San Diego County to allocate US$25 million for affordable housing construction

SAN DIEGO, CA – Continuing its efforts to expand the supply of affordable housing, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors made US$25 million available for the construction of affordable housing.

In addition to the funds, the County reported that project-based housing choice vouchers and Veterans Affairs project-based supportive housing vouchers will also be available.

The latest round of funding available will be through the Innovative Housing Trust Fund, administered by the County’s Housing and Community Development Services (HCDS).

Developers will be able to access the Notice of Funding Availability through the County’s Buynet system and the HCDS website. The deadline for submitting applications will be June 5, 2023.

The County indicated that proposals to be considered will support housing for seniors, transition-age foster youth, veterans, people experiencing homelessness, low-income families and other at-risk groups.

“This is a great step forward in continuing to expand permanent affordable housing options for our most vulnerable neighbors and our heroes who served,” said HCDS Director David Estrella. “We will continue to chip away at the housing crisis, getting more people off the street and into a place they can feel safe calling home.”

This funding will be available for affordable developments countywide, and project-based Housing Choice Voucher and Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Vouchers (VASH PBV) will be available in all areas except the incorporated cities of San Diego, Carlsbad, National City, Oceanside and Encinitas which operate their own housing agencies.

San Diego County Housing and Community Development Services assists more than 42,000 people a year through various affordable housing programs. Since 2017, the County has invested more than US$240 million in such housing, including the use of surplus County properties and its Innovative Housing Trust Fund.

Efforts since then have resulted in the opening of 1,125 new units with an additional 3,144 units on the way. When all projects under construction or in the planning stages are completed, the total number of County-funded units will total nearly 7,600, providing a home for more than 16,700 people.