California Construction New staff write
The City of San Diego has approved a plan to transform the vacant Serra Mesa Library site into 59 affordable homes, including 30 designated for military veterans, as part of Mayor Todd Gloria’s “Homes for All of Us” initiative. The City Council approved a long-term ground lease with nonprofit developer Community HousingWorks on Monday, signaling the project’s progress.
The development, known as the Serra Mesa Apartments, will include 56 one-bedroom units and three two-bedroom units, with an additional two-bedroom manager’s unit. These homes will be affordable to households earning between 30 and 60% of the area median income (AMI). The project will also provide supportive services for veterans experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
“Serra Mesa Apartments is precisely the type of project my policies are designed to incentivize — affordable housing on underused public land, in high-resource neighborhoods with easy access to quality jobs, transit, schools, and essential services,” said Mayor Gloria. “This project demonstrates our commitment to ensuring lower-income families and our veterans can afford to live in communities that provide the opportunities and stability they deserve.”
The 0.34-acre property at 3440 Sandrock Rd. will also feature 22 parking spaces, a community room, a computer lab, laundry facilities, bike parking, and a second-story courtyard. The development will be built on land the city retains ownership of through the ground lease, with Community HousingWorks responsible for construction. The developer will share revenue with the city, and after the lease expires, the improvements will revert back to city ownership.
District 7 Councilmember Raul Campillo expressed support for the project, emphasizing its importance for veterans. “Those who served our country should never have to worry about having a safe place to call home,” Campillo said. “Thank you to all community members who offered input on this project and to Community HousingWorks for carefully considering and speaking to community concerns.”
The former Serra Mesa Library, which closed in 2006, had been used for storage until 2019. In 2020, the city issued a request for proposals to develop the site into permanent supportive housing.
The City Council also approved a $4 million Bridge to Home loan to support the project’s financing. This loan is part of the city’s broader effort to fund affordable housing developments. Another $3.1 million Bridge to Home loan was approved for the Navajo Family Apartments, which will provide 44 additional affordable housing units.
Since the launch of the Bridge to Home program in 2021, the city has supported 17 projects totaling 1,353 affordable homes.
Community HousingWorks expects construction of the Serra Mesa Apartments to be completed within 26 months, contingent on securing financing. The development will provide much-needed housing in a community close to transit, grocery stores, schools, and parks.
“Transforming this vacant site into affordable housing is a great opportunity to serve those who have served our nation,” said Economic Development Director Christina Bibler. “These new homes will provide residents with the stability they need while benefiting from the convenience of the central Serra Mesa location.”
