City officials are proposing to direct $16.5 million toward three affordable housing developments located in San Diego’s Hillcrest and City Heights neighborhoods.

Staff recommendations call for Bridge to Home financing to support 4th and Brookes Senior Apartments in Hillcrest plus Polk Avenue Housing and Teralta South in City Heights.

Combined, the initiatives would deliver 430 new affordable residences for households earning 30 to 60 percent of area median income.

From the Documenters

Portions of this account originated from notes compiled by Simon Mayeski, a San Diego Documenter, during an Economic Development and Intergovernmental Relations Committee session held last month. The Documenters initiative prepares and compensates residents to record proceedings at public gatherings.

Before loan terms can be finalized, the City Council must authorize the allocations.

Introduced in 2021, the Bridge to Home initiative supplies gap financing that helps affordable housing projects reach completion.

San Diego faces urgent targets to expand housing supply by decade’s end, with particular emphasis on units affordable to lower-income residents.

“Housing costs continue to strain San Diegans, which is why we are acting swiftly to speed up affordable housing construction throughout the city,” Mayor Todd Gloria stated in a recent announcement. “Bridge to Home serves as one mechanism enabling faster delivery of additional projects.”

Economic Development Director Christina Bibler noted that the selected sites aim to reinforce local communities while improving access to affordable options.

“By placing Bridge to Home resources where impact is greatest, we are fostering quality affordable residences near employment centers, transit lines and vital services,” Bibler said.

Five earlier Bridge to Home projects have already produced 390 affordable units as of January, while another 18 developments have received approval or are advancing through construction.

About the projects

The 4th and Brookes Senior Apartments at 3604 Fourth Ave., developed by Greenline Development Group, will offer 98 homes for residents aged 65 and older. Thirty of those units are designated for individuals at risk of homelessness. Studios through three-bedroom layouts are planned, with half built to accommodate residents with disabilities.

Affirmed Housing Group’s Polk Avenue project at 4104 Arizona St. and 2428-2442 Polk Ave. will create 267 units sized from one to four bedrooms. Seventy-five of the homes are reserved as workforce housing for San Diego Unified School District teachers and staff. The plan also includes converting portions of the former Central Elementary School into offices and classrooms for the district’s TRACE program serving adults with disabilities, plus shared spaces such as a commercial kitchen and performance area. A five-story parking structure is included.

Wakeland Housing’s Teralta South development at 4341 El Cajon Blvd. will provide 65 residences for extremely low- to low-income households and feature community rooms, a computer lab and outdoor gathering areas.