COMMUNITY HOUSINGWORKS CELEBRATES 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF BANDAR SALAAM APARTMENTS ACQUISITION
Cornerstone of Somali community in City Heights to celebrates “Old Traditions, New Opportunities” event as rehabilitation project kicks off
SAN DIEGO – July 22, 2024 – San Diego-based nonprofit affordable housing developer Community HousingWorks (CHW) celebrated the 25th anniversary of their acquisition of Bandar Salaam Apartments in San Diego’s City Heights neighborhood. The event also marked the start of rehabilitation work at Bandar Salaam. With the theme “Old Traditions, New Opportunities,” the event invited both distinguished guests and resident families to join together in celebration.
Originally built in 1974 and named Winona Gardens Apartments, it became a cornerstone of San Diego’s Somali community in the 1990s as Somali refugees entered the U.S. and settled in City Heights. When CHW (then known as Community Housing of North County) purchased the development it needed substantial improvements and maintenance. CHW worked with the residents while rehabilitating the community and, with the residents’ input, renamed it Bandar Salaam Apartments for the Somali phrase meaning “land of peace.” The community sits on a three-acre site and has 68 apartments with between one and five bedrooms to accommodate large and multigenerational households.
Twenty-five years after its purchase, CHW has assembled the funding to address new rehabilitation projects. A key piece of the funding puzzle came in December 2023. During its meeting that month, the California Housing Finance Agency’s (CalHFA) California Debt Limit Allocation Committee (CDLAC) approved a $13.3M bond allocation for CHW to rehabilitate Bandar Salaam. CHW’s proposal was one of only two rehabilitation projects in the state to have funding approved within the dedicated competitive rehabilitation pool in the December 6 meeting. The funding is enabling CHW to replace the roofs on all buildings, install energy efficient windows and HVAC systems, add more ADA-compliant features, and make additional upgrades that will enhance the quality of life for residents in the community.
CHW President and CEO Sean Spear explained what the Bandar Salaam community means to CHW: “Somali refugees began settling here in the 1990s and the culture and traditions of Somalia they brought with them are ever-present in the community. We are glad to play a part in supporting these families. … we at CHW pride ourselves on making quality, affordable places for people to call home – not just to live but to thrive. Children who grew up at Bandar Salaam have earned [Sue Reynolds] Valor scholarships, they have gone on to earn college degrees, and they have created new lives for themselves. And it all starts with having a stable, affordable home.”
In his remarks at the event City of San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria thanked residents of City Heights for supporting efforts to build more affordable housing in their neighborhood. He also commended CHW on their work across San Diego, commenting that no one neighborhood should be responsible for solving the housing affordability crisis. “Every neighborhood must contribute to the solution of the housing affordability crisis. Community HousingWorks gets that and gets the job done.”
Bandar Salaam resident Ahmed Abdi also spoke at the celebration, noting that many of the residents are from war-torn countries. Abdi shared how living at Bandar Salaam gives the residents a sense of community and provides them with dignified housing.
In addition to the CDLAC bond allocation, funding is also provided by the San Diego Housing Commission as a lender, BMO Bank as the construction lender, NewPoint Real Estate Capital as the permanent lender, and low-income housing tax credits (LIHTC) were provided by the National Equity Fund. The development team includes general contractor ICON National, architectural firm The John Stewart Company, and civil engineering firm PLSA Engineering.
The anniversary and rehabilitation kick-off celebration took place Wednesday, July 17, 2024, at Bandar Salaam Apartments, located at 3810 Winona Avenue in San Diego at 3 p.m. Speakers at the event were San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, Council President Sean Elo-Rivera, CalHFA Board Member and San Diego Housing Federation President and CEO Stephen Russell, and Bandar Salaam resident Ahmed Abdi. Community HousingWorks speakers were President and CEO Sean Spear, Board Member Silvia Calzada, Senior Vice President of Housing and Real Estate Development Kevin Leichner, and Project Manager Jonathan Lee.
About Community HousingWorks
Founded in 1988, Community HousingWorks is a nationally recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that develops, rehabilitates, preserves, and operates affordable apartment communities in California and Texas. In addition to providing working families and seniors with stable homes in healthy communities, Community HousingWorks layers in powerful programs, services, and connections to resources. These tools help people attain financial stability, improve their health and overall well-being, and set up school-age children for success in the classroom and beyond. Community HousingWorks owns over 4,200 apartments in 49 communities statewide, serving more than 11,000 working families, children, and seniors. Community HousingWorks is an exemplary ranked member of the national NeighborWorks Network®, an award-winning affiliate of UnidosUS and a member of the prestigious Housing Partnership Network. To learn more, visit chworks.org
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