San Carlos residents have been told their long-promised new library is on ice, after city officials said this month there is not enough money to replace the cramped 1970s branch with a 25,000-square-foot facility. For now, the existing 8,200-square-foot building on Jackson Drive will keep doing the job as families, kids and after-school crowds pack into the single-room space.
At a June community planning group meeting, a representative from Councilmember Raul Campillo’s office told attendees the plan is effectively dead because the city does not have the necessary funding, according to Times of San Diego. That outlet described about a dozen children darting around the one-room branch the week before the meeting, and quoted a 9-year-old who said she loves the library’s book selection.
Parking Lot Purchase Once Raised Hopes
Just last year, the city was touting what sounded like a breakthrough. In 2023, officials acquired the lot at Golfcrest Drive and Jackson Drive and programmed $5 million from development impact fees as a local match for a potential state grant, according to 10News. At the time, that land purchase and promised match were sold as the missing piece to finally push the long-delayed project into reality.
What The New Branch Would Have Offered
Plans call for a 25,000-square-foot replacement at 7265 Jackson Drive with meeting rooms, computer labs and separate areas for children and teens, according to the City of San Diego project page. Architects designed the upgraded branch to expand programming and add modern amenities that the neighborhood library has gone without for decades.
Residents Push Back Over Local Money
Some residents now argue that the local money tied to the project has slipped away from San Carlos. Neighbors at the June meeting voiced frustration that roughly $5 million associated with the effort, whether originally set aside as a match or moved around through other city budget decisions, ended up absorbed into city coffers during years of tight finances instead of being locked down for construction, Times of San Diego reports.
The Funding Hole: $36.3 Million
City budget documents put the current project cost estimate at about $47.5 million, with roughly $9.8 million already appropriated and an anticipated $1.5 million expected from a state grant. That leaves an approximate shortfall of $36.3 million, according to a report by the Office of the Independent Budget Analyst. The report notes that the Library Department has funding only to complete bridging design documents and would need a phased funding plan before any construction could begin.
Other Branch Projects Highlight The Gap
Elsewhere in the city, library projects are moving. San Diego recently broke ground on a $37 million Oak Park replacement after securing state grants and local matching funds, illustrating how some branches have advanced while San Carlos remains stuck, as reported by KPBS. That contrast has sharpened concerns among San Carlos residents who say their neighborhood has already waited decades for a modern facility.
Advocates and the branch’s Friends group say they will keep pressing for state and federal grants, philanthropic contributions and any eligible loan programs to close the gap. In the meantime, staff at the San Carlos branch will continue serving the community out of the existing building while officials and advocates search for the money needed to finally build the new library.
