AWG Responds to San Diego Housing Policy Changes: ‘We’re Just Getting Started’

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In the wake of recent changes to the City of San Diego’s ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit) Density Bonus Program, Atlas West Group (AWG)—widely regarded as the region’s most forward-thinking infill and ADU developer—announced today that it is expanding its business strategy to meet the evolving needs of California’s housing market.

“We saw signs of turbulence at City Hall over a year ago,” said Daniel Shkolnik, CEO and founder of AWG. “That’s why we’ve spent the past 12 months preparing for a new landscape – so we can continue to lead, not follow.”

AWG’s approach was recently highlighted in The San Diego Union-Tribune, where Shkolnik underscored the ADU bonus program’s impact on workforce housing—and AWG’s outsize role in accelerating infill development.

“We recognized the power of the program to move the needle,” Shkolnik said in the story, which spotlighted AWG’s leadership in the region’s infill housing boom.

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Now, despite the city’s rollback of key ADU incentives, AWG isn’t slowing down—it’s shifting gears. The firm will continue leveraging remaining ADU tools where effective, but is aggressively expanding into new for-sale housing: townhomes, rowhomes, and condominiums that meet urgent regional demand and serve underserved buyer segments.

“This is a natural evolution,” Shkolnik said. “We’re doubling down on what we’ve always done — delivering smart, urban infill housing — but now we’re building for both renters and buyers. We’re especially focused on delivering starter homes and attainable housing options for young families, first-time buyers, and seniors, the people who have been priced out of San Diego’s housing market.”

AWG will remain a dominant force in the ADU space — leveraging its expertise to continue delivering for-rent infill housing through existing density tools. Simultaneously, the firm is actively embracing new policy opportunities like AB 1033, which unlocks pathways for the development of more for-sale housing in urban neighborhoods.

“We’ve built our reputation by thinking differently and acting early,” Shkolnik said. “We’ve never waited for permission or consensus – we’ve led. Being a maverick isn’t a marketing line for us. It’s our business model.”

With a growing pipeline of both rental and for-sale housing, AWG is doubling down on innovation, execution, and impact, positioning itself to lead the next wave of housing solutions across California — one project, one neighborhood, and one family at a time.

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ABOUT: Atlas West Group is a privately held full-service development and investment firm operating throughout San Diego County. The company is a premier provider of urban-infill housing and specializes in transforming underutilized properties into vibrant multifamily communities. Atlas West utilizes innovative permitting programs and creative construction strategies to bring out-of-the-box solutions to the region’s housing shortage and affordability crisis. The Atlas West team brings decades of experience to real estate development projects, giving the firm the network, reach, and insights needed to navigate complex situations and deliver results.