From the San Diego Housing Commission's press release:
After intermittent homelessness in the past, including two years at a women’s shelter program in San Diego, Melanie moved into a permanent affordable home of her own this month at Trinity Place, developed in collaboration with the San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC) to provide furnished affordable studios with supportive services for seniors who experienced homelessness with chronic health issues.
“It’s amazing. When they said I got matched with housing, they never told me how nice it was going to be,” Melanie said. “It’s very important to have these opportunities. The housing is just over the top, being able to have your own home, not worrying about where you’re going to be the next day, what you’re going to do.”
Developed by Wakeland Housing and Development Corporation in collaboration with SDHC and additional organizations, Trinity Place celebrated its grand opening today. It is located at 6240 Mission Gorge Road in the Grantville neighborhood in City Council District 7.
“If we ever forget that what we’re doing is helping individuals who’ve been looking for help for a long time, we’ve really lost our way. And I’m so glad that all of the funders, all the partners, and, of course, Wakeland, have recognized that we are helping human beings in this process,” said San Diego City Councilmember Raul Campillo, who represents Council District 7. “The beauty of this building right here, where we really need it in Grantville, the curb appeal that makes people want to drive through and support the small businesses, this is important for every aspect of our economy, for our social fabric, and I am honored to support it.”
SDHC supported the Trinity Place development through HOUSING FIRST – SAN DIEGO, SDHC’s homelessness action plan. The 73 permanent supportive housing units at Trinity Place are among 9,800 housing solutions HOUSING FIRST – SAN DIEGO has created in less than seven years for San Diegans experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness, with another 500 housing units approved and pending completion.
“These particular apartments are a source of hope for San Diego. Who will be living here are many seniors who have come in here with health issues from living on the streets for years, and this kind of property is exactly what they need to make their lives whole,” SDHC President & CEO Richard C. Gentry said. “Trinity Place will now provide a home they can afford along with services that they need.”
SDHC awarded 73 federal rental housing vouchers to help the residents of Trinity Place pay their rent. These vouchers are tied to the units so that when a tenant moves, the voucher remains to help another senior experiencing homelessness.