Construction crews are finally moving dirt in Serra Mesa, where a long‑vacant former library site is being turned into 59 affordable rental apartments, with half of the homes set aside for veterans. The five‑story Serra Mesa Apartments are slated to open in fall 2027, mostly as one‑bedroom units for lower‑income households. City leaders say rents will be kept affordable for 55 years for residents earning between 30% and 60% of the area's median income. The project is the latest example of the mayor’s push to repurpose public land for housing and supportive services in San Diego.
Groundbreaking and priorities
Nonprofit developer Community HousingWorks formally broke ground Tuesday on the Serra Mesa Apartments, which will turn a 0.34‑acre city parcel into 59 affordable rentals, with 30 units prioritized for veterans. The San Diego Housing Commission says those veteran households will receive on‑site support, and that the agency has awarded 30 VASH vouchers along with a development loan for the project, according to SDHC.
What the building will include
The five‑story development is set to include 56 one‑bedroom units, three two‑bedroom units and one on‑site manager’s unit. Plans also call for a 22‑space parking garage, a community room, a computer lab and an elevated courtyard. Rents are expected to remain restricted for 55 years for households earning 30% to 60% of the San Diego Area Median Income, and project documents list a projected construction completion in October 2027, according to KPBS.
How the project is funded
The financing package includes a $4 million Bridge to Home loan from the City of San Diego, plus a $2.5 million development loan administered by the San Diego Housing Commission. The project also secures site‑based VASH vouchers that will follow veterans into the units. A city release outlines a 65‑year ground lease with Community HousingWorks, which allows the nonprofit to build and manage the apartments while the city retains ownership of the land, according to the City of San Diego.
Officials and context
“Now we’re putting public land to work and delivering homes San Diegans can afford,” Mayor Todd Gloria wrote on X, highlighting both the veteran set‑aside and the property’s long vacancy. Councilmember Raul Campillo called the conversion a “positive step” for veterans in the city’s release. Local coverage has noted that the library building closed in 2006 and then sat empty, leaving the Serra Mesa parcel underused for roughly two decades.
Turning a former #SerraMesa library site into 59 affordable homes is how we #BuildMoreHomes and reduce homelessness. Half will serve veterans. This site sat vacant for decades. Now we’re putting public land to work and delivering homes San Diegans can afford. #Forward #ForAllofUs pic.twitter.com/BLklXVNV73
— San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria (@MayorToddGloria) April 15, 2026
Why the plan matters
The Serra Mesa Apartments are part of Mayor Gloria’s Homes for All of Us agenda and the city’s Bridge to Home investments, which have helped advance dozens of relatively small projects on public or leased land in recent years. Hoodline coverage in March 2025 tracked the council vote and the ground‑lease path, outlining how the 3440 Sandrock Road site shifted from storage and long‑term vacancy to a planned housing development.
Next steps and timeline
Construction is expected to move from initial site work into excavation and vertical building in the coming months. Community HousingWorks is set to manage on‑site services for veterans and other residents once the project opens. The developer lists an estimated completion date of October 2027, and city officials say the site will remain under a 65‑year lease to the nonprofit before reverting to full city control.
