From the San Diego Housing Commission's press release:
The new construction of more than 300 affordable rental apartments at the former site of the Sheriff’s Crime Lab will provide homes for seniors, families and individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities upon completion of three developments in collaboration with the San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC) that celebrated their groundbreaking today.
“I live with my father, who is 88 years old, and I know that as you age, your needs change and you need a little bit of help from the next generation. And so being able to make sure that our seniors are in a community where there are families and there are young people and people with disabilities, where we can all create that artificial family that we don’t have these days, is so important,” California State Treasurer Fiona Ma said.
The developments are being built on Mt. Etna Drive in the Clairemont neighborhood of San Diego, west of Interstate 805 near a shopping and entertainment corridor.
“What you have is publicly owned property that is being reutilized in a way the benefits more people,” San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said. “Public service is about doing the most amount of good for the most number of people. This site has served this community well for a very long time, but it has a new life that will serve even more people.”
The three developments—Messina Senior Apartments, Modica Family Apartments and Taormina Family Apartments—are being developed by Chelsea Investment Corporation, with financing and rental housing vouchers that SDHC awarded.
“Today is a wonderful day because this groundbreaking is part of the solution to the severe housing crisis in San Diego, which is to a great extent responsible for our homeless population,” said San Diego City Councilmember Dr. Jennifer Campbell, whose district includes the three developments. “I have seen the plans. They will be beautiful buildings with parks, security, as well as all the needed programs, thanks to Serving Seniors and everybody else, to help the residents succeed in getting back on their feet.”
The County of San Diego ground leased the land for the developments to Chelsea Investment Corporation for 99 years.
“I’m excited about the project and that we’re shaping a community,” said County of San Diego Board of Supervisors Chair Nora Vargas. “And I love the fact that it has a senior center, that it really is a comprehensive way of making sure that we’re taking care of our communities, which is really what this is all about, right? Because we don’t want just people to survive; we want our communities to thrive.”
SDHC awarded development loans and rental housing vouchers to support the developments.
“I’ve never been more excited to be at a groundbreaking than I am today and that’s because this is my neighborhood, where I am fortunate enough to own a home a short distance from here,” SDHC Board of Commissioners Vice Chair Ryan Clumpner said. “I have friends that live a few blocks in each direction. And I want to speak for all of us when I say that we can’t wait to welcome our new neighbors. … You are not just providing the gift of safe and secure housing for over 300 families who would otherwise be at risk of homelessness, but you are uplifting the entire Clairemont community. That’s a gift that I hope we see more of in this neighborhood and every neighborhood in the City of San Diego.”