Affordable senior apartments in Bay Park reopen after $17.7 million in renovations

At the reopening ceremony for Cerro Pueblo Apartments in Bay Park, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria and other dignitaries held up a ceremonial ribbon for 95-year-old resident Alice Goldman and her giant pair of scissors.

Goldman has been a resident of Cerro Pueblo for 20 years. Her unit and the 45 others at the complex are designated as affordable housing for seniors making 30% to 60% of the San Diego area’s average median income — or between $34,750 and $69,500 for a person living alone.

The complex was built in 1978 and risked losing its affordability designation in 2022 because subsidies it received from the U.S. Department Housing and Urban Development were expiring.

An investment of $17.7 million from the Catholic Charities Diocese of San Diego allowed RAHD Group, an affordable housing developer in San Diego, to rehabilitate the units, according to a press release.

A representative from RAHD said the state required Cerro Pueblo to upgrade 10% of its units to meet current ADA standards. Now the building also meets all accessibility requirements under HUD code.

Goldman and other residents were temporarily transferred to a local hotel at no cost to them while their units were refurbished. They celebrated their return Wednesday.

In addition to modernizing Cerro Pueblo’s units, the roofs and laundry facilities at the complex were replaced during the renovations.

Beyond the physical improvements, Catholic Charities was awarded a HUD grant to provide on-site social services, including round-the-clock management and a full-time activity coordinator.

RAHD Group partner Tim Walsh said the upgrades give senior residents peace of mind.

“By revitalizing the site and extending the affordability of these homes for decades to come, these buildings will serve as guaranteed homes for generations of seniors,” said Walsh.