OCEANSIDE — The city of Oceanside is committing $3.5 million for a proposed affordable housing project to be constructed on Greenbrier Drive.
On March 1, the city issued a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) requesting proposals for a homeless shelter and affordable housing development for “extremely low-income individuals and families.”
The city received two proposals: one from Red Point Homes, Inc. and another from partnered organizations National Community Renaissance of California (NCRC) and San Diego Community Housing Corporation (SDCHC).
One proposal from Red Point Homes, Inc. requested eight PBV for its Sandpiper Villa project, previously Viri Estates. City staff expects to bring a recommendation on this project to the Housing Commission and the Community Development Commission sometime later.
NCRC/SDCHC’s proposal requested $3.5 million in inclusionary housing in-lieu fee funds, which are only used for low or moderate-income housing opportunities, and 59 project-based housing choice vouchers (PBV) for its Greenbrier Village Apartments project, which will serve homeless and extremely low-income people.
Greenbrier Village will be a 60-unit apartment community on 0.71 acres on the west side of Greenbrier Drive between Apple Street and Oceanside Boulevard. The complex will include 50 studio apartments used for homeless individuals and nine one-bedroom apartments for people at risk of homelessness.
The project sets aside five studio units for homeless veterans, 29 studios for non-elderly adults with disabilities and 16 for permanent supportive housing.
A single two-bedroom apartment will be the manager’s apartment.
All of Greenbrier Village’s residents will be eligible for supportive services provided by the County of San Diego Behavioral Health Services, the Veteran’s Administration, Interfaith Community Services, San Ysidro Health and Hope through Housing Foundation.
City Council unanimously approved committing the $3.5 million as well as an Exclusive Negotiating Agreement with NCRC/SDCHC, which gives 180 days for negotiating an affordable housing agreement.
Mayor Esther Sanchez expressed her excitement about the project, noting its several wraparound services.
“We don’t have very many services in North County,” Sanchez said referring to homelessness resources. “This could be a new model for other communities.”
Sanchez noted the County of San Diego was also excited about the project.
Council was also slated to choose Interfaith Community Services as the city’s proposed homeless shelter operator at 3131 Oceanside Boulevard and to allow staff to begin negotiations for property use and management services agreements with Interfaith. Instead, Council decided to postpone the item to a council workshop on June 30 at 2 p.m.
The idea to bring the item to a workshop setting came from Councilmember Peter Weiss, who suggested the move to allow for more public input on the proposal.
“I’m not prepared tonight to make a decision on this,” Weiss said.
Sanchez wanted to decide on the project Wednesday night, emphasizing the city’s need to urgently build a shelter to address homelessness.
Interfaith Executive Director Greg Anglea warned that delaying approval of the project could drive up costs.
