HOMELESS SENIOR HOUSING PROJECT GETS UNDER WAY
50-unit complex breaks ground in Escondido
Low-income seniors and older homeless people with severe mental illness will have a new home in Escondido in about 18 months when the 50-unit Valley Senior Village opens in downtown Escondido.
A ground-breaking ceremony was held at 337 East Valley Parkway on Monday for the $21 million project, the latest from nonprofit developers National Community Renaissance and San Diego Community Housing Corporation.
“The need for senior housing is incredible,” said John Seymour, vice president of acquisitions and forward planning for National CORE. “America will be doubling the senior population in 28 years. Obviously, in San Diego, we’re having this silver tsunami. People turning 55 and older who are going to be extremely rent-burdened, and not many people have a handle on this yet.”
Residents of Valley Senior Village will receive mental and medical care along with other services from Hope through Housing Foundation, San Ysidro Health/San Diego PACE (Program of All Inclusive Care for the Elderly), San Diego County Behavioral Health Services and Interfaith Community Services.
The project was funded with $4 million from the city of Escondido, $2 million from the county’s Innovative Housing Trust Fund, $5 million from the California Department of Housing and Community Development’s No Place Like Home program and $10 million from Hudson Housing private equity tax credits.
“As a longtime Escondido resident, I know how important it is for our city to offer affordable housing options, especially for seniors who are largely living on fixed incomes,” said Escondido Mayor Paul McNamara. “I am proud that this wonderful city is continuing to make strides toward an even higher quality of life for all residents.”
David Estrella, director of Housing and Community Development Services for the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency, said at the groundbreaking that it is important for the county to preserve and create affordable housing.
“When it comes to ensuring the health and safety of North County seniors, affordable housing coupled with supportive services remains one of the most crucial components,” he said. “With innovative programs like the county of San Diego Innovative Housing Trust Fund and No Place Like Home, we are continuing to bring folks in off of the street, to help recently homeless seniors maintain stable housing, and to allow all senior residents the opportunity to thrive as they age in place.”
San Diego County Supervisors Jim Desmond and Terra Lawson-Remer also attended the Monday ceremony.
“We must continue to improve our region by investing in our communities,” Desmond said. “And I believe investing in workforce housing and permanent supportive housing is a crucial part of that.”
“One of my foremost goals while serving the people of San Diego County is to create livable, sustainable and healthy communities,” Lawson-Remer said. “Valley Senior Village will be a wonderful home for its residents, providing easy access to transit and supportive resources, while benefiting the community as a whole through sustainable, affordable development.”
National CORE and San Diego Community Housing Corporation also are partners on the 54-unit Santa Fe Senior Village at 414 N. Santa Fe Ave. in Vista, which may begin construction in 2023, and the 50-unit Greenbrier Village Apartments on Greenbrier Drive between Apple Street and Oceanside Boulevard in Oceanside. The Oceanside City Council approved a $3.5 million loan for the project in June and is scheduled to consider finalizing the funding plan today.
Another National CORE project, San Ysidro Senior Village, is scheduled to have a grand opening at 517 W. San Ysidro Blvd. on Jan. 26. All 50 rental units will be for seniors with severe mental illness.
In South Bay, National Core is developing the 74unit Nestor Senior Village, with construction expected to begin in March.
In San Marcos, National CORE is rebuilding and expanding the affordable housing project Villa Serena in two phases to create 148 new units. In another San Marcos project, National CORE is acquiring parcels to create Richmar Senior Village on Richmar Avenue. Seymour said the project could have 80 or more units.