Welcome to CLPHA's Press Room
CLPHA experts welcome interview requests from print, radio, television, and online reporters and are happy to provide their insights on issues of public housing and related legislation and policy.
For media inquiries, please contact:
David Greer
Director of Communications
(202) 550-1381 or [email protected].
*Please let us know if you are working on deadline.
To view all of CLPHA's press releases, click here.
To view all of CLPHA's press statements, click here.
You can subscribe here to our biweekly newsletter, events invite list, and topic specific newsletters. You can also follow us on Twitter at @CLPHA. Or, send us an email with your interests and we would be happy to add you to our press lists.
Thanks again for your interest in CLPHA!
Announcing the New CLPHA.org
(WASHINGTON) January 7, 2019 - The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA) is pleased to announce the launch of our newly-redesigned website.
The new CLPHA.org showcases our member PHAs and offers industry news and updates with a bright, modern look and dynamic, user-friendly content that is easy to navigate on a desktop computer or a mobile device.
DYNAMIC: A carousel of stories and the latest news on the front page keeps the content fresh. CLPHA.org is a website to bookmark and visit regularly.
INFORMATIONAL: At the new CLPHA.org, you will find articles and information about the latest developments on Capitol Hill and from HUD, facts and updates about programs important to public and affordable housing, and news from CLPHA about our work on behalf of our members.
USER-FRIENDLY: The new CLPHA.org features sections on each of CLPHA's priorities: Public Housing, Housing Choice Vouchers, Moving to Work, RAD, and our cross-sector initiative Housing Is. Plus, dedicated sections for Legislation & Policy, Press, News & Events, and Membership.
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About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities is a national non-profit organization that works to preserve and improve public and affordable housing through advocacy, research, policy analysis and public education.
Experts to Present First National Snapshot of Health Partnerships in Public Housing
Free Webinar Aug. 29, 12 PM ET
WASHINGTON (August 28, 2018) - Half of the nation’s public housing authorities (PHAs) are engaged in a resident health initiative, most with a health organization partner according to Health Starts at Home: A National Snapshot of Public Housing Authorities' Health Partnerships, the latest report released by the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA) and the Public and Affordable Housing Research Corporation (PAHRC). The report provides the first national snapshot of PHA efforts to address residents’ health care needs and emphasizes opportunities for collaboration between the health and housing sectors.
Report authors Steve Lucas, MPH, CLPHA Health Research and Policy Manger for the Housing Is Initiative, Keely Stater, PHD, PAHRC Director of Research and Industry Intelligence, and Kelly McElwain, PAHRC Research Analyst III, will present their analysis during a free webinar on August 29, 2018 at 12:00 PM ET.
“Housing and health systems need to work together,” said Lucas, who designed and implemented the original survey that led to the report. “Public housing authorities are significant providers of housing to those in need, offering the health sector scale and expertise. We found that PHAs across the country are engaged in a wide range of partnerships with different health organizations that address various target populations and health priorities. Though there are barriers to housing-health collaboration, such as funding and staffing capacity, these can be overcome with cross-system partnerships that seek to address these needs.”
Lucas published the initial survey findings in an issue of CityScape, a research publication of the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development. The article, “Connecting Fragmented Systems: Public Housing Authority Partnerships with the Health Sector,” is posted to the HUD User website.
What: Free Webinar: Building PHA Health Initiatives and Cross-Sector Partnerships
When: Wednesday, August 29, 2018, 12:00 PM ET
WEBINAR RECORDING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5-jm5eF_YU&t=24s
Webinar Presenters
Steve Lucas, MPH
Health Research and Policy Manager, Housing Is Initiative,
Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
Keely Stater, PhD
Director of Research and Industry Intelligence,
Public and Affordable Housing Research Corporation,
HAI Group's Research Division
Kelly McElwain
Research Analyst III,
Public and Affordable Housing Research Corporation,
HAI Group's Research Division
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About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities is a national non-profit organization that works to preserve and improve public and affordable housing through advocacy, research, policy analysis and public education. CLPHA’s 70 members represent virtually every major metropolitan area in the country. Together they manage 40 percent of the nation’s public housing program; administer 26 percent of the Housing Choice Voucher program; and operate a wide array of other housing programs. Learn more at clpha.org and on Twitter @CLPHA.
About Housing Is
CLPHA’s Housing Is Initiative helps establish, broaden, and deepen efforts to align affordable housing, education, and health systems to produce positive, long-term results. We are building a future where systems work together to improve life outcomes for low-income people. Learn more at HousingIs.org and on Twitter @Housing_Is.
CLPHA Opposes Administration Proposal to Increase Rent Burden on Lowest-Income Residents
WASHINGTON (May 14, 2018) - The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA) strongly opposes the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) recently announced proposal to increase rent burdens on low-income residents residing in public housing and assisted housing.
The core of HUD’s rent reform proposal is to shift the burden of chronic federal underfunding of assisted housing to low-income residents who can least afford it. While there are advantages to a proposal that simplifies rent calculations and reduces administrative burdens for public housing authorities (PHAs), this proposal requires that PHAs raise rents in order to benefit from common sense rent simplification. Even with the benefit of housing assistance, many public housing residents are already spending more than 30% of their income on rent. A 2017 HUD study reported that the average Housing Choice Voucher recipient had a rent burden of 37% in 2015. Nationally, we represent PHAs serving residents in the most expensive housing markets in the country, where voucher holders are especially likely to have to incur high rent burdens to gain access to higher opportunity neighborhoods of their choice.
Given existing rent burdens, this proposal raises serious concerns about the negative impact the proposed rent calculations would have on residents. Through changes to 35% of unadjusted income for families and 30% of unadjusted income for the elderly and disabled, many assisted households would see significant rent increases. For example, the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) estimates that public housing residents would see an average 36% rent increase while Housing Choice Voucher households would experience an average 23% rent increase. With an average annual household income of $21,000 for public housing residents and $16,000 for voucher holders served by HACLA, these increases represent substantial burdens that may interfere with a household’s ability to afford other necessities.
Beyond concerns regarding the fairness of further cost-burdening residents, there is some evidence to suggest that increased rents do not financially benefit PHAs and may have the opposite effect. When the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) implemented a HUD-mandated flat rent increase in 2014, impacted residents experienced an average rent increase of 46%. NYCHA saw their rent collection rate decrease among those impacted by the increase. NYCHA’s experience reflects the reality that increased rent payments only exacerbates affordability issues and puts more residents at risk of delinquency and eviction, resulting in more challenges for PHAs and less predictable revenue.
In addition to our concerns about the impacts of the proposed rent calculations, we note that the timing of these proposed changes are problematic for two reasons. First, some components of the proposal contradict important changes to housing assistance made through the recent federally enacted Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act (HOTMA) in 2016 by unanimous vote of the House and Senate. HUD has yet to publish implementation regulations for some of the key provisions in the bill. For example, HOTMA increased the deduction of medical expenses for elderly and disabled families and tied the deduction to inflation, while HUD’s proposal eliminates these deductions entirely. A significant number of elderly and disabled households currently use medical deductions, many of whom have substantial medical costs. We question the elimination of this deduction particularly when it is already undergoing a very different set of changes through congressionally-mandated HOTMA.
We also question the timing of these proposed changes given the fact that in 2012, HUD commissioned a four-site demonstration from MDRC to study several rent reform elements included in the proposal, including triennial recertification, elimination of income deductions, and ignorable asset limits. One of the research questions the demonstration is explicitly testing is whether these reforms reduce work disincentives and increase family self-sufficiency among families receiving vouchers. With results expected in 2019, HUD should use insights from the study to inform design of a rent reform model that most effectively promotes self-sufficiency.
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About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
CLPHA, headquartered in Washington, D.C., is a non-profit organization working to preserve and improve public and affordable housing through advocacy, research, policy analysis and public education. It represents most of the nation’s largest public housing authorities.
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(Washington, D.C.) June 17, 2021 – The nation's leading advocacy organizations representing public housing authorities have come together to support universal housing vouchers. The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities, the Moving to Work Collaborative, the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials, and the Public Housing Authorities Directors Association have released the joint letter below:
"Safe, secure, and stable housing is as essential to America’s social safety net as are Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare. Housing stability is central to improving life outcomes and economic mobility for low-income Americans. However, only one in five low-income households that are eligible to receive housing assistance can be served by existing programs due to limited funding. The pandemic has reinforced that rental assistance, such as the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, is critical to ensuring housing stability and managing sudden losses in income. Just as Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are structured to be available to all who are eligible, rental assistance must be too. Expansion of the voucher program offers a proven and effective approach to scale universal housing assistance to address housing instability and prevent homelessness in America.
Housing Choice Vouchers are a proven source of permanent housing stability. They are highly effective at providing long-term financial stability to formerly homeless populations and others experiencing housing instability. A recent HUD study found that offering families a permanent housing voucher resulted in greater housing and family stability compared to short-term interventions. Furthermore, a recent study from Columbia University found that expanding housing vouchers to all eligible households could help reduce poverty by 9.3 million people as well as reduce racial disparities in poverty. Vouchers are also frequently paired with supportive services to offer comprehensive assistance to individuals with complex mental and physical health conditions. Public housing authorities are uniquely positioned to aid low-income families in their challenges to regain employment and support children’s virtual learning because of their partnerships with nonprofit and government service providers that focus on education, health, and employment. Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies recently reported on the critical role that service coordinators in publicly funded housing have played in providing food and supplies, assisting with technology, and combatting resident anxiety and loneliness. Housing Choice Vouchers are a proven and effective rental assistance delivery system to scale universal housing assistance because they can be quickly distributed through the existing network of 2,200 state and local housing agencies that administer vouchers in urban, suburban, and rural areas. Housing authorities are trusted experts and partners in their local rental markets, have been administering the voucher program for nearly 50 years and are accountable to local and federal oversight and operate with significant public input. With the proper funding, housing authorities have the capacity for a rapid expansion. Housing vouchers power local communities. Landlords, many of whom operate as a small business, understand that the voucher program is a guaranteed, reliable income source and provides the benefit of long-term stability. PHAs have been using the additional funding and regulatory relief provided by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to expedite administrative processes most often cited by landlords as reasons for preferring unassisted tenants. With this funding, PHAs have also been able to offer incentives and support to increase landlord participation in the HCV program. We must strive to be a nation that believes that all people deserve the security that comes from having a home. Housing Choice Vouchers are the path to achieving this vision." |
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About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
About CLPHA’s Housing Is Initiative |
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(202) 550-1381
For Immediate Release
May 11, 2021 |
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(Washington, D.C.) May 11, 2021 – CLPHA Executive Director Sunia Zaterman released the following statement supporting the New York City Housing Authority’s call to double the public housing infrastructure investment proposed in the American Jobs Plan to $80 billion:
“The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities urges the Senate Majority Leader to stand firm on his call to double the public housing infrastructure investment in the American Jobs Plan to $80 billion in his meeting today with President Biden, Speaker Pelosi and GOP leadership.
“The New York City Housing Authority deserves its fair share of Senator Schumer’s request since it serves nearly double the amount of residents than any other housing authority, and its housing portfolio is among the oldest in the nation. Decades of chronic disinvestment has driven its unmet capital repairs alone to $40 billion. The $80 billion request enjoys critical support from Congresswoman Nydia Valezquez (D-NY) and the NYC-area Congressional delegation. This investment would also be a significant step to addressing racial inequity, a key priority of the Biden administration.
“As the American Jobs Plan moves through the legislative process, political leaders must guarantee that housing will remain in the infrastructure bill and that the commitment to recapitalize public housing infrastructure be doubled to $80 billion so that the needs of NYCHA and public housing portfolios across the nation are adequately met.”
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About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
About CLPHA’s Housing Is Initiative |
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April 28, 2021
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(Washington, D.C.) April 28, 2021 – CLPHA Executive Director Sunia Zaterman released the following statement in response to President's Biden's joint address to Congress tonight to mark his first 100 days in office:
"President Biden’s commitment to investing in our nation’s future through the American Jobs Plan and the American Families Plan, which was released tonight, has the potential to lift the lives of more than 2 million families living in our nation’s public and affordable housing. The American Jobs Plan improves the lives of public housing residents through a $40 billion commitment to retrofit and rebuild public housing properties to 21st century codes and standards.
"The American Families Plan improves the lives of public housing residents by expanding access to quality pre-school, direct support to children and families through child care, and investing of the childcare workforce, of which many public housing residents are employed. Because public housing residents are often employed in low-wage positions that do not offer paid leave they will be among the many beneficiaries of the national comprehensive paid family and medical leave program in the Families Plan.
"Public housing has always been about more than buildings. It is about the hopes and dreams of millions of Americans. The combination of the American Jobs Plan and American Families Plan is a powerful offer to make those dreams a reality."
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About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
About CLPHA’s Housing Is Initiative |
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The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles alongside partner Meta Housing Corporation, opened El Segundo Apartments and 127th Street Apartments in Harbor Gateway, two new communities offering a combined 160 units of permanent supportive housing for formerly homeless families and individuals.
The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA), partner Red Eye, Inc., and celebrity guests celebrated the opening of the Watts Empowerment Center Sports Complex at HACLA’s Imperial Courts community with basketball games, soccer matches, a slam dunk contest, and other activities.
Fort Worth Housing Solutions (FWHS)President Mary-Margaret Lemons penned an op-ed in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram about FWHS’s efforts to increase the city’s affordable housing options, such as their utilization of the RAD program.
The District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) and partners cut the ribbon on the Residences at Hayes Street, a 150-unit affordable housing community constructed with help from a $2 million DCHA loan. DCHA will also provide nearly $241,000 annually in rent subsidies to residents.
The Charlotte Housing Authority has opened The Oaks at Cherry, an 81-unit affordable housing community with resident amenities such a playground, cyber café, and fitness center in Charlotte’s historic Cherry neighborhood. You can watch a video about The Oaks at Cherry community here.
From the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority:
For many students, Spring Break is a time to unplug for a week. But from April 6-10, Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority (NRHA) is presenting its youth residents with different opportunities to be active and thrive.
This year, NRHA is pairing a sports-inspired Spring Break Sports Jam, which blends high-energy athletic programming with a high-tech STEM Boot Camp designed to keep students engaged and focused on the future.
The Sports Jam week kicks off with a heavy emphasis on community and movement with a football clinic on Monday, April 6, followed by a kick-ball tournament on Tuesday, April 7. Both events will be at the Calvert Square Envision Center from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
NRHA Youth Services Specialist Breion Taylor said the football clinic will feature structured skills and drills sessions led by local coaches from the Community 1st organization. These partners are coming out to mentor the youth, focusing on teamwork and athletic fundamentals.
Taylor is hopeful the tournament, and all the events, will foster stronger bonds between the community’s generations and the agency.
“Depending on turnout, we’d like to get some kids versus adults games going,” Taylor said. “And it would be funny to get some NRHA staff to go against some youth – it’s something everyone is looking forward to.”
Another event the agency has been intentional about planning is the Southside Field Day at Diggs Town on Thursday, April 9. Far from a typical park outing, Duane Rollins, another youth services specialist, explained that the Field Day will comprise of many retro games and activities, such as bean-bag tossing, three-legged races and a dunking booth.
“We’ve got a whole lot of different ideas to make it fun for the kids,” Rollins said.
The Spring Break Sports Jam week concludes with a Sneaker Ball on Friday, April 10 from 5-8 p.m. Youth are encouraged to dress to impress, following the night’s theme of Fresh Fits, Fresh Kicks.
“We’ll have a DJ and photo opportunities for the kids,” Rollins added. “And there will be different prizes for best sneakers and best dance.”
While the fields are buzzing with sports, another group of students will be embarking on the academic arm of the week – a STEM Boot Camp, in partnership with Community Outreach Coalition, Inc., and Coastal Virginia STEM Ecosystem.
NRHA Youth Programs Manager, Tashonna Thorne, said the program is designed to bridge the gap between classroom theory and real-world application.
“The first day will be a learning day at the Calvert Square Envision Center with our partners,” said Thorne, adding that represented fields include healthcare, engineering, computer science and STEM-focused skilled trades. “However, the exciting part will be when the students head out on field trips.”
Students will travel to the Tidewater Community College (TCC) Apprenticeship Program Skilled Trades campus in Portsmouth, the TCC Norfolk campus and Old Dominion University. There, participants will receive a front-row seat for modern apprenticeship programs and technical training facilities.
The goal is to demystify high-tech career paths. By visiting local campuses and seeing apprenticeship programs in action, NRHA youth get an early look at the certifications and skills required for the rapidly changing job market, Thorne said.
NRHA Vice President of Client Services, Julius Norman, said the agency’s goal is widespread engagement for all its spring break offerings.
“By providing a safe, structured environment throughout the day, the agency ensures that the fun of Spring Break also serves a functional purpose,” he said. “That purpose is building resilience and showing students what they can achieve.
From the Housing Authority of the County of San Bernardino's newsletter:
Liberty Lane, a new affordable housing community in Redlands dedicated to serving veterans and individuals with special needs, began leasing to new residents in January. The development features 80 affordable apartment homes, including 62 permanent supportive housing units specifically reserved for homeless and at-risk veterans.
These homes will provide long-term stability combined with comprehensive supportive services designed to promote housing retention, wellness and self-sufficiency.
Developed by A Community of Friends in partnership with the San Bernardino County Community Development and Housing Department, the Housing Authority of the County of San Bernardino (HACSB), the Department of Behavioral Health, the Loma Linda VA Medical Center, and U.S. VETS, Liberty Lane reflects strong collaboration across agencies committed to serving those who have served our country. Residents will benefit from high-quality, affordable housing and on-site case management, and clinical services.
HACSB Deputy Executive Director Rishad Mitha praised the success of the new community: “This development is a testament to what can be accomplished when mission-driven partners come together. Working alongside A Community of Friends, San Bernardino County, the Loma Linda VA Medical Center, and U.S. VETS, Liberty Lane demonstrates how coordinated housing development and supportive services can create much- needed affordable housing for veterans. With the occupancy of Liberty Lane, our veterans now have a place to call home and access to supportive services that promote health, stability, and independence."
From the Oakland Housing Authority's press release:
The Oakland Housing Authority (OHA) has launched Building Bridges: Hospital to Home (H2H), an innovative pilot program that recognizes stable housing as critical to children’s health. The program is supported by a $1.37 million funding award from Alameda Alliance for Health and delivered in partnership with Oakland Affordable Housing Preservation Initiatives (OAHPI) and UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland.
Today’s announcement celebrates the enrollment of the first two families into the program.
The program provides 50 two- and three-bedroom apartments in Oakland at a deeply affordable rent of $250 per month for up to five years, along with comprehensive wraparound services to support the families’ health and long-term stability. OHA is subsidizing the housing units and administering the program.
H2H serves families with children who are being or were treated in the Neonatal or Pediatric Intensive Care Units (NICU or PICU) at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland; are insured through Alameda Alliance Medi-Cal; live in Alameda County; and are experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
“This program is rooted in compassion for families navigating one of the most difficult moments in their lives,” said Patricia Wells, Executive Director of the Oakland Housing Authority. “When a child is facing a serious medical crisis, stable housing becomes part of the care families need to heal and move forward. By connecting families to housing and coordinated support, we’re helping create the stability and dignity every child and parent deserves, along with a pathway to long-term economic independence.”
Mayor Barbara Lee praised the collaborative effort and the program’s focus on prevention and family stability.
“In Oakland, we know that housing stability and family wellbeing are deeply connected—especially when a child is facing a medical crisis,” said Mayor Barbara Lee. “Building Bridges: Hospital to Home compliments the City’s long-standing partnership with the Oakland Housing Authority, including initiatives like the Building Bridges and Oakland PATH Rehousing Initiative that have already supported approximately 180 households. Delivered through community-based partners, with the City providing supportive services and OHA ensuring long-term housing stability, this work reflects more than a decade of collaboration to help families move from instability to security with dignity and care.”
How the Program Works
UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland social workers refer families to housing units near the hospital that have been set aside so families can stay close to their children during medical treatment. Families must meet the program’s referral criteria, including being an Alameda Alliance Medi-Cal member residing in Alameda County, experiencing or at risk of homelessness, and having a child admitted to the Neonatal or Pediatric Intensive Care Units (NICU and PICU). OHA determines eligibility through its intake process.
“At UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals, our mission to care for our patients, their caregivers, and their loved ones extends beyond our walls,” said Nicholas Holmes, MD, President of UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals. “Safe, stable housing has an enormous impact on children — supporting how quickly they recover from injury and illness, as well as their long-term health outcomes. Through this partnership, we’re building on our long-standing commitment to the health of Oakland and the East Bay, and our continued investment in this community.”
In addition to affordable housing, participating families receive wraparound services, including two years of utility assistance and two annual $800 stipends to help cover basic needs such as clothing and personal items, as well as two annual community events. Families also may have the opportunity to enroll in OHA’s Family Self‑Sufficiency (FSS) program to support long‑term economic independence.
Cross-Sector Partnership to Improve Health Outcomes
The program is funded through Alameda Alliance for Health’s Housing and Homelessness Incentive Program (HHIP). In addition to HHIP’s $1.37 million award, OHA will contribute up to $5.4 million in Moving to Work (MTW) rental assistance over the life of the program to offset housing costs, with participating families contributing up to $250 per month toward rent.
“Housing stability is a fundamental determinant of physical and mental health,” said Alameda Alliance for Health CEO Matthew Woodruff. “We are proud to support this critical pilot program, where Oakland families will have access to a safe place to live, which will ultimately lead to healthier outcomes for our entire community.”
Advancing Long-Term Stability
The pilot program aligns with OHA’s mission to promote civic involvement and economic self-sufficiency among residents while expanding affordable housing options in Oakland. The program seeks to address disparities in housing and healthcare access among low-income families in Alameda County.
OHA and OAHPI hope to sustain and expand the program beyond the pilot to include unhoused families with children experiencing long-term hospitalizations. For more information about the Building Bridges: Hospital to Home program, email [email protected] with the email subject H2H.
From the San Diego Housing Commission's press release:
The long-vacant former site of a City of San Diego public library will be transformed into nearly 60 affordable rental apartments for families through the development of Serra Mesa Apartments, which celebrated its groundbreaking today. Half of the apartments will be set aside for veterans experiencing homelessness.
“I think this project is particularly poetic. It's focused on veterans. Many of you know that Serra Mesa has long been home to many of our region’s military families. We have incredible military housing, literally across the street. Serra Mesa has long supported San Diego's role as America's premier military town,” said Mayor Todd Gloria. “And so, the integration of this project that has this emphasis on veterans really is a continuation of the story of this great community.”
For 55 years, rents for the 59 affordable rental units at Serra Mesa Apartments will remain affordable for San Diegans with incomes ranging from 30 to 60 percent of the San Diego Area Median Income, up to $79,380 per year for a two-person household.
“When families don’t have to worry as much about affording their rent each month, they have a better chance to thrive by focusing more on their career, schooling, health and their family life,” said Colin Miller, SDHC’s Senior Vice President of Real Estate Development.
SDHC awarded 30 Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) Project-Based Housing Vouchers toward the development to assist eligible veterans, who will also receive on-site supportive services from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) San Diego Healthcare System.
These VASH vouchers are tied directly to the development, so that when a resident moves on, the voucher remains at the site to help another eligible veteran family move into affordable rental housing.
SDHC also awarded a $2.5 million loan toward the development, consisting of federal and local funds that SDHC administers for the City of San Diego: the City of San Diego Affordable Housing Fund and federal HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) funds from the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The development is also part of the City’s Homes for All of Us Initiative to create housing for San Diegans of all income levels and includes a $4 million loan from the City of San Diego’s Bridge to Home program.
The development of the former library site, which sat vacant for 20 years, was also made possible by a 65-year land lease from the City of San Diego to the developer, Community HousingWorks (CHW).
“We are transforming this former library from one community asset to a different type of community asset in terms of providing affordable housing for folks most in need,” CHW President & CEO Sean Spear said. “And then we’re also transforming lives—the notion of being able to support residents, some of whom may be formerly homeless, and giving them not only a chance to really live comfortably in a well-built home, but also truly to thrive with the layering of services that we're going to be providing for them for free.”
The VA will provide on-site services to veteran households, such as health and case management services, connections to health and food resources.
CHW will also provide on-site services for all residents of the community at no cost, which may include financial success training, multigenerational success and health and wellness programs and services.
The development, which is expected to open in fall of 2027, will include 56 one-bedroom units, three two-bedroom units, and one unrestricted two-bedroom manager’s unit.
The development will consist of a five-story building, including a 22-space parking garage on the first floor, along with a 1,012-square-foot community room space, a computer lab, laundry facilities. The second floor will have a 2,765-square-foot courtyard.
The Serra Mesa library closed in 2006, upon the opening of the Serra Mesa-Kearny Mesa Branch Library on Aero Drive less than a mile away.
Nearby amenities include options for retail, transit, and parks as well as public schools, and the Kearny Mesa Veterans Affairs outpatient center, which is less than a quarter mile to the north on Aero Drive.
From WOSU Public Media:
The Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority opened its first complex in Grove City on Monday.
The $29-million, 82-unit Cobblestone Manor apartment complex at 1050 Lamplighter Drive serves low- and fixed-income senior residents.
Grove City Mayor Ike Stage said Monday that the growth in the number of residents needing affordable housing continues to grow in central Ohio. One of the fastest growing age groups is people over 60.
"Keeping them within the community is pretty important and being able to give a wide range of housing is pretty important," Stage said.
About three-quarters of the apartments will be reserved for people with incomes of $20,000 a year. The remaining apartments will go toward residents making up to $55,000 a year.
Read WOSU Public Media's article "Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority opens its first development in Grove City."