From using County land to build new affordable housing to providing funding that helps families and seniors to keep roofs over their heads, the County remains dedicated to finding solutions to not only end and prevent homelessness, but to help lay the groundwork to build homes that people can afford.
In just the past year, the County worked with cities, developers and communities to help complete 10 affordable housing developments and has investments in another 17 that are currently under construction. New housing was opened in San Ysidro, City Heights, Nestor and Alpine with plans for still more in Rancho Bernardo and San Ysidro.
In July 2023, the County launched the Leave No Veteran Homeless initiative. In part,
the initiative encouraged landlords with vacancies to register their
interest in renting to veterans with 2-1-1 San Diego. It also
encouraged cities to allocate resources to support outreach,
engagement, shelter and permanent housing for veterans. This effort
was the first of its kind regionally, bringing together over a dozen
regional partners focused on ending veteran homelessness. Nearly 1,000
unhoused veterans were permanently housed in a year.
The County also created, then expanded a pilot program, the Shallow Rental Subsidy Program, designed to keep hundreds of low-income seniors from becoming homeless. The program pays $500-a-month subsidies to the seniors’ landlords to help keep them in their homes.
“I’m so ecstatic to be here because there’s no better place.
It’s a million times better than being on the street.”
- Teri H.
Valley Senior
Village Resident
In another action to help seniors, the County approved a different pilot program to create housemate matches between lower-income older adults and people who have spare rooms.
The County also secured more than $22 million in state Encampment Resolution Funds to help and house people experiencing homelessness along the San Diego River and an area of the Sweetwater River known as “The Jungle.”
Additionally, a County program helped first-time home buyers whose incomes were 80% or less than the county’s median income come up with money for down payments and closing costs. It offers them low-interest loans and deferred payments up to 22% of the home’s sale price—for down payments—and up to $10,000 for closing costs.
In January, the County awarded $42 million to nine affordable housing developments that are
anticipated to create 872 homes. The County’s overall investment for
Fiscal Year 2023/24 was $77 million which will lead to 14 developments
providing more than 1,300 homes.
And in May, the County reached an ambitious first in its efforts to address the region’s housing crisis by using County-owned property to open affordable housing for low-income seniors. Once the site of an old County child welfare center, the Levant Senior Cottages in Linda Vista is now home to 127 affordable units for low-income seniors. It is the first of 11 affordable housing developments expected to be built on County land.
Accessory Dwelling Unit (Granny Flat) Permits Issued