By David Garrick, The San Diego Union-Tribune
SAN DIEGO — Aiming to boost access to healthy food while sprucing up blighted properties, the San Diego City Council unanimously approved a new community garden incentive program on Monday.
The incentive is expected to have the most significant effect in low-income neighborhoods, where there are often more blighted properties than businesses that sell fresh produce.
The program, which slashes property taxes on properties converted into community gardens, is possible thanks to a 2014 state law that aims to encourage urban farming and eating locally grown produce.
San Diego officials said they expect the incentive to increase the number of community gardens in San Diego beyond the roughly 30 now operating.