$98M affordable housing complex breaks ground in City Heights

Watch Ed Lenderman's report for KUSI in the video player above.

SAN DIEGO (KUSI) — Crews broke ground on a new $98 million, 117-unit affordable housing and mixed-use complex in City Heights on Wednesday, marking what officials said is a major milestone in creating new community hubs in San Diego's Mid-City area.

Located at 4050 University Avenue, the project, called Cuatro at City Heights, is one of the most expensive low-income housing developments currently in the works across the county, with nine different sources of funding and an estimated cost-per-unit of about $840,000.

One of these funding sources is the city of San Diego's Bridge to Home initiative, which aims to help get affordable housing projects across the finish line. Cuatro was one of the first projects to receive money from this program, according to city officials.

Curatro will be built on four city-owned lots along University Avenue and El Cajon Boulevard — each about a quarter-acre to half-acre in size — that have been vacant for decades.

Officials say they hope the new complex on this lot will help revitalize the area and provide new space for the community, particularly with the inclusion of 13,00 square feet of mixed-use space that will be used by a handful of local organizations like the United Women of East Africa and the Refuge Assistance Center.

"We serve multiple populations of communities in City Heights, but we're hoping that this center [be a] place where everyone can come together, talk about the concerns and the issues, and create solutions together," Alexis Villanueva, president and CEO of City Heights Community Development, told KUSI on Wednesday at the groundbreaking.

City Heights Community Development Corp. and Wakeland Housing and Development Corp., the developers behind the new complex, say that all 117 units at Curatro will have some sort of income restriction.

Upwards of 85 units will be set aside for low-income individuals or families, or those with earnings that fall between 30 to 60 percent of the area's median income. An additional 30 units will be specifically dedicated towards housing unhoused veterans.

On top of the affordable units and commercial space, the developers say the complex will feature bicycle parking, laundry facilities and outdoor courtyards in all parcels. One of the plots will also have a host of recreational amenities for residents, like a BBQ space and a community room. It is also in close proximity to the city's public transit network.

City Heights Community Development Corp. and Wakeland Housing and Development Corp. say Curatro should be able to welcome residents by fall 2025.

“Cuatro at City Heights represents a step forward not only in addressing our housing crisis, but also for the ongoing revitalization of City Heights -- one of our most diverse and dynamic neighborhoods,” Mayor Todd Gloria said in a statement. “I’m grateful to the people of City Heights for embracing new housing. This project will contribute greatly to a safer, cleaner, healthier and a more prosperous community.”