SAN DIEGO, Feb. 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Metropolitan Transit System (MTS), Affirmed Housing, a leading provider of affordable and supportive housing throughout California, and regional housing leaders celebrated the beginning of construction on SkyLINE Apartments at the Rancho Bernardo Transit Station. The new seven-story mixed-use, transit-oriented, affordable housing development in San Diego’s Rancho Bernardo neighborhood will include 100 apartment homes and roughly 14,000 square feet of commercial space that will be Affirmed Housing’s new company headquarters.
“SkyLINE is just the latest example of how MTS is bringing much-needed affordable housing to the San Diego region,” said Stephen Whitburn, MTS Board Chair and San Diego City Councilmember. “Thank you to Affirmed Housing for their continued partnership as we continue to develop affordable transit-oriented housing that will connect residents with communities that will allow them to balance their daily lives with work, school, social activities, raising families and much more”.
SkyLINE is a GreenPoint rated development comprised of 99 apartments for individuals and families earning between 30 and 60 percent of the area median income, and one unit earmarked for an onsite property manager. Apartments come in a mixture of one-, two- and three-bedrooms, ranging from roughly 557 square feet to approximately 1,113 square feet. In addition to delivering much-needed affordable housing to the region, the building’s amenities include a community room, a learning center, a tot lot and an outdoor courtyard. Residents will also have exclusive access to services and programs designed to support quality of life goals, such as health and wellness classes, financial literacy, parenting, food preparation, career building, job readiness (such as resume writing and interviewing skills), voter registration, and other enrichment activities.
“Transit-oriented resources are a benchmark of a city’s ability to meet residents’ current and forward-looking needs. SkyLINE is a remarkable example, and it’s a particularly special project for Affirmed Housing as it serves as our new home, as well,” said Affirmed Housing President Jimmy Silverwood. “All our communities are established with the purpose of providing safe, quality spaces that individuals and families can be proud to call their own, and in this case, that includes our staff and team. We’re thrilled to be here, where we can continue our mission of delivering high-quality, safe, affordable housing in the San Diego region, and throughout the State.”
Affirmed Housing is relocating from Sabre Springs into a larger space at SkyLINE. Designed by Carrier Johnson + Culture, the new office enables the company’s future growth. The company has experienced steady growth over its three decades in operation, and continued growth is expected as housing availability and scarcity of options for low-income residents remain top priorities in California. Affirmed Housing’s San Jose office is also housed within one of its communities, Vela – a testament of the company’s commitment to serving the communities in which its projects are located.
SkyLINE utilizes a portion of an existing MTS parking lot that is in close proximity to several off-site amenities, including bus service, grocery stores, pharmacies, healthcare options, and the Rancho Bernardo library. To activate the underutilized land and maximize development potential, Affirmed Housing is engaged in a 99-year lease with the transit agency, MTS. As part of the partnership, Affirmed Housing enhanced the property’s sewer and water systems and worked alongside MTS to meet their current and future parking needs for MTS riders. In addition to designated resident and office space parking, SkyLINE provides 84 parking stalls within its podium structure for MTS patrons, an adequate capacity for transit riders based on demand and ability to effectively use the transit system.
“SkyLINE will transform an underused MTS parking lot in Rancho Bernardo into affordable apartments for people and families who need it,” said Mayor Todd Gloria. “Projects like this will help bring down the cost of housing and put more money in the pockets of San Diegans. I applaud MTS and Affirmed Housing for their innovative partnership and willingness to join my call to action to build more housing across every neighborhood in San Diego.”
SkyLINE is part of a larger effort MTS is advancing to redevelop its top-tier park and ride locations into transit-oriented developments. This Rancho Bernardo development is a continuance of MTS' historical commitment to promoting housing near high-quality transit. Other top-tier properties MTS is in the process of redeveloping include:
- Palm Avenue Trolley Station – 406 units
- Spring Street Station – 152 units
- 12th & Imperial Transit Center – 500 estimated units
- El Cajon Transit Center – 323 estimated units
- E Street Transit Center – 170-390 estimated units
- Beyer Boulevard Transit Center – 100 estimated units
Additionally, MTS has existing transit-oriented developments at the Morena Linda Vista Station, Grossmont Station, 62nd Street Station, 47th Street Station and Grantville Station.
Affirmed Housing’s partners on SkyLINE include San Diego MTS, Bank of America, Citi Community Capital, Lument Capital, City of San Diego, California Department of Housing and Community Development, County of San Diego, San Diego Housing Commission, Compass for Affordable Housing, HA Builder Group, Architects Orange, and ConAm Management Corporation.
About Affirmed Housing
Affirmed Housing is a leader in affordable, multifamily housing development, delivering safe, sustainable, high-quality communities for families, veterans, seniors and people experiencing homelessness. The company works with municipalities and private owners throughout California to promote housing stability and neighborhood well-being by leveraging deep expertise in public finance, low-income housing tax credits, and tax-exempt bond finance, as well as site selection, engineering, architecture, construction, relocation and marketing. Since 1992, Affirmed Housing has financed more than $2.8 billion in affordable and supportive development, with 5,800 units developed or under development in 70 communities. The company has offices in San Diego and San Jose. Visit: www.affirmedhousing.com.
About MTS
The Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) operates 97 bus routes and three Trolley lines in 10 cities and unincorporated areas of San Diego. MTS is a leader in advancing initiatives to create a greener, cleaner and better-connected transit system in San Diego. Each weekday more than 250,000 passenger trips are taken throughout the MTS system taking people to work, school, health appointments and other essential trips. In FY 2023, MTS served more than 68 million riders. For service schedule updates, news, alerts and more information on how you can use public transportation, go to www.sdmts.com.
