City leaders at the Cerro Pueblo Apartments ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday morning. (Photo courtesy of RAHD Group)

San Diego-based affordable housing developer RAHD Group and Catholic Charities Diocese of San Diego Wednesday reopened the Cerro Pueblo Apartments, maintaining 46 affordable senior housing units in Bay Park for another 55 years.

At a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday morning, city leaders thanked the developer and charity for saving the units, which were at one point in 2022 just 30 days away from losing their affordability designation.

“Preserving affordable housing is one of the most urgent challenges facing our city, and this project is an important example of how local partners can come together to protect our seniors,” said San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria. “This unique partnership between a private developer and nonprofit service provider is a testament to the meaningful progress that can be made toward the city’s goal to combat the housing crisis locally.”

The Cerro Pueblo Apartments set rents at 30% to 60% of adjusted median income for qualified low-income seniors 62 and older. The property was built in 1982 and consists of 46 single-level, one-bedroom units, housed across a two-story, elevator-serviced building and two single-story buildings.

RAHD spent $17.7 million to rehabilitate the property, including modernizing apartments and shared spaces, upgrading infrastructure and making the development and its units more accessible.

“We’re proud to help provide seniors who have called this community home for years with safe, quality housing — and peace of mind,” said Tim Walsh, partner at RAHD Group. “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.”

Cerro Pueblo now has a recreation room with a kitchen, restrooms, a service coordinator’s office, laundry facilities and 17 parking spaces. Additionally, new roofs, solar panels, improved lighting, landscaping, elevators and fire systems have been installed.

According to a joint statement by RAHD and Catholic Charities, the building also now has improved security, grab bars in bathrooms of accessible units and wheelchair access to the main entrance.

Catholic Charities will provide on-site social services funded by a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development services grant, including 24-hour management and a full-time coordinator who will “organize social activities and educational programs, assist with technology, arrange for transportation, and serve as resident advocates to support their independence and well-being,” the statement reads.

“Ensuring affordable housing is available to low-income seniors is a critical step forward, but it’s only the beginning,” said Vino Pajanor, CEO of Catholic Charities Diocese of San Diego. “It’s the wraparound services, on-site coordination and everyday support that truly allow our seniors to thrive and age with dignity and respect.”

Founded in 2010, RAHD Group is a San Diego-based affordable housing developer which has focused on preserving affordable multifamily housing. Catholic Charities is a nonprofit started in 1919 and is the social ministry arm for the Diocese of San Diego. The organizations have collaborated on other projects since 2021.