SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The City of San Diego says it is moving forward with a plan to convert the vacant Serra Mesa Library into a 100% affordable housing site that has units specifically prioritized for veterans.
The city's press release says following a City Council vote Monday, it has entered a 65-year ground lease with nonprofit developer Community HousingWorks. The preliminary project plan intends to turn the 0.34-acre lot, located at 3440 Sandrock Road, into 59 affordable homes, including 56 one-bedroom homes and three two-bedroom homes.
The homes will be known as the Serra Mesa Apartments, and they'll be restricted to households earning between 30% and 60% of the area median income for 55 years, the city says.
People in that income range are considered the most at risk of experiencing homelessness. San Diego County's website indicates that as of April 2024, the area median income for the area is $119,500.
Veterans will get priority for 30 of these units, the release states.
Mayor Todd Gloria says the project checks several boxes when it comes to the criteria for his housing policies: utilizing underused public land in high-resource neighborhoods with quick access to solid jobs, transits, schools and more.
"This project demonstrates our commitment to ensuring lower-income families and our veterans can afford to live in communities that provide the opportunities and stability they deserve," Gloria says.
Under the terms of the ground lease, the city will keep ownership of the site, but the developer will build the housing and share revenue with the city. When the lease is over, the developer will turn the improvements back over to the city.
District 7 Councilmember Raul Campillo says this project is a step in the right direction for providing more affordable housing for veterans in the area.
“Those who served our country should never have to worry about having a safe place to call home. Thank you to all community members who offered input on this project and to Community HousingWorks for carefully considering and speaking to community concerns when this project came to committee," Campillo says.
The new property will include the following amenities:
- 22 parking spaces
- Lobby and community room spaces
- Computer lab
- Laundry facilities
- Leasing offices
- Case management and resident services area
- Bike parking
- Second-story courtyard furnished with seating, trees and greenery
The city says "if and when" Community HousingWorks closes on the financing, the developer expects construction to be done by May 2027.
Economic Development Director Christina Bibler says the central location of the housing in Serra Mesa makes this an appealing project.
“This is a great opportunity to activate a vacant community space into much-needed affordable housing while serving those to have willingly served our nation,” says Bibler.
The library has been closed since 2006, when the Serra Mesa-Kearny Mesa Branch Library opened on Aero Drive. The vacant building had been used for storage until 2019. In 2020, the city started taking proposals from developers and individuals to apply for the ground lease and operation of a permanent supportive housing service at the location.
During its meeting Monday, the San Diego City Council approved a $4 million Bridge to Home loan to help expedite the start of the project.
The press release says the council approved another Bridge to Home loan at $3.1 million for another project: The Navajo Family Apartments. That development is projected to create another 44 apartments for households making 60% or less of the area's average median income.
The Navajao Family Apartments will include 11 apartments designated for people with special needs and intellectual or developmental disabilities.
