San Diego Taps The Michaels Organization to Provide Housing in Downtown Redevelopment
Affordable housing coming to two downtown blocks as the city looks to meet new housing goals.
In its ongoing pursuit to redevelop downtown San Diego, the California Department of General Services and the California Department of Housing and Community Development selected The Michaels Organization to transform two blocks into sustainable affordable and mixed-income housing.
The two-block site is bordered by West Ash to the North, West A to the South, State Street to the West, and Front Street to the East.
Gustavo Velasquez, Director of the Department of Housing and Community said in prepared remarks that working to meet the state’s need of 2.5 million new housing units by 2030 requires commitment, creativity, and collaboration at every level of government and community.
Speaking last month at the ULI Spring Conference, Heidi Vonblum, planning director, The City of San Diego, said, it’s not a case of whether, but how the city will create more housing. “These aren’t homes for strangers, these are homes for our neighbors.”
Vonblum said many California markets first ask whether they can build housing, but in San Diego, “we continually ask, how can we do this?” she said. “And we’re not just talking about building a bunch of micro units. You have to look at affordability. You have to build for all types of people, including families. The homes, too, must align with the City’s climate goals.”
Other members of the development team include The Plenary Group, Carrier Johnson+CULTURE Architects, Suffolk Construction, Kettler Leweck Engineering, Studio-MLA, MIG, Circulate San Diego and RBC Capital Markets.