November 4, 2019
San Diego Housing Commission’s Annual Report Celebrates 40th Anniversary of Providing Housing Assistance
The Fiscal Year 2019 report is published online at www.sdhc.org
SAN DIEGO, CA – As the San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC) celebrates four decades of helping San Diegans with low income or experiencing homelessness to address their housing needs, the agency’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 Annual Report highlights the positive impacts SDHC’s programs continue to have.
Published today on SDHC’s website, www.sdhc.org, SDHC’s FY 2019 Annual Report includes a special 40th Anniversary commemorative section, including a timeline of 40 significant milestones and a summary of SDHC’s impact since its inception.
“The San Diego Housing Commission has grown into an agency known for innovation as it creates and preserves affordable housing, provides federal rental assistance, and leads collaborative efforts to address homelessness. Over the last 40 years, Mayors, City Councilmembers and Housing Commission Board members have helped to shape this agency into what it is today. With continuing strong leadership from these individuals, along with our valued community partners and dedicated staff, the Housing Commission looks forward to continuing to help San Diego families in its next 40 years,” SDHC President & CEO Richard C. Gentry said.
Since its inception in 1979, SDHC has participated in the creation or preservation of more than 24,000 affordable rental housing units in the City of San Diego, including more than 1,600 that were completed in FY 2019 (July 1, 2018 – June 30, 2019).
Through its largest program, in FY 2019, SDHC paid $148.6 million to participating landlords to help more than 15,800 households with low income pay their rent through the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance program. By comparison, SDHC’s budget 40 years ago included $7.1 million for rental assistance payments.
In addition, SDHC’s leadership role in addressing homelessness has rapidly expanded since SDHC began administering the City of San Diego’s Homeless Shelters and Services Programs in 2010. SDHC launched its homelessness action plan, HOUSING FIRST – SAN DIEGO, in 2014. In less than five years, HOUSING FIRST – SAN DIEGO has created more than 7,600 housing opportunities for San Diegans experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness.
SDHC’s FY 2019 Annual Report also reflects the agency’s motto—We’re About People—by featuring the stories of individuals and families who have experienced positive impacts from SDHC’s programs.
Among these program participants is Michael, a 30-year-old San Diegan living with a disability who in November of 2018 received a federal housing voucher from SDHC that enabled him move into a rental apartment he can afford in San Diego’s Serra Mesa neighborhood.
“Having your own place gives you an opportunity to focus on other things in life that you may not have otherwise thought you could achieve,” said Michael, who with stable housing is focusing on earning a degree in sociology and is considering a career in social work.
SDHC also helped Tre Léna as she works to return to a career in nursing that she gave up years ago to care for her children after one of her daughters was seriously injured when a car struck her.
Through the Bridges to Career Opportunities Program, Tre Léna completed a Certified Nursing Assistant program.
“I have a future, thanks to the Housing Commission,” Tre Léna said.
SDHC launched the Bridges to Career Opportunities program this year with funding from a three-year, $190,000 grant from the national Local Initiatives Support Corporation that was funded by the Citi Foundation.
The grant was awarded to the SDHC Achievement Academy, a learning and resource center and computer lab located at SDHC’s headquarters in downtown San Diego. SDHC Achievement Academy programs emphasize career planning, job skills, job placement and personal financial education. These programs are available at no charge to SDHC federal rental assistance participants and residents of SDHC public housing units.
On June 20, 2019, the San Diego County Grand Jury issued a report commending the SDHC Achievement Academy for its innovative training and educational programs.
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
