May 2, 2024
Celebrating New Rental Homes for Seniors with Low Income or Experiencing Homelessness
The San Diego Housing Commission awarded rental housing vouchers and a loan to support the Puesta del Sol development in Linda Vista
SAN DIEGO, CA — A newly opened affordable rental housing development for seniors, built in collaboration with the San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC), provides Marian a home she can afford after years of housing instability, including most recently living in a homelessness shelter despite having a job.
“I paid into Social Security since the time I was 18 years old,” said Marian, one of the first residents of Puesta del Sol in Linda Vista and a former Department of Defense and retail employee. “I thought I had it made, then inflation happened. As it turns out, I didn’t have enough money to rent an apartment on fixed income.”
Now, Marian is confident she’ll be able to stay in San Diego at Puesta del Sol.
Developed by Community HousingWorks in collaboration with SDHC and additional partners, Puesta del Sol consists of 59 one-bedroom apartments for seniors ages 55 and older with low- and very-low incomes, including six units set aside for seniors who previously experienced homelessness, like Marian.
“We’re working on every facet of this challenge to try and make sure that folks who are willing to work hard, who want to be a part of the community, can live in this community, and that’s not currently a given, but we’re going to keep working until that is a given,” San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said at Puesta del Sol’s grand opening today.
The opening of Puesta del Sol, which means “sunset” in Spanish, marks the culmination of a larger intergenerational infill development, together with Amanecer (or “sunrise”), an adjacent development in collaboration with SDHC that opened last year with 95 rental apartments for families with low income, transition-age youth and veterans who experienced homelessness.
“It’s great to see projects like this. It was an intentional thing that was done by Community HousingWorks, to say: Let’s have families there, and then let’s have seniors right here on this block. And that is really, really important,” said San Diego City Councilmember Raul Campillo, whose Council District 7 includes the Linda Vista site where Puesta del Sol was built.
SDHC awarded 59 federal rental housing vouchers to Puesta del Sol that will help the residents pay rent. When a tenant moves out, the housing voucher remains with Puesta del Sol to help to assist a new resident.
“It is fantastic to see a project that is specifically designed to serve seniors and has made space for formerly homeless seniors,” SDHC Vice Chair of the Board Ryan Clumpner said. “For 59 senior households, Puesta del Sol provides a peace of mind and stability of having rental home that they can afford in their golden years.”
In addition, SDHC awarded a loan of more than $4 million toward the development. The loan consisted of resources from the City of San Diego’s Affordable Housing Fund, which SDHC administers.
The apartments at Puesta del Sol will serve seniors earning 30 percent to 60 percent of San Diego’s Area Median Income, currently $36,400 to $72,720 per year for a two-person household. It also includes one manager’s unit.
“We pride ourselves on making quality, affordable places for people to call home, not just to live but truly to prosper,” Community HousingWorks President & CEO Sean Spear said. “Much of that is really focused on our efforts around providing the right types of housing that are needed in our communities.”
Puesta del Sol consists of a three-story, L-shaped building with a courtyard that includes a community garden, outdoor fitness equipment, a swing and a barbecue/picnic area. The development also includes a trail along the perimeter of the site to encourage residents to walk.
Amenities at Puesta del Sol include a multipurpose community room with kitchen, computer lab, roof top terrace, centralized laundry room, management leasing office and conference room. A resident reading room and n upper-level terrace provide additional common areas for residents.
Puesta del Sol is conveniently located near well-served transit stops, employment, shopping centers, Linda Vista Community Park, a recreation center, library, schools and a full-service grocery store.
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
