Waitlists opened Monday for two new affordable housing communities in Fallbrook and San Marcos through the County of San Diego’s Housing Authority.
They are the county’s only open Section 8 housing waitlists since the general waitlist was closed on Feb. 20 due to limited federal funding and high demand. There are six housing authorities throughout the county, and most have similarly closed their general waitlists.
The newly opened waitlists will close on March 20, and applicants will be selected through a lottery system.
“You don't have to sign up on the first day; it's not first-come, first-served,” said Nick Martinez, assistant director at the County of San Diego Housing and Community Development Services. “You can sign up online through an online portal, over the phone, or in person.”
Applicants can apply to multiple waitlists. Those who are selected through the lottery system will then work with the county to verify their eligibility. The developer will also screen candidates.
Those living in the units will pay rent that is equal to about 30% of their income. Requirements include an income that is below 50% of the area median income.
Mirasol Meadows in Fallbrook has 10 units available for low-income families, offering one to two-bedroom apartments. Villa Serena II in San Marcos has 47 units for low-income seniors over the age of 62, providing one, two and three-bedroom apartments.
Martinez said those who are not selected from the waitlist initially may be selected in the future if there are vacancies. The county is expecting a large number of applicants for both locations.
“With the high cost of housing in the region, housing and affordable housing especially, is in great demand,” he said. “So we do anticipate that we will have several thousands of people applying.”
Those selected will find out shortly after the waitlists close, Martinez said. Villa Serena II is expected to open in late May, and Mirasol Meadows is anticipated to open in June. These are two of the four affordable housing projects of their kind opening in 2026.
The waitlist for an affordable housing community in Chula Vista will open in mid to late 2026, Martinez said. The fourth affordable housing location is exclusively for veterans and will be assigned based on referrals from the Veterans Affairs office.
The new waitlist openings come less than a month after the county closed the general waitlist for Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers. Martinez said they can launch the two new voucher waitlists because funding for both projects was allocated years ago.
These vouchers are tied to specific properties, not to individual tenants. The funding for Mirasol Meadows was finalized in the fall of 2024, and the funding for Villa Serena II was finalized in the Spring of 2024.
Martinez said that over 120,000 households are on the county’s general Section 8 waitlist. The county is expected to make 119 total units available by the end of 2026 through the four new property-based housing options.
Qualified applicants can apply now for Mirasol Meadows and Villa Serena II online, via phone or at the Housing and Community Development Services office in person.
