Research & Innovations

From the San Diego Housing  Commission's press release:

After living on San Diego’s streets or in shelters, 161 households—including Jaylen—will have affordable rental apartments of their own at a former extended-stay hotel that has been transformed into housing through extensive collaboration.

“Not having a home is one of the toughest things to deal with,” said Jaylen, one of the new residents of Presidio Palms in Mission Valley. “This is a safe space. It feels good to be in a clean living environment. You don’t realize how important that is until you don’t have it.”

Federally funded rental housing vouchers that the San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC) committed to Presidio Palms will help Jaylen and all other Presidio Palms residents pay their rent.

“Presidio Palms is a powerful example of what can be accomplished through strong collaboration—between HUD, local government, nonprofit partners, and service providers. By leveraging HUD tools like project-based vouchers and pairing them with local innovation, this development will give hundreds of San Diegans a second chance—and a place to call home,” said William Spencer, the Region IX Administrator for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

The State of California’s Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) awarded $35 million through the Homekey program toward SDHC’s purchase and rehabilitation of Presidio Palms. Including Presidio Palms, the State has awarded more than $105 million in Homekey funds to SDHC collaborations since 2020 to create more than 600 affordable housing units with supportive services for people experiencing homelessness.

“Permanent supportive housing like Presidio Palms reflects the future of affordable housing in California, as HCD’s new Homekey+ will replicate and build on the successes of Governor Newsom’s Homekey program,” said HCD Director Gustavo Velasquez. “Through communities like this, we are able to first meet housing need and then provide the services that help Californians who are struggling maintain housing stability and connect to opportunity. This is especially critical for people facing behavioral health challenges, and young people exiting foster care without familial support.”

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria and the San Diego City Council have strongly advocated and supported efforts to secure State Homekey funds for San Diego, which provide an opportunity to bring much-needed housing online faster and cheaper than traditional new-construction affordable housing. The City also allocated $17.8 million for Presidio Palms.

“With support from the state’s Homekey program and strong local investment, 161 San Diegans now have a safe place to call home—along with the supportive services they need to stay housed,” said San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria. “Presidio Palms shows what’s possible when we act with urgency and work together to deliver housing that ends homelessness. This is precisely the kind of collaboration we must continue as we keep working toward our goal of a putting a roof over the head of every San Diegan at a price they can afford.”

“The best way to tackle our homelessness crisis is through housing,” said Council President Joe LaCava. “I thank the San Diego Housing Commission, the state’s Housing and Community Development Agency and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for improving the lives of our most vulnerable populations. I look forward to continued local, state, and federal collaboration as we deliver more paths from the streets and shelters and into housing.”

“I am thrilled to see residents move into Presidio Palms in District 3,” said Councilmember Stephen Whitburn, whose Council District includes Presidio Palms and another SDHC-owned, Homekey-funded property, Valley Vista, which consists of 190 affordable housing units. “These residents have experienced homelessness and many live with disabilities. At Presidio Palms these residents will have access to invaluable supportive services on-site. San Diego needs more places like Presidio Palms for residents to thrive. I applaud the San Diego Housing Commission for bringing this Project Homekey housing complex in Mission Valley to fruition.”

“Solving our homelessness and housing affordability crises requires creativity and collaboration. Presidio Palms has transformed an aging hotel into 161 homes that will move over 200 San Diegans out of homelessness and into stability and supportive services,” San Diego City Councilmember Seah Elo-Rivera said. “The rapid reconstruction and opening of Presidio Palms and other Homekey projects prove that San Diego can create new housing quickly and efficiently when we think outside the box and work together. I thank the Governor for his innovative Homekey Program and for everyone at the City, the County of San Diego, the San Diego Housing Commission, and the Regional Task Force on Homelessness.”

The County of San Diego also allocated $17.8 million in capital funds for Presidio Palms and committed $8.3 million over five years toward the necessary behavioral health supportive services for Presidio Palms residents, subject to County Board of Supervisors approval.

“Presidio Palms is a wonderful example of how we as a region are working together to bridge the gap between homelessness and housing by leveraging funding across our agencies to support the creation of affordable homes,” said David Estrella, Director of the County’s Health and Human Services Agency’s Housing and Community Development Services department.

SDHC owns and manages the property and administers the federal rental assistance for Presidio Palms residents.

“Today, Presidio Palms is a home and a source of hope for many of our previously unhoused neighbors,” SDHC President and CEO Lisa Jones said. “Reaching this point is possible because of collaboration among all levels of government as well as local organizations. We appreciate and value all the partners we collaborated with on this project as we work together for everyone in San Diego to have a home they can afford.”

As a leader in many regional initiatives to prevent and resolve homelessness, RTFH also awarded $1.1 million to support the purchase and rehabilitation of Presidio Palms.’

“Homelessness is driven primarily by a lack of affordable housing and our region’s housing crisis has left too many people without a place to live, which is why today is such an important day for San Diego,” said RTFH CEO Tamera Kohler. “Presidio Palms is not just a new community providing homes and wraparound services to people experiencing homelessness. It’s also a guiding light, the latest example highlighting what we can achieve together. RTFH is proud to partner in this effort and looks forward to more collaborative work to create more of the housing our community needs to address this crisis.”

Residents began moving into their new rental homes at Presidio Palms on May 27—less than seven months after construction began. Residents are identified through RTFH’s Coordinated Entry System, which screens individuals experiencing homelessness for the most appropriate housing options based on who is most in need and what housing options are available and then matches them to housing resources available from housing providers.

Presidio Palms includes on-site access to supportive services, provided by Telecare through a contract with the County of San Diego. These services include outreach and engagement; mental health services; healthcare/physical health services; behavioral health services; substance use services; case management; care coordination; life skills training; education and employment services; assistance obtaining benefits; and essential documentation.

Presidio Palms is within a quarter of a mile of Metropolitan Transit System bus stops for route 88, which provides quick connections to major regional transit hubs in Old Town and Fashion Valley.

From the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles' press release:

 The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF), in partnership with the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) and Kershaw’s Challenge, broke ground on Dodgers Dreamfield 68 at Nickerson Gardens on Friday, June 20. The field is the third Dodgers Dreamfield built at a public housing site. Nickerson Gardens is the largest housing development west of the Mississippi River.

The groundbreaking ceremony included a shovel dedication and a brief program featuring event emcee and Dodgers Spanish Broadcaster José Mota, remarks from LADF Chief Operating Officer Chaitali Gala Mehta, and Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing. Representatives from lead partners HACLA and Kershaw’s Challenge and project sponsors Bank of America, Leo and Carolina Cammilleri Family Foundation, LA84 Foundation, and Security Benefit were in attendance in support of the development.

“Dodgers Dreamfield 68 is more than a field—it’s a promise to the children and families of Watts,” said Nichol Whiteman, Chief Executive Officer, Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation. “It represents our belief that every child, no matter where they live, deserves a safe, beautiful space to play, grow, and dream big. We’re proud to stand alongside HACLA and Kershaw’s Challenge to build not only a field, but a foundation for lasting impact in this community.”

“The new Dodgers Dreamfield at Nickerson Gardens celebrates community, partnerships, and possibility,” said Lourdes Castro Ramirez, president and CEO of the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles. “We’re proud to join the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation and Kershaw’s Challenge to reimagine this space as a vibrant hub, providing families at Nickerson Gardens with safe, inspiring environments where children and youth can thrive, learn, and chase their dreams. Together, we’re building a foundation for a healthier tomorrow.”

The $1.1 million investment in Dodgers Dreamfield 68 supports revitalizing the historic 1954 housing development in Watts, designed by Paul R. Williams. It builds on community-driven initiatives, led by several Los Angeles sports teams, to improve the quality of life for residents. Watts has become a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood with a significant African American population and remains one of the most impoverished neighborhoods in Los Angeles despite falling crime rates since the 1990s.

Dodgers Dreamfield 68 will help reenergize the community’s baseball and softball programming for youth ages 5-12. Located in one of Los Angeles’ most historically under-resourced neighborhoods, the field eliminates common barriers to access by offering a free, high-quality space to gather and play. Upgrades include irrigation, playing surfaces, fencing, and a solar scoreboard reminiscent of those at Dodger Stadium. The Nickerson Gardens Dodgers Dreamfield further positions LADF to reach its goal of completing 75 Dodgers Dreamfields by 2033 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Dodgers’ move to Los Angeles in 1958.

In 2026, Nickerson Gardens will also become a new Dodgers Dreamteam affiliate partner, bringing free, organized baseball and softball programming directly to the housing development and the new Dodgers Dreamfield. This expansion deepens LADF’s commitment to ensuring every child has access to play, resources, mentorship, and community through the game.

In alignment with one of its strategic priorities of building infrastructure for sustained impact to create lasting impact for Los Angeles, LADF builds and refurbishes baseball and softball fields in underserved communities through the Dodgers Dreamfields program. Since 2003, LADF has invested over $21 million to refurbish 67 Dodgers Dreamfields. Over 1.8 million youth and families have access to these safe havens and points of pride. 

To learn more about LADF or contribute by making a designated donation for the project, please visit Dodgers.com/LADF.

From Oklahoma City's press release:

Veterans experiencing homelessness will soon have a new permanent housing option thanks to Oklahoma City Housing Authority (OCHA) and MAPS 4. 

Dorset Place, located at the intersection of 122nd St., N.W. and Dorset Dr., will provide 70 new units of supportive housing for veterans in Oklahoma City. The former assisted living facility was purchased by OCHA’s nonprofit arm, the Community Enhancement Corporation, with the express goal of providing permanent supportive housing for veterans and their immediate family members.

"MAPS 4 includes more than $55 million to invest in truly affordable housing,” MAPS Program Manager David Todd said. “This investment, accompanied by wrap-around services from existing providers, aligns with the City's efforts to implement a 'housing first' strategy. We look forward to completing this project, which will meet a critical need for our community."

Phase 1 of the project will provide 37 units and is expected to open in fall 2025. Phase 2, with an additional 33 units, is expected to open at a later date.

“We’re proud to soon be opening the doors on the first of many MAPS 4 Homelessness projects,” Mark Gillett, President and CEO of the Community Enhancement Corporation, said. “In our community, we have people who served our country and need an affordable place to live. This is Oklahoma City’s opportunity to give back.”

Veterans at risk of homelessness or experiencing homelessness will be offered Dorset Place as one of their options to move into permanent housing. Vouchers issued by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and administered by OCHA, are partnering with Oklahoma City’s Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) office to ensure that the veteran household pays no more than 30% of their income for rent.

“Key to Home is excited that additional support housing is being added to our community,” Homeless Strategy Implementation Manager Jamie Caves said.

The investment in Dorset Place includes $1.5 million in MAPS 4 Homelessness funds.