As part of Mayor Todd Gloria’s commitment to address the regional housing crisis and provide more homes that all San Diegans can afford, the City of San Diego announced an additional $20 million will be available through the Bridge to Home initiative. This $20 million is part of Round 4 of the successful Bridge to Home program, which aims to get affordable homes built more quickly.

Through three previous rounds of Bridge to Home funding, the City has helped finance the construction of 1,384 new homes for San Diegans who can’t afford market-rate housing, including 349 apartments with wraparound supportive services set aside for people experiencing homelessness.

“Every San Diegan deserves a safe and affordable place to call home, and this additional $20 million in gap funding will help create housing to help alleviate our housing shortage,” said Mayor Todd Gloria. “Our innovative Bridge to Home program has already made a significant impact, and with this new investment, we will continue to create more income-restricted affordable housing so every San Diegan can have a roof over their head at a price they can afford.”

This week, the City issued a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA), which allows qualified developers to submit proposals for how they would use the funding to create low- to moderate-income units. Bridge to Home provides gap financing to make affordable housing projects a reality, as these typically require a combination of funding sources – including from local, state and federal programs.

The funding under Round 4 is expected to help finance the construction of more than 400 additional affordable homes.

So far, the program has helped fund 17 affordable housing projects in San Diego. Each recommended project is subject to City Council consideration and approval.

“The Bridge to Home Program is an important tool to help aid San Diegans who are having a tough time finding affordable housing,” said Christina Bibler, Director of the City’s Economic Development Department. “This new round of money will create new housing units, greatly increasing the supply of affordable options providing access to more residents who can ultimately find a place to call home.”

Previous rounds of Bridge to Home have funded homes in communities including Rancho Bernardo, City Heights, El Cerrito, Downtown, Encanto, Hillcrest, Clairemont, Grantville, Pacific Beach and San Ysidro.

Also today, the City Planning Department will present to the City Council’s Land Use and Housing Committee the 2024 Annual Report on Homes, which details the progress the City made in 2023 in tackling the housing crisis. The meeting begins at 1 p.m. Highlights include:

• In 2023, the City permitted 9,693 homes – nearly double the number of homes permitted the previous year, and the highest number since at least 2005.
• The City increased permitting for homes across all income levels.
• The City more than tripled the number of moderate-income homes permitted.
• Thanks to the ADU Density Bonus Program, the City permitted more than 1,900 accessory dwelling units – the highest total ever, nearly tripling the number of ADUs permitted in 2022.
• The City quadrupled the number of permits issued for income-restricted affordable homes.
• The City permitted eight times the number of transit-oriented homes under the Complete Communities program over the previous year.