VISTA — A new 24-unit apartment complex operated by a nonprofit corporation dedicated to providing affordable housing broke ground Aug. 25.
Caritas Village Vista will consist of two three-story buildings with 12 units each, all designated as affordable housing. The project is planned for a vacant 1.1-acre lot surrounded by Plymouth Drive and Camino Corto, in a neighborhood just north of the Wave Waterpark.
The complex will offer one-, two- and three-bedroom layouts with a maximum capacity of 64 residents. The project will also include 25 parking spaces. A third, single-story building will house an on-site office, clubhouse, laundry facility and maintenance room. The development will encompass nearly 29,000 square feet.
Caritas CEO Randy Redwitz said in a statement that the project is the nonprofit’s first development in San Diego County. The Irvine-based organization operates more than 30 affordable housing communities in California and Oregon, including the Estrella del Oro mobile home park immediately adjacent to the Caritas Village Vista site.
Caritas also operates the Vista Manor mobile home park north of Estrella del Oro and the Valle Verde Estates mobile home park in San Marcos.
Vista-based Level 3 Construction is building the project for Caritas under an announced $8.7 million contract. A Level 3 spokesperson said construction is expected to be completed in about a year.
Approximately 150 workers representing 30 trades will be employed during construction, according to Ian Mahon, CEO of Level 3 Construction.
District 3 Councilmember Katie Melendez, whose district includes the project, told The Coast News, “This is really the ideal type of project for Vista. I would say it fits the neighborhood needs. It’s close to our transit center, it’s close to our downtown.”
