City Manager Greg Humora

La Mesa City Council grapples with housing and parking concerns

Councilmember Laura Lothian criticizing city tactics on parking issues

By Alexander J. Schorr

March 29, 2026 (La Mesa) — The La Mesa City council met on March 24 to try and tackle the “parking crisis” fueled by new housing development in the Downtown Village.

La Mesa is currently facing massive tension over the need for affordable housing and a growing parking crisis in its Downtown Village district. Recent developments have prioritized transit-oriented housing with reduced parking requirements, sparking concerns from local business owners and residents about the long-term impact on the area’s accessibility and economic health.


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La Mesa 'State of the City' address: Crime rates drop, infrastructure work surges

Story and photos by Karen Pearlman
 
March 21, 2026 (La Mesa) -- A double-digit decline in property crime and a record-breaking year for road repairs in La Mesa were some of the highlights shared by La Mesa Mayor Mark Arapostathis earlier this month.
 
In his "State of the City" address shared by the city on March 11 and available on YouTube here, Arapostathis said that La Mesa reported an 11% reduction in property crime alongside substantial drops in commercial burglaries and auto thefts in 2025.
 
Arapostathis also lauded the city’s development pipeline, noting the issuance of about 1,500 permits as well as the launch of five pre-approved "fast-track" ADU designs to tackle housing affordability.
 
The city shared more department highlights of 2025 on its website here.

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