SD Foundation, SANDAG direct $14M to equitable, affordable housing projects

The San Diego Foundation and SANDAG have informed the distribution of million in state funding to affordable and climate-conscious housing projects totaling units The housing is scheduled to open between December and June The capital comes from California s Regional Early Access Effort or REAP according to a July press release REAP guidelines cover the funding of housing projects that foster inclusive communities reduce the number of miles driven by residents and include affordable units for households with moderate or low incomes Launched in REAP includes plans to distribute approximately million to housing projects throughout the state The majority goes to developments that meet affordability equity and sustainability standards Greater part REAP funds pass through metropolitan planning organizations like SANDAG the regional planning agency for San Diego County SANDAG selected the San Diego Foundation to distribute REAP money in the region which the foundation does via their San Diego Housing Fund Foundation CFO and housing fund Managing Partner James Howell stated the organization selected of the project applications in the latest REAP grant cycle including developments with more than planned units in San Diego communities including Mid-City San Ysidro and City Heights along with Escondido When evaluating projects for REAP funding our primary focus was on maximizing the positive impact for San Diego communities through the creation of much-needed affordable housing Howell disclosed We assessed each proposal holistically to determine its foreseen to meaningfully address the region s housing challenges San Diego Foundation CFO and San Diego Housing Fund Managing Partner James Howell Courtesy of the San Diego Foundation Howell declared that another factor in the selection process was proximity to general transit According to Howell REAP grants save developers to per unit depending on the project Affordable housing developers face a number of hurdles such as the high cost of land and labor and materials as well as navigating local permitting processes Howell explained REAP provides a valuable funding pool but continued collaboration between developers population agencies and sources of funding is needed to tackle obstacles that inhibit housing access and affordability The Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans a nonprofit advocacy and operation organization focused on refugees in San Diego received a million grant for their -unit mixed-use growth in Mid-City according to PANA Director for Strategic Partnerships and Expansion Rachel Lozano Castro PANA Director of Strategic Partnerships and Advance Rachel Lozano Castro Courtesy of Rachel Lozano Castro In addition to affordable housing units with up to four bedrooms the evolution called the Refugee Immigrant Cultural Hub will have area spaces offices for nonprofits and a global area where refugees and immigrants can open businesses Castro commented the REAP grant will be spent on the hub s predevelopment costs which includes finalizing architectural designs She called the hub a comprehensive approach to building affordable housing One of the main tenets of REAP is to think of affordable housing with adjacent infrastructure Castro explained It s conditions resilience built-in with belonging and group gathering spaces she declared According to the project s website the organization has raised of the rise s costs from establishment and other affordable housing sources and intends to raise an additional million from the inhabitants for construction There s shared services Castro noted of the hub s mixed-use design But also a collective action can happen