San Diego, Calif. – National CORE and its partners broke ground on 73 much-needed affordable apartment homes in the Nestor neighborhood of San Diego. Through a partnership with the Nestor United Methodist Church, National CORE will transform an acre of the church’s underutilized land into studio apartments for seniors, 55 and better, who were previously experiencing homelessness. Nationwide, seniors are the fastest-growing population among those experiencing homelessness and in San Diego County, one in every four homeless adults is more than 55 years old.
“Above all, ending homelessness requires many more affordable homes, and building them requires creativity and a sustained effort of everyone working together,” said San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria. “With Nestor Senior Village, National CORE and Nestor United Methodist Church rolled up their sleeves, got creative and are ending homelessness for 73 seniors in our community. Let’s do more of this.”
Nestor Senior Village is National CORE’s third affordable community on surplus church land to start construction in the last year and one of five developments that National CORE is currently developing with faith communities. The Nestor United Methodist Church, one of the oldest churches in San Diego with a long history of providing support for unhoused San Diegans, generously made the land available through a ground lease.
“Our Nestor family is very excited for the many seniors who will soon be part of our community. This housing is a continuation of our long-held values. Nestor Senior Village will provide new hope and joy for those who – like all of us – have experienced challenges and persevered,” said Jim Geddes, Trustee Chair of the Nestor United Methodist Church.
Nestor Senior Village will be a highly-sustainable and resource-efficient community. An all-electric development, it is anticipated to achieve LEED for Homes certification at the Gold level or higher. The development will include 4,000 square feet of community space, including a community room and private offices for case management.
To keep the community 100% affordable, National CORE utilized a complex financing model, including the ground lease with Nestor United Methodist Church, significant local funding commitments from the San Diego Housing Commission that included crucial Project Based Vouchers for future residents, a loan from the County of San Diego through their No Place Like Home program, tax credit equity through Hudson Housing Capital, and construction and permanent loans from Chase.
“With the vast and ongoing need for affordable housing in San Diego, we’re pleased to support industry leader and longtime partner, National CORE, with the creation of safe and sustainable places to live,” said James Vossoughi, Executive Director of Community Development Banking for Chase. “These high-quality homes will be an indispensable asset for the community, increasing the local stock of affordable housing and transforming the lives of formerly-homeless seniors.”
The community is funded in part with HOME Investments Partnerships Grant (HOME) funds provided to the City of San Diego by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and administered by the San Diego Housing Commission.
“I am proud of our progress in providing more affordable housing options and thrilled to celebrate the start of construction for this senior housing community,” said San Diego Councilmember Vivian Moreno.
Residents will have access to high-quality supportive services and case management provided by the Hope through Housing Foundation, Father Joe’s Villages, San Diego PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly), and San Ysidro Health Services.
“Thirty-nine of the homes here will be set aside for seniors experiencing mental health challenges, and we have ensured that a collaborative team offering the highest quality support and services will be onsite to help them make the transition into housing,” said David Estrella, Director of Housing and Community Development Services for the County of San Diego. “Housing is the first step for these seniors to improve their mental health and well-being.”
The site is conveniently located within walking distance to grocery stores and pharmacies, a park, and the Nestor Community Health Center. It is also directly adjacent to two Metropolitan Transit Service bus stops and nearby the Blue Line Trolley.
“This community has come together to change the lives of seniors who greatly need safe, stable housing,” said Greg Bradbard, National CORE Senior Vice President of Social Impact and Hope through Housing President. “We are truly thankful to all the partners and stakeholders who helped us get to this point and we are beyond excited to soon welcome Nestor Senior Village residents to their homes.”
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About National Community Renaissance (National CORE)
National Community Renaissance, based in Southern California, is one of the nation’s largest nonprofit developers of affordable housing. National CORE manages nearly 9,000 affordable, senior, and market-rate units in California, Texas, and Florida. National CORE’s strength is in its ability to offer partners an array of in-house capabilities that navigates the complexities of planning, developing, building, managing, and providing supportive services. For more information on National CORE, please visit www.nationalcore.org.
About Hope through Housing
Hope through Housing believes that affordable housing can be a platform for transformational change at the individual and neighborhood level. For more than 20 years, the Hope through Housing Foundation has provided more than 2 million hours of transformational social services helping children and teens achieve success, improving families’ financial well-being, and promoting seniors’ health and wellness. For more information on Hope through Housing, please visit www.hthf.org.
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