October 29, 2020
SDHC’s Online, Multimedia Fiscal Year 2020 Annual Report Highlights COVID-19 Response and Continuing Housing Assistance
SAN DIEGO, CA — The many actions the San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC) took in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to assist families with low income or experiencing homelessness in the City of San Diego are highlighted in a special section of SDHC’s Fiscal Year 2020 Annual Report, published online today in a multimedia format.
Available at www.sdhc.org in the “Media Center,” the report also features SDHC’s programs and accomplishments throughout Fiscal Year 2020 (July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2020), as SDHC seamlessly continued to provide housing assistance as a majority of the agency’s staff worked remotely due to COVID-19.
“With the professionalism and dedication of our staff and collaboration with community leaders and organizations, the San Diego Housing Commission met the challenge of these difficult times,” SDHC President & CEO Richard C. Gentry said. “I want to especially thank Mayor Kevin L. Faulconer, San Diego City Council President Georgette Gómez and the City Council, SDHC Chair of the Board Stefanie Benvenuto and the Board of Commissioners, and all of the organizations that work with us throughout the community for their leadership and support.”
The report includes embedded videos, stories of the people SDHC serves, and graphics with data about the positive impact SDHC has on households with low income or experiencing homelessness in the City of San Diego.
The COVID-19 special section of SDHC’s annual report includes a timeline of many of SDHC’s actions, such as implementing policies in March to assist residents in SDHC’s rental assistance program and residents of SDHC’s affordable housing units who experience financial hardship due to COVID-19.
SDHC also worked with the offices of Mayor Faulconer and City Councilmember Chris Ward, with the approval and support of the San Diego City Council, to create and implement the City of San Diego COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program.
In the current fiscal year that began on July 1, 2020, SDHC continued its COVID-19 response with efforts such as obtaining San Diego City Council approval to acquire two hotels to create 332 permanent housing units with supportive services that will have the capacity to provide rental homes for as many as 400 individuals.
The Fiscal Year 2020 Annual Report also demonstrates the continuation of SDHC’s housing assistance programs amid the impacts of COVID-19:
- SDHC provided federal rental assistance that helped more than 16,000 households with low-income pay their rent.
- SDHC partnered with developers on projects that completed more than 1,000 affordable rental housing units, with more than 2,900 additional affordable housing units approved and pending completion.
- SDHC’s homelessness action plan, HOUSING FIRST – SAN DIEGO, reached the milestone of more than 9,200 housing solutions created in less than six years for individuals and families experiencing homelessness in the City of San Diego.
SDHC’s Annual Report was produced in-house by the award-winning SDHC Communications & Government Relations Division.
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Media Contact:
Scott Marshall
Vice President of Communications
619-578-7138
