San Marcos, located in North County, continues its commitment to improving housing equity amidst growing populations by focusing on affordable housing developments. This has resulted in the construction of Alora Apartments, adding 99 more affordable units to the Town's portfolio.
In the last thirty years, to create 34 unique developments, San Marcos has formed successful partnerships against affordable housing developers comprising of 2,347 premium housing units for its citizens. As a result, the number of affordable housing units in San Marcos is more than their counterparts in other neighboring communities in North County. Mayor Jones expressed that a pivotal mark has been achieved with over seven percent of the City's housing now being deed-restricted housing that is regulated and managed for 99 years.
The City's commitment to affordable housing has been transformative for many, including a resident of Villa Serena who spoke anonymously. Having suffered periods of homelessness and living out of her boyfriend's car, she luckily discovered California's Transitional Age Youth (TAY) Program in 2020 and consequently, secure housing at Villa Serena. Thanks to organizations such as the National CORE, property management, and Hope through Housing, she can now concentrate on her education with a vision for a brighter future.
The wide-ranging benefits of affordable housing were emphasized by Affirmed Housing President Jimmy Silverwood, who stated, "housing is an essential human service that promotes equity and inclusion for all citizens," and is a primary factor for positive change. Besides directly benefiting the residents, the City’s commitment to affordable housing also contributes to significant infrastructure improvements throughout San Marcos. Silverwood explained, "combining housing and care in thoughtful, meaningful ways allows families to live their best life whilst simultaneously contributing to the stability and economic growth of the communities in which they live."
In line with this, the City in 2021 initiated improvements such as new streets, drainage systems, and enhanced lighting in newly developed areas, such as Promenade at Creekside and Eastgate. This development, from a combined effort of both public and private sectors, was achieved efficiently and without burdening the budget as per San Marcos' website.
David Estrella, Director of County of San Diego Housing and Community Development Services, mentioned at Alora's grand opening event that, "everyone thrives if our workforce and families are strong" and attributed affordable housing developments as the solid foundation facilitating this. Echoing similar sentiments, Mayor Jones re-stated the City's dedication towards affordable housing and underscored the added benefits of associated citywide improvements that affect the entire community positively.
