April 29, 2025
New Construction Will Create 125 Affordable Housing Units at the Former Family Court Site in Cortez Hill
The San Diego Housing Commission’s loan and rental housing vouchers support the Kindred Apartments development
SAN DIEGO, CA — The transformation of the former site of the County of San Diego’s Family Court into an affordable, intergenerational community of seniors and families with low income is underway, with a groundbreaking ceremony today celebrating the start of construction for Kindred Apartments, a collaboration with the San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC).
“Today is proof of what can happen when the City and the County work together with our nonprofit partners to get big and bold things done, and I look forward to more collaboration to make sure that we’re continuing to serve our shared constituents to the best of our respective abilities,” San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said.
Kindred Apartments will consist of 125 rental apartments that will remain affordable for 99 years for households earning no more than 60 percent of San Diego’s Area Median Income, currently $99,240 per year for a family of four. The development also includes one unrestricted manager’s unit.
“We are here celebrating this site that was once a family courthouse and temporary migrant shelter—it will now become a space of hope, healing and opportunity,” County of San Diego Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe said. “Today’s groundbreaking is more than just the start of construction. It’s the beginning of a new chapter for this community and so many people who will benefit from this space. By investing in permanent supportive housing for our seniors and affordable homes for families, we are expanding a future of possibilities for all San Diegans to thrive regardless of income.”
BRIDGE Housing is developing Kindred Apartments in collaboration with SDHC and multiple partners. SDHC awarded 84 housing vouchers to the development, of which 63 are for seniors who previously experienced homelessness. The remaining 21 vouchers will assist eligible families with low income.
“The Kindred Apartments development will transform this site into a vibrant community that brings seniors and families together and provides housing stability in a shared place to call home,” SDHC Senior Vice President of Real Estate Development Colin Miller said. “The rental homes here will be life-changing for seniors who have experienced homelessness and families struggling financially in San Diego’s high-cost rental market.”
SDHC also awarded a loan of up to $7,955,000 toward the development. SDHC’s loan consists of federal, state and local funds SDHC administers, including:
- $2.25 million in HOME Investment Partnerships Program funds that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awards to the City of San Diego;
- $2.85 million from the State of California’s Local Housing Trust Fund; and
- $2.85 million from the City of San Diego’s Affordable Housing Fund.
“Affordable housing provides so much more than shelter,” BRIDGE Housing President and CEO Ken Lombard said. “It’s a foundation for healthier families, stronger communities. It helps children succeed in school, empowers adults to contribute more to their neighborhoods and enables seniors to age with dignity.”
San Ysidro Health will provide supportive services, such as medical and social services, through the San Diego Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) for the seniors who experienced homelessness. San Ysidro Health will also provide enhanced case management and social services to all residents of Kindred Apartments.
“Health is not accomplished within an exam room or a building. It really does take the social determinants of health to come together in fabric and weave a healthier San Diego,” San Ysidro Health’s Interim CEO Veronica De La Rosa said.
The development is anticipated to be completed in early 2027 in the Cortez Hill neighborhood of downtown San Diego, a transit-oriented area that facilitates access to regional public transit services that connect residents to jobs, schools, parks and recreational opportunities throughout San Diego.
The County of San Diego invested $4 million from its Innovative Housing Trust Fund toward the development, in addition to providing the development site, one of 11 excess land properties the County identified for the creation of affordable housing.
Funding for Kindred Apartments also includes more than $17.7 million in recycled tax-exempt Multifamily Housing Revenue Bonds from the State. This funding is part of an innovative bond recycling agreement between the SDHC, the City of San Diego and the California Housing Finance Agency.
Additional funding partners include US Bank, Greystone Housing Impact Investors, and Western Alliance Bank.
Connect with SDHC on social media:
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Media Contact:
Scott Marshall,
Vice President of Communications
San Diego Housing Commission
619-578-7138
scottm@sdhc.org
