Elected officials, community members and housing leaders gathered Friday to welcome residents to two new affordable communities in City Heights.
Residents at City Heights Place and City Heights Plaza Del Sol, the result of a partnership between local nonprofits Wakeland Housing and Development Corporation and Price Philanthropies, will provide a combined 135 affordable homes to low-income residents.
“Before getting affordable housing my daughter and I had to rent rooms in other people’s houses and never had a place of our own where we could feel at ease.” resident Lydia Sanchez said. “Now we get to cook healthy food in our own kitchen and feel more relaxed.”
Building new affordable housing is part of a broader mission for Wakeland and Price Philanthropies, both with a long history of investment in City Heights.
“The majority of the new residents are from City Heights, but previously faced rising and unaffordable rents and unstable situations. We welcome these families and their children to their new homes,” said Robert Price, President of Price Philanthropies.
Since 1994, Price Philanthropies has worked to improve life opportunities for youth and families through the City Heights Initiative. Wakeland provides affordable housing and onsite resident services at 13 affordable housing communities in City Heights, with five more expected in the next two years.
“Wakeland’s mission is to transform lives with affordable housing like we’re seeing today at City Heights Place and City Heights Plaza Del Sol,” said Wakeland’s president and CEO, Rebecca Louie.
Rents at the two properties range from $930 to $2,150 for two and three-bedroom apartments designed specifically for the needs of larger families in City Heights. Residents pay roughly 30 percent of their income toward rent.
Designed by Smithton Architects and constructed by Sun Country Builders, City Heights Place and City Heights Plaza Del Sol are both contemporary five-story residential buildings with amenities that include outdoor courtyards with tot lots and BBQs.
Financing for the two developments came from a mix of public and private sources, including Price Philanthropies, the County of San Diego’s Innovative Housing Trust Fund, U.S. Bank, LISC San Diego, the California Community Reinvestment Corporation and the state of California’s Tax Credit Allocation Committee.
City Heights Place, on 44th Street, was built at a cost of $32,755,992 while City Heights Plaza, on Fairmount Avenue, Del Sol cost $42,410,000.
Both properties are fully leased, but people who think they may qualify for affordable housing can go online to explore a list of other properties, then call to inquire about vacancies. People who are experiencing homelessness should call 211 to connect with housing resources.