San Diego’s MAAC Project is building a 22-story affordable housing project in National City that will have 400 apartments geared toward low-income families.
The $200 million Azuriik apartments is one of four affordable housing projects that MAAC (Metropolitan Area Advisory Committee on Anti-Poverty) has planned, are under construction, or are about to open.
“It will be one of the tallest buildings in South County,” Arnulfo Manriquez, MAAC president and CEO, said of Azuriik.
Other projects include Sendero with 110 apartments in the Chollas View neighborhood in Southeast San Diego, Valencia Pointe with 102 apartments in the Encanto neighborhood in Southeast San Diego, and Ventana al Sur with 101 apartments in San Ysidro.
More are planned as the nonprofit agency strives to make headway in a housing market with prices so high that even middle income families can’t afford to buy a home and rents continue to rise.
“It’s a small drop. We’ve got hundreds of thousands of units that need to be built,” Manriquez said. “There are families out there or seniors that are homeless that are living in their cars. That doesn’t mean that they’re not working, that they’re not getting revenue. It just means that they can’t find a place that they can afford.”
Azuriik
Azuriik on Roosevelt Avenue between East 2nd Street and East 3rd Street is geared toward families with annual incomes from 30% to 80% of the area median income.
For a family of four, that would be from $36,350 to $97,000.
Plans are to break ground on Azuriik in early 2023 with construction tentatively scheduled to be completed in 2025, Manriquez said.
Of the project’s 400 apartments, 124 will be for seniors and 276 for families with a mix of studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom apartments.
Amenities will include an onsite daycare center on the ground floor for up to 120 children, a picnic area, a playground, a business center, a community room with a kitchen a fitness center and laundry rooms.
Azuriik was designed by Joseph Wong Design Associates and the general contractor is Suffolk.
Standing Tall
The $56.6 million Ventana al Sur in San Ysidro will have 101 apartments for people 55 years old and older with annual incomes from 20% to 50% of the area median income. The project will have 25 apartments that will come with vouchers for older renters whose income is insufficient to qualify at even the lowest rents in San Diego.
Funding included $30.5 million from the California Housing Accelerator.
At five stories, Ventana al Sur will be that tallest building in San Ysidro, Manriquez said.
Amenities will include a community space, courtyards, observation decks, a computer room, a playground and laundry rooms on each floor.
Construction of Ventana al Sur is scheduled to start in fall 2022 and take 18 months to complete.
Sendero and Valencia Pointe
The $45 million Sendero at the intersection of 49th Street and Castana Street in Chollas View will have 110 apartments for families with annual incomes of 30% to 80% of the area median income.
Construction is set to begin this summer and finish in February 2024.
“The nice amenity of this is it’s going to front on Chollas Creek,” Manriquez said.
Other amenities include a community room, a communal courtyard, and laundry rooms.
The $50.4 million Valencia Pointe on Division Street in Encanto is being built by MAAC in partnership with CRP Development. It will have 102 apartments designated for families with annual incomes of 40% to 80% of the area median income.
The project has a secured parking garage, central heating and air conditioning, balconies, a computer lounge, a laundry room, a playground, a basketball court, and a community room.
Valencia Pointe is scheduled to open this summer.
Moving Up and Out
“All of our affordable housing comes with wrap-around services, something as basic as income support to being able to get food all the way to building up credit, home ownership counseling, and workforce training,” Manriquez said. “Our goal is to be able to increase families’ incomes and provide a path for self-sufficiency and hopefully, for them to leave in a few years and buy a home.”
MAAC has waiting lists for all of its housing projects, but Manriquez said people shouldn’t be discouraged from signing up because vacancies often open up.
“Add your name. You may find a solution in six months, you may find a solution in a year but if you don’t, your name is on the list,” Manriquez said. “The first big step is to get your name on one of the lists. Don’t be discouraged because it’s a long list.”
MAAC (Metropolitan Area Advisory Committee on Anti-Poverty)
Founded: 1965
President and CEO: Arnulfo Manriquez
Headquarters: Downtown San Diego
Business: Nonprofit social service and affordable housing provider
Employees: 520
Annual revenue: $65 million
Website: www.maacproject.org
Contact: 619-426-3595
Notable: MAAC provides services to more than 35,000 people annually
