Vista, Calif. – National CORE and the San Diego Community Housing Corporation (SDCHC) hosted community leaders, elected officials and residents for a grand opening celebration April 15 for Santa Fe Senior Village, an affordable housing community with 54 stunning apartment homes and an array of resident services.
“Santa Fe Senior Village helps fill San Diego’s growing need of affordable housing while focusing on senior citizens – who represent the state’s fastest growing population facing homelessness,” National CORE Vice President John Seymour said. “National CORE and our partners saw the need, and we acted. Santa Fe Senior is a symbol of how organizations and cities can work together to help those in need.”
The 2024 San Diego County Affordable Housing Needs Report showed that 81% of extremely low-income households in San Diego spend more than half their income on housing. Renters in San Diego County need to earn $47.67 per hour to afford the average monthly asking rent of $2,479 per month.
Of the community’s 54 apartments, 27 are fully furnished as permanent supportive housing for individuals and families who were homeless or were at risk of becoming homeless. Two of those apartments are reserved for veterans. Half the community’s apartments are equipped with mobility accessibility features; 10% incorporate hearing/visual accessibility features. All residents of Santa Fe Senior earn under 40% of the area median income. Santa Fe Senior provides the city’s first permanent supportive housing.
Mayor John Franklin said expanding the availability of safe, pedestrian-friendly, transit-oriented affordable housing is among the City of Vista’s greatest interests.
“Santa Fe Senior Village provides a critical lifeline for seniors in need, and we are proud to see it come to life as a place of stability, support and opportunity for its residents,” Franklin said. “This development’s success reflects the strong partnership between the City of Vista, National CORE and SDCHC. Working alongside them has been a pleasure to realize this vision, and we deeply appreciate their dedication to providing high-quality, affordable housing that strengthens our community.”
Santa Fe Senior Village is conveniently located near the Vista Transit Center Station, providing residents with robust public transportation access to connect them across northern San Diego. Santa Fe Senior Village serves residents, ages 62 or better.
Santa Fe Senior Village also places residents within walking distance of a grocery store, public park, medical clinic, public library and various restaurants.
San Diego County District 5 Supervisor Jim Desmond praised Santa Fe Senior Village for providing hope and dignity to the county’s senior population.
“This project meets a critical need for affordable housing and allows our seniors and working families to stay in the community they love,” Desmond said. “I’m proud to support this effort, which serves as a model for how we can make North County more livable and accessible for everyone.”
City of Vista Deputy Mayor Katie Melendez said Santa Fe Senior Village fills three important needs for the city: affordable housing, safe infrastructure and support services for at-risk seniors.
“The City of Vista is proud to support Santa Fe Senior Village, a vital addition for our community. As seniors face challenges with housing insecurity and homelessness, this project ensures our Vista community includes housing for all people,” Melendez said. “I am exceedingly grateful to our partners, and we look forward to seeing the positive impact the Santa Fe Senior Village will have on the lives of our seniors for years to come.”
SDCHC CEO Ted Miyahara said each new affordable housing community in San Diego is a lifeline. National CORE first partnered with SDCHC in the early 2000s to redevelop an aging motel into Talmadge Senior Village, a modern 91-apartment community. In 2023, the companies opened Valley Senior Village in Escondido and, in 2024, Greenbrier Village in Oceanside.
“The SDCHC is proud to once again partner with National CORE on another amazing affordable housing community,” Miyahara said. “As populations grow and the cost of living rises, affordable housing has become one of the most critical needs of our era.”
Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for the County Health and Human Services Agency Kimberly Giardina said residents will benefit from a slew of support services, specifically targeting mental and physical care and relief for veterans.
“Santa Fe Senior Village is proof that as a community we can come together to provide the appropriate housing and services for our most vulnerable neighbors,” Giardina said. “Safe, affordable housing is one of the most crucial housing interventions in our tool kit and combining this with much needed supportive services will have lasting positive impacts on this community for years to come.”
The Hope through Housing Foundation will provide residents with onsite services and programs to connect them to their community, meet their basic needs and help them maintain their physical and mental health. Through partnerships with the County of San Diego Behavioral Health Services (and their associated contracted agencies), multiple community PACE providers and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the community will equip residents with the tools and resources they need to achieve long-term housing stability.
The Hope through Housing Foundation Director Alyssa Cotter said Santa Fe Senior Village is poised to provide a wealth of support to seniors who need it most.
“The Hope through Housing Foundation’s goal is to make every one of our developments into a community – where our residents can feel safe, comfortable and at home,” Cotter said. “At Santa Fe Senior Village, the support services we and our partners will provide will bring hope, stability and camaraderie to the entire community.”
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