Three new affordable housing complexes in San Diego
Mt. Etna – Messina/Modica/Taormina – City of San Diego
5255 Mt. Etna Drive Redevelopment Project
San Diego is experiencing a severe housing affordability crisis. The County of San Diego (County) is committed to helping alleviate this crisis and has identified the site at 5255 Mt. Etna Drive as suitable for the development of a multi-family affordable home community. The County has selected Chelsea Investment Corporation (Chelsea) to construct and manage the affordable homes on this site.
Chelsea proposes to develop a community where 100 percent of the homes are for lower and moderate income seniors and families earning up to 80 percent of Area Median Income (AMI), with some homes set aside for people with a developmental disability, such as cerebral palsy or Down syndrome. Once built, onsite resident services would be provided by Chelsea’s nonprofit partners, Serving Seniors and Southern California Housing Collaborative. Specific design components and features of the development will be more clearly defined in consultation with the community and elected leadership.
Development News and Announcements
The Development Team provided a project update to the Clairemont Mesa Community Planning Group on March 21, 2023. The presentation can be found within the Documents section of this website.
Three projects at the Mt. Etna Campus, 136-unit Taormina Family Project, 94-unit Modica Family Project, and 79-unit Messina Senior Project, have recently received bond and tax credit funding. The Modica and Taormina Family Projects will commence construction in June 2023 with a completion date in approximately March 2026. The Messina Senior Project will commence construction in June 2023 with a completion date in approximately October 2024.
The San Diego City Council approved the Community Plan Amendment and rezone on March 10, 2020. The County Board of Supervisors approved the Disposition and Development Agreement and Ground Lease on July 7, 2020.
On January 30, 2020, the City of San Diego Planning Commission unanimously approved to recommend the Community Plan Amendment and rezone to the San Diego City Council.
On January 14, 2020, the County of San Diego Board of Supervisors certified the Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Community Plan Amendment and rezone.
Final EIR Document
On Dec. 5, 2019, the County and Chelsea held an open house community meeting to provide updates and discuss how community input has helped shape the affordable home community to date.
