The San Diego Housing Commission is charged with helping to bridge the gap
between the high cost of housing in the City of San Diego and the high
percentage of low wage earners – helping to correct an imbalance that
threatens the stability of our work force.
Established by the San Diego City Council in 1979, the Commission helps
house
more than 75,000 low-income San Diegans each year through a variety of
programs. These include owning and managing almost 1,800 housing units,
providing rental assistance for more than 12,000 families and individuals,
offering financial assistance for qualifying first-time homebuyers, and
rendering both financial and technical assistance to low-income households
whose older homes need rehabilitation.
In addition, the Commission collaborates with nearly 11,000 businesses and
investors to provide affordable housing in return for tax credits and other
incentives. The agency also works with nonprofits to help them achieve the
housing components of their programs.
A national leader in innovative job training and educational programs for
residents, the Housing Commission not only helps house families, but
provides learning opportunities for them so they can become self-sufficient
and free of government assistance.
The agency’s primary funding source is the U.S. Department of Housing and
Urban Development. It receives a relatively small amount of state funds.
Local funds include development linkage fees, rents collected from public housing
residents, and administrative fees. The agency receives no City of San Diego
General Fund monies. (See budget.)
Tens of thousands of families and individuals in San Diego earn less than
half of the median area income. They include seniors living on low fixed incomes, veterans who served
the country, but cannot afford decent homes, single-parent and even
two-parent families in low-wage jobs, and people with disabilities.
The Housing Commission administers two major programs to help house about
50,000 San Diegans. Unfortunately, the need is so great that more than 30,000 households are on a long (approximately five years) waiting list to
get this help.
Each of these programs makes housing more affordable by reducing a family’s
rent amount to around 30 percent of the household income.
Rental Assistance: The largest program, with a budget of over $117 million
from federal funds, helps about 12,000 San Diego families to live in
apartments and houses owned and managed by more than 6,000 private
owners. Some Rental Assistance opportunities are reserved for persons with
special needs. Landlords retain control over tenant selection and property
management, and the Housing Commission makes rental subsidy payments
directly to the landlords.
Publicly-Owned Housing: The San Diego Housing Commission’s Publicly-Owned
Housing program has been consistently rated by the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as one of the best in the nation. The
Commission owns and manages close to 1,800 rental housing units
scattered throughout the City of San Diego, mostly in small sites (less than
25 units) – preventing a concentration of low-income families in any one
community. Some units are reserved for seniors or residents with
disabilities, but
most are designated for families. Amenities such as tot lots, playgrounds,
community rooms, and learning centers are provided at many of these sites,
all of which are well designed and maintained to blend into and even enhance
their neighborhoods. As owner, the San Diego Housing Commission carefully
screens potential tenants and enforces a “zero drug/crime tolerance” policy.
Providing opportunities for economic independence
Participants in the Rental Assistance and Public Housing programs are
encouraged to become part of the Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program. The
FSS and similar programs operate in partnership with community-based
organizations, government, and employers. Public Housing and Rental
Assistance clients are provided with career planning, training, and support
services to help them achieve financial independence. And at the
Commission’s award-winning Learning Opportunity Centers, children are taught
study and computer skills to improve their chances for educational and
career success.
Working with the community
Financial assistance is provided to community service organizations helping
people with special needs: agencies that operate shelters for battered women
and children, transitional housing for homeless families, and permanent
housing opportunities for persons with disabilities, the elderly, and
individuals with debilitating illnesses.
Helping families develop roots
Home ownership is encouraged through Mortgage Credit Certificates (which
reduce the homeowner’s income taxes), “silent second” shared equity loans
and down payment/closing cost grants. These programs are generally limited
to low-income households, although some programs have different
qualifications. In 2003 under most programs, a family of four earning up
$51,050 per year could quality for assistance in purchasing its first home.
Revitalizing communities
Below-market rate loans and technical assistance are provided to owners of
affordable rental housing and low-income homeowners desiring to repair their
property. Grants are also available to homeowners and mobile home owners for
emergency home repairs.
Partnerships with business and nonprofits
The Commission provides loans at favorable terms for acquisition and
rehabilitation, as well as new construction of affordable rental housing. It
also provides land use incentives. Technical assistance and predevelopment
funds are made available to nonprofit housing developers.
Housing policy leadership, planning, and monitoring
The Commission advises the City Council regarding housing policy matters.
Recommendations are developed by working collaboratively with officials,
community activists, interest groups, and others representing a variety of
perspectives – including low-income housing advocates, housing industry
representatives, and individual community planning groups.
Through its active involvement in many local, state, national, and
international organizations, the agency is able to provide a broad context
in which to help develop housing and urban development policies that affect
San Diego. The agency takes a lead role in developing comprehensive housing
policy documents including the City of
San Diego's Consolidated Plan (a HUD-required strategic plan to
determine how the city should be allocated dollars from federal funding
sources). It assists the City Planning Department in preparing the Housing
Element (an element of the State-mandated General Plan outlining a 5-year
strategy for meeting housing goals). In addition, the agency has taken the
lead in developing and administering local housing policies such as inclusionary housing regulations and single-room occupancy hotel
regulations.
The agency also monitors affordable housing developments and sites to ensure
they meet regulatory requirements.
In addition, the Housing Commission supports the San Diego Fair
Housing Council, the City-County Reinvestment Task Force, the Regional Task
Force on the Homeless, and other groups addressing the region’s need for
affordable and military housing.
Awards and Recognition
"This public housing
agency is one of the best in the United States."
The San Diego Housing Commission is committed to providing quality housing
opportunities to improve the lives of those in need. Its core values are
respect, integrity, collaboration and excellence.
How to contact the Housing Commission by telephone
