San Diego County Supervisors To Consider Affordable Housing Plan

I am Allison St. John and for Maureen Cavanaugh it is Monday, June 19. Today's top story on midday edition the number of people that are homeless has become a priority for many elected leaders. This week the County Board of Supervisors is jumping into the fray with a proposal of its own that involves spending $25 million of the counties were to purchase -- reserve part -- funds. Here is more about how the supervisors hope the plan will actually add to the stock of the fortunate -- affordable housing. Thank you for joining us. It's my pleasure. He represent East County where prices are perhaps a little bit more affordable, but what are you hearing from your constituents of the difficulty finding a place to live? East County is probably the most of portable fish affordable area in the region. The further east you get the more affordable it gets. However we have a problem with our senior population and if you look at our population of those 55 and older in this County that is the fastest growing age group and it is outpacing any other age group in the region. One of the biggest issues that I hear about our senior citizens that are on fixed incomes. We not only have homeless seniors but trying to prevent seniors from becoming homeless is a big issue as well. Seniors as I said on fixed income. The rents go up and they cannot afford the place to live. So you and supervisor Roberts are proposing to spend about $25 million on an investment fund to build more affordable housing. I must say it seems like a lot of money but when you consider one affordable housing project may cost over 100 million how is this actually going to make a difference? I have joined supervisor Roberts and it is a bold and innovative initiative. It's a $25 million trust fund that is a really big deal. It is one-time money and the goal is to provide incentive to create public partnerships to create affordable housing. We are establishing a new model something different. It is a hand up not a handout. We are hoping that if it is successful we could increase the $25 million. We know that many communities are reluctant to accept affordable housing next-door so you are also offering 11 County properties. There are sites all over the city. Are they also around the rest of the County. Are there any other incorporated areas? Where are they and what do the to do. It is true. Most of the properties are in the city of San Diego but we are not limiting to just those properties that have been identified in that report in the County properties. One of the properties is in the city of though -- El Cajon. It is owned by the County. It's the assessor's office right now and they are planning to build a new facility in Santee. And the property becomes available it is candidate. If the community is willing there could be a good partnership for senior housing. Whether the community be will -- will be accepted -- accepting of this is the key. Are talking about homeless seniors and veterans in trying to prevent people from becoming homeless. The type of units we are talking about the public partnership which is key means that the operation and maintenance of the actual facility will be controlled by the private sector not government. In units where we have seen this kind of the project be successful they are good neighbors in the community. We are talking mostly about high-density. We are not talking about single-family units. The fact of the matter is that this is a big deal one of the things that will happen is the details will be worked out. The County has -- you will provide messy services like drug and alcohol and this is a significant shift in strategy. We have used this money to build over 45 projects County projects and because we have paid cash for most we have saved over $1 billion. The County is in big -- good shape. We have the operation center we built a waterfront Park and we have no deferred maintenance. I emphasize that because very few governments that I know can say that. No deferred maintenance. We are in a perfect position down to take a look at those unrestricted reserves which is one-time money to -- to be spent on one-time expenses and see what are the priorities. This is clearly a priority in the region not just the city of San Diego. With 17 other cities and we have a large unincorporated area where there are needs. The key is not to limit to the properties that are County on and have been identified but to look at other properties in cities and in the unincorporated area that might meet the criteria to try to do something like this. The County board one of the reasons that you are so fiscally healthy is that the board is always -- you have talked about saving for a rainy day. Do you think that has arrived? This is not a rainy day fund. This is one-time money and we have spent it on many capital project over the years with the big capital projects that I mentioned we built libraries and chef stations and ball fields. One-time expenditures. It is a matter of establishing priority we have the ability because we are fiscally sound to be able to do this and to put up a $25 million trust fund and to establish a new model for affordable housing. This is a hand up, not a handout. Are you pretty confident you will get the support you need to to get this going? I'm never confident until the boats on the board.