Thursday, February 13, 2020

San Diego – Continuing an action-oriented approach to build more housing for San Diego’s most vulnerable residents, the City of San Diego today issued a request for proposals (RFP) to construct as many as 160 units of permanent supportive housing (PSH) for formerly homeless individuals – including veterans and seniors – trying to turn their lives around.

“We know there are a lot of folks who need additional care and assistance as they rebuild their lives and that’s why building more permanent supportive housing is so important,” said Mayor Kevin L. Faulconer. “They need a support system to go along with a roof over their head, and we’ve identified several City-owned properties where we can make that a reality. Each of these new units will serve as a lifeline to those most in need of one.”

The RFP is the culmination of Mayor Faulconer’s efforts to streamline projects and deliver comprehensive solutions to both the region’s housing and homelessness crises, including:

• Winning unanimous City Council approval for reforms to the municipal code that paved the way to build more PSH with accompanying supportive services for homeless San Diegans and traditional housing.
• Enacting the City’s Community Action Plan on Homelessness, which calls for a significant investment in supportive and low-income housing options for homeless and at-risk populations.

PSH provides community-based housing for persons who are experiencing homelessness, with no limit on length of stay, and is linked to on-site or off-site supportive services that assist residents in retaining housing, improving one’s health status and maximizing one’s ability to live and work in the community.

The City evaluated dozens of City-owned properties, including sites recommended by City Council offices, for housing potential. The five City-owned properties that are included in the RFP are:

Mayor Faulconer has introduced a series of “Housing SD” reforms intended to increase housing affordability and supply. Highlights include:

• Parking Reform: Eliminated parking requirements along new housing developments in transit priority areas, reducing development costs while encouraging usage of alternative forms of transportation.
• Reduced Fees: Updated the Affordable, Sustainable, Infill Development Program to eliminate expedite fees for projects building 100 percent affordable housing in the City.
• Commercial Flexibility: Flexibility to allow interim ground-floor residential units or offices where commercial retail is typically required through a Neighborhood Use Permit.
• Mixed-Use Zoning: Created six new zones that allow projects to include a mix of residential and employment uses. The goal is to provide flexibility for builders to meet market demands and build more housing near jobs.
• Housing for the “Missing Middle”: Establishes incentives for the first time to build housing affordable to San Diego’s middle class, which is in short supply. The reform follows up on the successful Affordable Housing Density Bonus program approved in 2016 and now the two programs can be coupled together.
• Streamlined Project Reviews: Changed the municipal code to speed up the approval process.
• Transitional Housing By-Right: Included in the 12th Code Update, it eliminates burdensome regulations placed on developers to encourage more projects by-right. These projects are designed to help formerly homeless individuals.
• Permanent Supportive Housing By-Right: Reform allows for a streamlined process by-right to construct housing with accompanying supportive services for those experiencing homelessness.
• Streamlined Regulations for Companion Units: New regulations made it easier and more affordable to permit "granny flats" and other companion units.
• Zoning Updates: This update provided 14 amendments to the Land Development Code that would help streamline the approval process for future affordable housing projects.
• Complete Communities: Announced the Complete Communities plan, a comprehensive vision to deliver the four pillars of a neighborhood – infrastructure, parks, transportation and homes – in housing projects. Expected to go before the City Council this spring.

Qualified proposals are due by Monday, April 20, 2020, at 5 p.m. For more information, please visit sandiego.gov/real-estate-assets.