The City Heights Community Development Corporation and city leaders broke ground Wednesday on a $98 million housing development intended to provide 115 units of affordable housing and 13,000 square feet of commercial space.
The Cuatro at City Heights, being constructed in partnership with Wakeland Housing and Development Corporation, will consist of four mid-rise buildings on El Cajon Boulevard and University Avenue near Interstate 15.
The transit-oriented, affordable apartments are slated for families with low income and veterans experiencing homelessness. The development is expected to start housing people by fall 2025.
“I recognize that the first of every month, too many San Diegans worry about whether or not they can make that rent payment,” said Mayor Todd Gloria at the groundbreaking. “They wonder where they’ll be next week if they can’t make that payment. That weighs heavy on my heart.
“That’s why we’re doing absolutely everything we can to work on this particular urgent crisis,” he said. “I think today is proof that this work is having results. We will continue to push as hard as we possibly can until we can get a roof over everyone’s heads at prices they can afford.”
Cuatro will include 30 units for veterans with low income experiencing homelessness. Six of those units are for veterans who also have disabling conditions.
“City Heights became what it is by opening its doors to people from all over the world, and it’s become this welcoming community. And at the same time, it has become less and less easy to stay here,” said San Diego City Council President Sean Elo-Rivera. “While I truly appreciate the transformative nature of this project, I also really appreciate what it’s going to preserve.
“It’s going to become a beautiful housing development with space for families of all walks of life,” he said. “But it’s also going to preserve the opportunity for folks who grow up here to stay in this community and fight for this community.”
The groundbreaking event began with a Kumeyaay land acknowledgement, which is a formal statement that recognizes and respects Indigenous peoples as traditional stewards of a given geographic area. The event also featured a spoken word performance from United Women of East Africa, music from Mariachi Victoria and live art from San Diego artist Josué Baltézar.
“This transformative project for the neighborhood offers amenities such as laundry facilities, outdoor spaces, bicycle parking and more,” said Alexis Villanueva, president and CEO of City Heights CDC. “City Heights CDC will also provide on-site resident services. Proximity to its major transit centers and walkable resources mean that residents have both an affordable and accessible place to call home.”
According to the CDC, the commercial spaces will include a new Salaam Youth and Community Center offering resources from community partners, United Women of East Africa, Southern Sudanese Community Center and the Refugee Assistance Center. The center will provide a space for refugees and immigrant youth to access coordinated services, resources and support.
All units at the Cuatro will be subject to income restrictions, with earnings falling between 30% and 60% of the area median income.
City News Service contributed to this article.