A former extended-stay hotel in Mission Valley is becoming an affordable apartment building.
Renovations begin next week. Units will get new beds, doors, paint and flooring. The building will have accessible units, a community room and office space for service providers.
It’s expected to be complete in April.
"The typical housing project, if we're starting from scratch, even with the most advanced technology, we're talking years," said San Diego City Council President Sean Elo-Rivera. "Six months is warp speed in the world of creating housing."
Earlier this year, the state awarded $35 million to the San Diego Housing Commission through Homekey. It’s a statewide effort to quickly create affordable housing, including turning hotels and motels into permanent or interim housing.
The converted building will bring the number of homes in San Diego created through the Homekey program to 608.
"None of this would be possible without a massive investment by the state of California and the cooperation of local partners, including the service providers that we count on to operate these facilities successfully," Mayor Todd Gloria said. "They're the ones that will work one-on-one with residents to break down the barriers that contribute to their homelessness and make sure they never return back to the streets."
Other funding comes from the city and county of San Diego, and the Regional Task Force on Homelessness.
The 161 units will remain affordable for at least 55 years for people with extremely low income. For a household of one, that’s up to $31,850 per year.
The San Diego Housing Commission will also provide vouchers to help people pay their rent.
"I spent a month in my car," Elo-Rivera said. "I will never, ever, ever forget how good it felt to get back into an apartment that was mine. It almost didn't feel real at first. What sits behind us is 160 homes for folks who will have that exact same feeling."
The building will house people currently in shelters or on the streets. Service providers will identify potential residents through the Coordinated Entry System, a regional network that matches people experiencing homelessness with housing.
