San Diego-based nonprofit affordable housing developer Community HousingWorks (CHW) celebrates the opening of Puesta del Sol Apartments, a new development with 59 apartments for adults 55 years and older.
A recent San Diego Union-Tribune article illustrated the challenge of seniors paying for housing on a fixed income, reporting that “55.8% of older adult renters in San Diego County don’t have enough money to keep up with their bills.”
With the opening of Puesta del Sol, CHW aims to reduce the number of seniors who experience homelessness. Puesta del Sol apartments are reserved for households earning 30%-60% of the Area Median Income and the community has been awarded 59 project-based vouchers to ensure access for the most income-vulnerable residents.
Additionally, six of the 59 vouchers will serve chronically homeless individuals supported by wrap-around services to ensure their housing success.
Affordable Housing at Puesta del Sol Apartments
Built adjacent to CHW’s Amanecer Apartments on Ulric Street, Puesta del Sol completes the combined intergenerational community in San Diego’s Linda Vista neighborhood. Together Puesta del Sol and Amanecer represent the first new affordable housing construction in Linda Vista.
Located near public transportation, parks, the Linda Vista public library, and numerous retail and employment centers, Puesta is designed for the needs of older adults. The community only offers one-bedroom apartments, plus a two-bedroom manager unit. On-site amenities include a multi-purpose room with a kitchen, a large outdoor courtyard and barbecues, a computer room, a rooftop terrace, and a centralized laundry room.
It was announced at the event that a second-floor “flex room” will be dedicated later this year to former long-time CHW team member Kelly Swanson. Swanson passed away in 2023 and had served CHW as a Senior Project Accountant for more than 12 years.
CHW President and CEO Sean Spear explained the idea behind the community’s creation: “When CHW started the work to build [Puesta del Sol and Amanecer] on Ulric Street, our intent was to provide housing for vulnerable community members who had a critical need for affordable housing. Our hope is that these two communities will really interact with each other as an intergenerational community within Linda Vista.”
In his remarks at the opening celebration City of San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria highlights the inclusion of vouchers specifically for formerly homeless individuals and explains, “What I love most about [Puesta del Sol] is the role it plays in our comprehensive approach to homelessness.”
RELATED
- Top 10 trends in senior living facilities for 2024
- Top 80 Senior Living Facility Architecture Firms for 2023
- Senior living construction poised for steady recovery
The San Diego Housing Commission provided a below market rate loan and project-based vouchers for the development. Additional funding was provided by construction and permanent lender Chase Bank (as a successor to First Republic Bank), and investor limited partner is Red Stone Equity Partners; the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee provided 9% tax credits, and the city of San Diego waived $144,000 in permit fees.
On-site services for residents are provided by CHW services partner, LifeSTEPS. The locally based development team included general contractor Sun Country Builders, architectural firm Studio E Architects, civil engineering firm Project Design Consultants, and landscape architect Schmidt Design Group, Inc.
Puesta del Sol resident Marian Sewell also shared her story at the opening celebration. She moved to San Diego from Miami, Florida, in the mid-1970s and worked for the Department of Defense and later worked in retail. “I paid into social security since I was 18 years old ... I thought I had it made, but inflation happened. As it turns out I didn’t even have enough money to rent an apartment on a fixed income.” Sewell continues, “I’m so thankful and grateful to be here at Puesta del Sol Apartments. I’m so grateful to CHW for building the community and for being here for the people that need them.”
The opening ceremony took place Thursday, May 2, 2024, at 2601 Ulric Street in San Diego at 10 a.m. Speakers included San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, Councilmember Raul Campillo, San Diego Housing Commission Board Vice Chair Ryan Clumpner, Puesta del Sol resident Marian Sewell, Community HousingWorks President and CEO Sean Spear, Board Chair Don Ambrose, Senior Project Manager Simon Fraser, and Senior Vice President of Housing and Real Estate Development Kevin Leichner. The San Diego Women’s Chorus performed.
About Community HousingWorks
Founded in 1988, Community HousingWorks is a nationally recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that develops, rehabilitates, preserves, and operates affordable apartment communities in California and Texas. In addition to providing working families and seniors with stable homes in healthy communities, Community HousingWorks layers in powerful programs, services, and connections to resources. These tools help people attain financial stability, improve their health and overall well-being, and set up school-age children for success in the classroom and beyond. Community HousingWorks owns over 4,200 apartments in 48 communities statewide, serving nearly 12,000 working families, children, and seniors. Community HousingWorks is an exemplary ranked member of the national NeighborWorks Network®, an award-winning affiliate of UnidosUS and a member of the prestigious Housing Partnership Network. To learn more, visit chworks.org
On the Building Team
Developer: Community HousingWorks
Architect: Studio E Architects
Civil Engineer: Project Design Consultants
Landscape Architect: Schmidt Design Group, Inc.
General Contractor: Sun Country Builders
Related Stories
| Nov 13, 2013
Installed capacity of geothermal heat pumps to grow by 150% by 2020, says study
The worldwide installed capacity of GHP systems will reach 127.4 gigawatts-thermal over the next seven years, growth of nearly 150%, according to a recent report from Navigant Research.
| Oct 30, 2013
11 hot BIM/VDC topics for 2013
If you like to geek out on building information modeling and virtual design and construction, you should enjoy this overview of the top BIM/VDC topics.
| Oct 28, 2013
Urban growth doesn’t have to destroy nature—it can work with it
Our collective desire to live in cities has never been stronger. According to the World Health Organization, 60% of the world’s population will live in a city by 2030. As urban populations swell, what people demand from their cities is evolving.
| Oct 18, 2013
Researchers discover tension-fusing properties of metal
When a group of MIT researchers recently discovered that stress can cause metal alloy to fuse rather than break apart, they assumed it must be a mistake. It wasn't. The surprising finding could lead to self-healing materials that repair early damage before it has a chance to spread.
| Sep 19, 2013
What we can learn from the world’s greenest buildings
Renowned green building author, Jerry Yudelson, offers five valuable lessons for designers, contractors, and building owners, based on a study of 55 high-performance projects from around the world.
| Sep 19, 2013
6 emerging energy-management glazing technologies
Phase-change materials, electrochromic glass, and building-integrated PVs are among the breakthrough glazing technologies that are taking energy performance to a new level.
| Sep 19, 2013
Roof renovation tips: Making the choice between overlayment and tear-off
When embarking upon a roofing renovation project, one of the first decisions for the Building Team is whether to tear off and replace the existing roof or to overlay the new roof right on top of the old one. Roofing experts offer guidance on making this assessment.
| Sep 11, 2013
BUILDINGChicago eShow Daily – Day 3 coverage
Day 3 coverage of the BUILDINGChicago/Greening the Heartland conference and expo, taking place this week at the Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza.
| Sep 10, 2013
BUILDINGChicago eShow Daily – Day 2 coverage
The BD+C editorial team brings you this real-time coverage of day 2 of the BUILDINGChicago/Greening the Heartland conference and expo taking place this week at the Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza.
| Sep 3, 2013
Delinquency rate for commercial real estate loans at lowest level in three years
The delinquency rate for US commercial real estate loans in CMBS dropped for the third straight month to 8.38%. This represents a 10-basis-point drop since July's reading and a 175-basis-point improvement from a year ago.
