San Diego Housing Commission ends vouchers for new housing projects as funds run out

The San Diego Housing Commission has ended a voucher program that has helped get housing to thousands of low-income families, seniors, and people experiencing homelessness.

“I got a one-bedroom apartment, a place to call home, and a door to lock, and feel safe,” Rachel Hayes said.

Hayes is grateful to have a place where she has regained her sense of dignity.

“Oh my God, a little bit of dignity goes such a long way…such a long way,” she said. “I mean, to have your own room and your own bathroom.”

Hayes moved into her San Ysidro apartment in June of 2023.

Prior to that she lived out of a tent on the streets of San Diego for more than 10 years.

While she was homeless, she applied for housing, and one day she was notified she got it.

“It was a huge life-changing experience, at least for me it was,” Hayes said.

Rachel’s home is one of 3,700 households that are part of the project-based voucher program, according to the San Diego Housing Commission CEO Lisa Jones. 78% of those households are committed to getting people like Rachel off the streets.

The voucher helps people afford getting into their home and stay there, but now this opportunity will no longer be available.

“When we say we’re not issuing any more project-based vouchers, that means we don’t have the funding available to issue more,” Jones said.

She said other California cities have proposed ballot and bond measures to create an ongoing subsidy through their local government, but San Diego does not have an ongoing local resource at this time that could supplement the federal funding.

Jones said this could impact not only low-income families, seniors, and people experiencing homelessness but future developments as well.

“Without this voucher resource over the next several years, we do expect that it will impact production, so it’s concerning for all of us, a really tough decision to have to make,” Jones said.

Rachel remains hopeful that other funding sources will become available.

“It’s disheartening, and it’s sad, and it’s concerning, but I would tell people, don’t lose faith,” Hayes said.

One of the developments that could be impacted is the Midway Rising Project. NBC 7 reached out to the developer and is awaiting a response.