the Local Agency Formation Commission still has a part to play. It’s hard to say how LAFCO will vote, but in 2022, the agency wrote that it should “prioritize and direct growth in the region to the City of Escondido and its appropriate role to serve as an urban center.”
The land is considered to be within Escondido’s so-called “sphere of influence,” which means the city already provides many services like fire response, and it could eventually become part of the city.
Annexing the land for the project would help it get sewer service from Escondido and help the city with its housing needs: As of March 2025, Escondido needed to permit over 7,000 new homes before 2029 to keep up with state mandates.
A rural neighborhood fights back
Surrounding residents live on more than 1 acres of land here. Some of these spacious properties have horses passing through occasionally. Some of the homes have been designated as historic.
Ray Bosch’s family bought 34 acres in 1905. The 86-year-old sold 10 acres a while back, and still lives on two acres in his childhood home next door, and is nervous about the development.
“It’s disappointing growing up here, being born and raised here in Escondido, and I’m retired in my childhood home here,” Bosch said. “To hear that that’s what the owners are angling for … it’s very disappointing that they’re trying to take rural Escondido and turn it into high-density housing.”
Jackson laments that the project would be a gated and part of a homeowners association and not connected to the existing community.
Jackson also remembers evacuating her home during the fires in the early 2000s on the rural roads, which are skinny and windy. She said she worries what such a disaster would be like with so many new homes.
She brought her concerns to San Diego County Supervisor Joel Anderson, who represents the area. Anderson’s spokesperson confirmed a meeting but did not comment on the project.
“As a currently elected official, Supervisor Anderson is prohibited from pre-judging or taking a position on any land use project in advance of the Board of Supervisors hearing it in open session,’ Anderson’s Deputy Chief of Communications Matthew Phy said. “This is a legal requirement for any local government official hearing on a land use matter.”
Community meetings between the developers and neighbors have gotten heated. Uranga rejects the notion that this is a rural area, calling it “absolutely suburban.” He said it can feel like he and the residents are talking past one another.
“I understand that underneath the noise, they care deeply about their community,” Uranga said. “As do we. We just have some fundamental disagreements about whether or not there’s a housing crisis, and what makes sense.”
Residents worry that the project heralds a lot more change for the area.
The developers also own 10 acres south of Idaho Avenue where homes are being advertised and where the county has approved 20 lots. But Uranga said that project has proven to be unfinanceable, largely due to plans to use a septic system.
Future of the development, annexation
As part of the annexation process, the developers need consent from some neighbors who would be part of the annexation to form a contiguous boundary.
Mackintosh and some other neighbors have not consented.
Priscilla Mumpower, LAFCO’s assistant executive officer, said that staff at the agency has encouraged the developers to explore annexation as well as an out of service agreement that would get the project sewer without annexation. She said staff has a preference for annexation.
Either way, the developers’ project still needs to go through multiple layers of government review to determine what happens next, and Uranga and Jackson are pursuing their plans.
“There’s a tug of war between density, attainability, community goals, our goals,” Uranga said. “We sincerely want to make a contribution towards the housing crisis, and also balance all of those other competing interests.”
But Jackson said she has begun looking into raising funds for a lawyer.
“Every resident has a stake in what happens next,” she said. “This is a defining moment for our community and unincorporated Escondido, and we need everyone to step forward, contribute, and help us protect our rural way of life.”
Type of Content
News: Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
