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Affordable Housing

IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Redevelopment Agency of the City of San Diego (Agency) is dissolved as of February 1, 2012, per Assembly Bill 1X 26 (AB 26). The City of San Diego, serving as the successor agency per Resolution No. R-307238 (PDF) (January 12, 2012), has assumed the former Agency's assets, rights, and obligations under the California Community Redevelopment Law, subject to some limitations, and is winding down the former Agency's affairs and taking other actions in accordance with the dissolution provisions in Part 1.85 of AB 26. For questions regarding either the enforceable/recognized obligations of the former Agency or the Oversight Board, contact the Office of the Mayor at (619) 236-6330 or successorinfo@sandiego.gov. This website remains intact for historical reference purposes.

Photos of Affordable Housing Projects in San Ysidro and City Heights

A fundamental purpose of redevelopment is to expand the supply of low- and moderate-income housing. California Health and Safety Code Section 33334.6 states that the "provision of housing is itself a fundamental purpose of the Community Redevelopment Law and that a general inadequate statewide supply of decent, safe, and sanitary housing affordable to persons and families of low or moderate income threatens the accomplishment of the primary purposes of the Community Redevelopment Law, including job creation, attracting new private investments, and creating physical, economic, social and environmental conditions to remove and prevent the recurrence of blight."

The Redevelopment Agency must annually deposit at least 20% of the gross tax increment received into a Low- and Moderate-Income Housing Fund (LMIHF) and at least 15% of all housing created within a redevelopment project area must be affordable to low- and moderate-income households, with 40% of those units available at affordable housing costs to very low-income households.

The Redevelopment Agency (with the San Diego City Council serving as its Board of Directors) is committed to addressing the serious issue of affordable housing in San Diego and is taking a proactive role through the effective use of its authority, scope, and financial resources to augment affordable housing development.

Redevelopment Department – Affordable Housing Projects

Completed Developments

For Sale

Special Purpose

Rentals

Developments Under Construction

Note: Contact the Centre City Development Corporation (CCDC) and Southeastern Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) for information on other Redevelopment Agency affordable housing developments within the Project Areas administered by those two corporations.

First-Time Homebuyer Assistance Program

Increased homeowner occupancy has been identified as an important factor for achieving the redevelopment objectives of improving neighborhood stability, encouraging private investment, and improving the local housing stock.

Photo of Homebuyers

Accordingly, the Redevelopment Agency created the Home in the Heights Homebuyer Assistance Program in the City Heights area. The goal of the program is to make first-time homeownership more accessible and affordable to persons seeking to reside within City Heights (refer to the program area map above) by making available subordinate loans (i.e., silent second mortgage loans) evidenced by a promissory note and secured by a deed of trust recorded against the subject property.

Participants with a household income that is 100% or less of the San Diego area median income may qualify for a silent second mortgage loan amount of up to $30,000 from the Redevelopment Agency. The term of the loan is twenty years. Principal and interest are forgivable over the 20-year period, provided the participant remains the owner of and continuously lives in the home and does not refinance the first mortgage debt without permission from the Redevelopment Agency. Additional information regarding the program may be obtained by accessing the program guidelines above, which were adopted by the Redevelopment Agency via Resolution No. R-04240 on March 14, 2008.

In addition, Home in the Heights provides for education to first-time homebuyer participants on the financial responsibilities and considerations of homeownership.

Home in the Heights is administered by Community HousingWorks on behalf of the Redevelopment Agency. For additional information on the program or to apply for a loan, contact:

Community HousingWorks
4305 University Avenue, Suite 550
San Diego, CA 92105
(619) 282-6647 ext. 5465
info@chworks.org
Se habla español.

Housing Enhancement Loan Programs

Photo of Home Rehabilitation

The Housing Enhancement Loan Programs (HELP) were created to increase, improve, and preserve the supply of housing occupied by persons and families of low and moderate income. HELP provides forgivable loans to assist residents enhance the homes that they own. In turn, these home improvements result in many benefits to the community, including:

As of December 31, 2011, HELP loans have gone to rehabilitate 324 homes, and another 12 homes are undergoing rehabilitation.

Where in the City are these loans available?

HELP loans are available to qualified homeowners living in these areas:

Who and what improvements are eligible for the loans?

Homeowners must meet certain income requirements and be willing to have a deed restriction recorded on their properties over the period of the forgivable loan. HELP loans may be used to make a variety of interior and exterior improvements to homes and their landscaping.

Photo of Tools

Examples of eligible improvements include painting, lighting, windows, doors, stucco, tile, fencing, sidewalks, drought-resistant landscaping, roofs, flooring, carpet, lead paint abatement, electrical, cabinets, sprinklers, sod, water heaters, wall heaters, plumbing, sinks, showers, walkways, and garage doors.

Examples of ineligible improvements include non-permanent fixtures, security systems, personal property, equipment, and any other improvements deemed by the Redevelopment Agency to be inconsistent with redevelopment purposes and objectives.

The Redevelopment Agency has approved program guidelines for each of the above areas where HELP loans are available. The following program guidelines describe in detail, according to area, the eligible participants, the eligible properties, the eligible improvements, and the loan terms:

Where can I go to get more information or to apply for a loan?

HELP is administered by the San Diego Housing Commission on behalf of the Redevelopment Agency. For additional information on the programs or to apply for a loan, contact:

San Diego Housing Commission
Housing Rehabilitation Programs
1122 Broadway, Suite 300
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 578-7521

Do you have pictures of homes that have been enhanced using HELP funds?

Here are examples of homes that have been enhanced using HELP funds:

Photo of Before Rehabilitation
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Affordable Housing Collaborative Program

Background

In November 2001, the City of San Diego assembled the Comprehensive Affordable Housing Strategy Collaborative (the "Collaborative"), which consists of the Redevelopment Agency (the City's Redevelopment Department, Centre City Development Corporation, and Southeastern Economic Development Corporation) and the San Diego Housing Commission. The Collaborative was formed to work together to make the best use of their combined resources.

On August 6, 2002, the City Council declared a Housing State of Emergency in the City of San Diego and subsequently approved the Collaborative proposal to leverage the Redevelopment Agency's Low- and Moderate-Income Housing Fund (LMIHF) to create a $55 million pool of secured assets to assist in developing affordable housing units Citywide. The Agency has committed the entirety of this $55 million to eleven (11) projects, resulting in 722 affordable units and 1055 affordable bedrooms.

In July 2007, the Redevelopment Agency authorized lines of credit in four of the Redevelopment Department's Project Areas. As a result, $34 million was dedicated to an affordable housing "Opportunity Fund" to continue to assist with the creation and rehabilitation of affordable housing for low- and moderate-income households. Approximately $25.6 million from the lines of credit was committed to fund the construction of 445 affordable units and the rehabilitation of owner-occupied homes.

In September 2010, the Redevelopment Agency issued housing set-aside tax allocation bonds, resulting in approximately an additional $9.2 million to assist in developing affordable housing units within the eleven (11) Project Areas managed by the City's Redevelopment Department.

The Redevelopment Department continues to accept applications from developers in order to provide assistance in the creation and rehabilitation of affordable housing opportunities within its eleven (11) designated redevelopment Project Areas.

Follow the link below for a chart illustrating the application review process:

Follow the link below for a status summary of the projects assisted through the Affordable Housing Collaborative Program:

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Logos of Affordable Housing Collaborative Members

Executive Loan Committee

The Executive Loan Committee reviews all Agency subsidy recommendations for projects using the Affordable Housing Opportunity Funds before they are presented to the Agency Board (City Council) for approval. The meetings of the Executive Loan Committee are held as needed on the fourth Thursday of each month from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. These meetings are open to the public and are held in the Large Conference Room of the Civic Center Plaza building at 1200 Third Avenue, 14th Floor.

Current members of the committee are:

Executive Loan Committee Agenda

Executive Loan Committee Minutes

Application for Agency Assistance

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Other Affordable Housing Resource Information

Contacts/Links

NOTE/AVISO: For help in specifically finding affordable residential units to rent, contact the San Diego Housing Commission using the information below. Favor de ponerse en contacto con la San Diego Housing Commission (Comisión de Vivienda de San Diego) usando la información más abajo para obtener ayuda específica sobre la localización de viviendas económicas de alquiler.

City of San Diego Redevelopment Agency
Michele St. Bernard, Affordable Housing Project Manager
1200 Third Avenue, 14th Floor
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 236-6531
E-mail: mstbernard@sandiego.gov

Centre City Development Corporation
401 'B' Street, 4th Floor
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 235-2200

Southeastern Economic Development Corporation
404 Euclid Avenue, Suite 221
San Diego, CA 92114
(619) 527-7345

San Diego Housing Commission
1122 Broadway, Suite 300
San Diego, CA 92101-5612
(619) 231-9400
E-mail: sdhcinfo@sdhc.org


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