Affirmed Unveils San Diego Affordable Housing

By Ariela Moraru

Affirmed Housing has unveiled Cypress, a 62-unit community for homeless individuals in downtown San Diego. The $20 million permanent supportive housing development broke ground at the end of 2015. Carrier Johnson + Culture designed the project, which was built by HA Builders, with civil engineering by Kettler Leweck Engineering and landscape design by Ivy Landscape Architects. 

Located at 1435 Imperial Ave., Cypress is an eco-friendly project serving homeless individuals with special needs. The community targets residents earning an average of 30 to 40 percent of the area median income. St. Vincent de Paul Village Inc. will provide resident services.

The project features apartments ranging from 275 to 350 square feet, with personal kitchens and bathrooms and a one-bedroom manager’s unit. Shared amenities include a second-level outdoor open space, a community kitchen, tech tables and lounge areas.  The environmentally friendly community also has a solar array to offset 60 percent of its common area energy usage.

Project funding

Funding for the project included 9 percent federal tax credits, $3.5 million of development capital from the San Diego Housing Commission, and $3.8 million in transit-oriented development grant funding. The project was also awarded 62 project-based federal housing vouchers, which have an annual value of $612,312.

Images courtesy of Affirmed Housing