Citizens and community leaders met at St. Jude Shrine of the West in Southcrest, calling on city leaders to help reverse the skyrocketing price of housing that they say threatens the economic foundation of the booming city.

City council members, business and labor leaders were among more than 1,000 people who attended the plea for more affordable housing sponsored by the San Diego Organizing Project, a nonprofit group that has studied housing issues during the past year.

The group is asking city leaders to declare a housing state of emergency, enact laws to protect renters' rights, increase the supply of housing for first-time home buyers and set aside more money for development of affordable housing.