Bridge Housing, City and County break ground on Kindred affordable housing in Cortez Hill

Bridge Housing Corporation, the City of San Diego and the County of San Diego held a ceremonial groundbreaking for the Kindred affordable-housing development in Cortez Hill, where officials announced project financing, rental vouchers and plans for on-site services for low-income seniors and families.

At the event, Ken Lombard, CEO and president of Bridge Housing Corporation, described Kindred as "a beautiful community" that will "make a life changing difference in the lives of" future residents and said Bridge will begin site work immediately. Lombard said the development will include housing for formerly homeless seniors and families and expressed Bridge's commitment to expanding affordable housing in San Diego.

Why it matters: Speakers framed Kindred as part of a broader local response to San Diego's housing affordability crisis. Officials said the project uses excess county land and blends public and private funding to create long-term affordable homes and supportive services for a population many speakers identified as especially vulnerable.

Project details and funding

David Estre (introduced at the event as director of Housing & Community Development Services, Health and Human Services Agency for the County of San Diego) said Kindred will create 126 new affordable units, with 63 set aside for low-income seniors, and noted a $4,000,000 contribution from the county's Innovative Housing Trust Fund. "This development will remain affordable for 99 years," Estre said, attributing the long-term affordability to the county's investment and use of excess county land.

Colin Miller of the San Diego Housing Commission described the city's financial support: a development loan and project-based rental vouchers tied to the site. Miller said the Housing Commission's loan is nearly $8,000,000 drawn from a mix of federal, state and local programs the commission administers, and that the commission awarded 84 housing vouchers to the development — 63 to assist seniors who have experienced homelessness and 21 for extremely low-income families. Miller said those vouchers are project-based and "when a resident moves out, the voucher remains in place to help the next senior or family who moves in." (Emphasis in original.)

Josh Evjune, relationship manager for Bridge Housing at U.S. Bank, said the bank is providing equity and construction financing, which he described as "over $112,000,000 in equity and debt for construction." Speakers also thanked other private-sector partners named at the event, including Greystone Housing Impact Investors and Western Alliance Bank.

Supportive services and partners

Veronica Dela Rosa, interim CEO of San Ysidro Health, said the health center will provide on-site supportive services, including PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) and enhanced case management. "The PACE program will be in this site serving the seniors who need those services," Dela Rosa said, and added that enhanced case management will serve residents who do not qualify for PACE.

Location, design and market context

Speakers noted the site is in Cortez Hill, near job centers and about a mile from Balboa Park. Ken Novak, chairman of Bridge's board, said Kindred will be an eight-story, intergenerational development with amenities and staff emphasized the project's location within a high-cost market. Mayor Todd Gloria placed the groundbreaking in context of the city's broader housing production, saying the San Diego Housing Commission's $8,000,000 contribution and the vouchers are part of the financial underpinnings making the project possible.

Affordability term and timeline: differing statements

Speakers offered different statements about the project's affordability term and schedule. David Estre said the development "will remain affordable for 99 years." Colin Miller said rents at the site will remain affordable for 55 years. On schedule, Ken Lombard said construction would start immediately and pushed the development team for a roughly 12‑month timeline, while Mayor Todd Gloria and other speakers mentioned an opening in early 2027. Event hosts and Bridge representatives said they will monitor schedule and budget as construction proceeds.

Next steps and public notes

Organizers invited attendees to a photo opportunity and refreshments after the ceremonial shovel event. Speakers repeatedly credited the public–private partnership among Bridge Housing, the San Diego Housing Commission, U.S. Bank, county staff and service partners such as San Ysidro Health.

Sources and attribution

This article is based on remarks at the Kindred groundbreaking ceremony; direct quotations are attributed to event speakers as noted. Where multiple, differing figures were announced (for example, unit counts and stated affordability terms), each figure is attributed to the speaker who provided it rather than reconciled by the reporter.