A Newsletter For Our Friends & Partners                                                   March 2009
 Affordable Housing Spotlight: Villa Nueva
Villa Nueva is an outstanding example of how SDHC helps to improve and preserve existing affordable housing. Built in 1971, the 398-unit apartment complex had fallen into disrepair. In addition, affordability restrictions were about to expire. SDHC stepped in with a $9.2 million loan (the largest in agency history) and $37.5 million in tax-exempt bonds to enable a developer to purchase and improve the property. SDHC also set a new agreement that will keep the apartments affordable to low-income families for another 20 years.

Developed by Casa Familiar and Steadfast Residential Properties, Villa Nueva is located in San Ysidro. The extensively renovated rental community features a new community center, a preschool, social services, tot lots and a basketball court. Interior and exterior rehabilitation work included new appliances and fixtures, cabinets, floor coverings, walkway and stairway repairs, roof replacement, upgraded landscaping, security lighting, and repainting of all building exteriors. Villa Nueva also has one of the world's largest residential solar energy systems.

For more information about Villa Nueva, call Casa Familiar, 619.428.1115.

$8.9 Million for Supportive Housing

The City of San Diego and SDHC have secured $8.9 million in supportive housing grants for local nonprofit service providers. Funded by the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD), the grants will be used to provide affordable housing and social services to homeless and disabled individuals.

Grant recipients include Townspeople's 34th Street Apartments - a new project which will serve individuals with HIV/AIDS. Funds were also given to the following organizations: Pathfinders of San Diego, Stepping Stone (pictured above), St. Vincent de Paul, Center for Social Support and Education, and The Association for Community Housing Solutions.

For more information, read the news release.

Quick Links

Website: www.sdhc.org
Fact Sheet: What We Do

Success Story

Ethel and Jessemina 
 
Ethel and her daughter Jessemina were once homeless. Today, they're thriving, with help from SDHC.

A former foster care youth who had ended up living in homeless shelters, Ethel found hope through SDHC - first through agency-funded supportive housing programs, and later by way of SDHC's "Section 8" Rental Assistance and Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) programs. These resources enabled Ethel "get ahead" in the work world while her rent remained affordable.

Today, Ethel has a great job with benefits as the membership coordinator of a community recreation center. As an added bonus, she is able to spend more time with her daughter, who attends an after-school club at the same facility. 

Keeping San Diegans Safe from Lead Paint Dangers

City Heights home owner James Clark never imagined that the 1950s-era house he shares with his daughter and six-year-old granddaughter was contaminated with lead-based paint. He learned of the dangerous conditions after applying for housing rehabilitation assistance through SDHC. Upon inspecting his home, staff informed James of numerous interior and exterior lead hazards - such as the peeling shown in the photo at right.

The problem will soon be remedied with help from SDHC - which received a $7 million grant from HUD for the removal of lead paint hazards. As announced by San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders at a recent press conference, the funds will enable SDHC to continue to manage the City's Lead Safe San Diego program.

500 families will be assisted over the next three years. Grants ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 per unit are available for owner-occupied and rental housing built before 1978. The program targets homes with children under the age of six, and eligibility is based on family size and income.

For more information on the Lead Safe San Diego program, call SDHC at 619.578.7521.

News & Notes

> Mayor Jerry Sanders has appointed three new commissioners to fill SDHC board seats: Allen Sims, Gary Gramling and Sam Guillen. He also reappointed board member Khadija Basir. 

> SDHC leaders and 1,000 housing authority executives from around the nation traveled to Washington, D.C., last week to talk with elected officials about affordable housing issues, including the foreclosure crisis, the federal stimulus package and funding priorities. SDHC's messages were well-received. Pictured: Rep. Susan Davis (D-San Diego) with SDHC's President & CEO Rick Gentry (far right), SDHC Chairman Sal Salas, and Communications Manager Erika Rooks.

> A foreclosure crisis resource website is now available at www.foreclosuresandiego.org.
Designed to educate and support distressed homeowners, the site offers information about resources and includes links to organizations such as the nonprofit Housing Opportunities Collaborative. The website is part of the City of San Diego's comprehensive efforts to address home foreclosure issues. Read the San Diego Union-Tribune article.

Public Feedback Sought for Federal Funds Application

City of San Diego residents are invited to give input on how to spend federal housing and community development funds that will be allocated to San Diego over the next five years (2010-2014). The Five-Year Consolidated Plan is a community investment "blueprint" that serves as a planning guide and application for $26 million annually in federal grants for community development activities, including affordable housing and social services. SDHC prepares the Plan on behalf of the City of San Diego. To learn more, go to SDHC's website after April 1.
                 
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The San Diego Housing Commission is a public agency working to expand affordable housing opportunities in the City of San Diego. Each year, the agency helps 80,000 low-income individuals with affordable housing through award-winning programs that benefit the city's economy and revitalize neighborhoods. The agency also finances affordable housing development and advises the San Diego City Council on housing policy matters. Learn more: www.sdhc.org.