National CORE, SDCHC Break Ground on 56-Unit Coast Villas Affordable Apartment Homes in Oceanside

National CORE and the San Diego Community Housing Corporation (SDCHC) broke ground May 12 on Coast Villas, a 56-unit affordable apartment homes development targeting seniors in coastal Oceanside, California. The project, co-developed by the two nonprofit housing organizations, will serve residents ages 55 and older who earn between 30% and 50% of the area median income (AMI), with a dedicated set-aside for veterans and individuals with serious mental illness.

Project Details and Unit Mix

Coast Villas will offer 56 affordable apartment homes within a four-story, elevator-served building located within walking distance of the historic Oceanside Municipal Pier and Buccaneer Beach. Of the 56 units, 15 are reserved for veterans who have faced homelessness, including 12 specifically designated for individuals with serious mental illness.

The development places a strong emphasis on sustainability. The all-electric building will feature rooftop solar panels, drought-tolerant landscaping, low-flow plumbing fixtures, and high-efficiency lighting, HVAC systems, and appliances.

"Coast Villas will be a transformative community for Oceanside — providing much-needed affordable housing options for the city's aging population," said John Seymour, vice president at National CORE. "It's inspiring to once again partner with the City of Oceanside and SDCHC. We couldn't ask for better partners while working on a development of such profound importance."

Ted Miyahara, president and CEO of SDCHC, echoed that sentiment. "We are incredibly proud to know that Coast Villas will be a lifeline for so many people — a home where seniors and senior veterans can live in peace," Miyahara said. "I look forward to the day Coast Villas opens, since it will mark yet another outstanding step toward providing much needed housing for people experiencing homelessness in the City of Oceanside."

Public-Private Financing and Onsite Services

Coast Villas will receive financial support from a broad coalition of public and private partners, including the City of Oceanside, the Oceanside Housing Authority, the County of San Diego, Hudson Housing Capital, Capital One, and the California Community Reinvestment Corporation. Specific financial terms were not disclosed.

The Hope through Housing Foundation, along with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, will provide onsite services to help residents maintain housing stability.

"The county is fully committed to increasing affordable housing throughout our region. Coast Villas is an excellent example of the great work we can accomplish when public and private partnerships set out to do good," said David Estrella, San Diego County director of housing and community development services. "Coast Villas will make a positive difference in the lives of some of the most vulnerable San Diegans."

San Diego County District 5 Supervisor Jim Desmond praised the development's focus on dignity and support for vulnerable residents. "Coast Villas represents exactly the kind of thoughtful, impactful housing our community needs," Desmond said. "I'm proud to partner with National CORE and San Diego Community Housing Corporation to deliver a development that strengthens Oceanside and helps ensure our County remains a place where seniors and Veterans can age with dignity and support."

Senior Homelessness Rising Against a Backdrop of Regional Housing Pressure

The groundbreaking comes as San Diego County grapples with a widening gap between housing costs and resident incomes. According to the California Housing Partnership, county residents need to earn approximately $48 per hour — roughly 2.8 times the state minimum wage — to afford median rental prices in the region.

While overall homelessness in the county declined from 10,605 individuals in 2024 to 9,908, according to county data cited in the announcement, senior homelessness increased 5% over the same period and now accounts for one-third of the area's total homeless population. Veterans continue to represent approximately 6% of the homeless count.

Oceanside Mayor Esther Sanchez highlighted the urgency of the project. "Oceanside is proud of our continuing partnership with National CORE and San Diego Community Housing Corporation, bringing more quality, sustainable affordable housing for our residents," Sanchez said. "These 55 affordable units for seniors, 15 addressing veterans experiencing homelessness, are meeting the needs of our fastest growing community facing housing challenges. These homes are 100% affordable, with income requirements at 30% and 50% of the Area Median Income."

Oceanside Deputy Mayor Eric Joyce underscored the city's ongoing commitment to the effort. "The cause of housing our elders is so urgent and unrelenting and I am proud to lock arms with all allies doing the work," Joyce said. "National CORE has been a reliable partner with our city because we share a vision of an Oceanside and greater world where all our elders live in safe and stable housing."

Real Estate Development Context: Affordable Senior Housing in a High-Cost Coastal Market

Coast Villas represents a notable real estate development milestone for coastal Oceanside, a submarket where land and construction costs typically make 100% affordable senior-focused projects difficult to capitalize. The project's financing coalition — spanning local government, a housing authority, a county agency, a tax credit equity syndicator, a national bank, and a community reinvestment lender — reflects the layered funding structures that have become standard for affordable housing real estate development in high-cost California markets.

National CORE, formally known as National Community Renaissance, is a nonprofit developer with an extensive portfolio of affordable communities across Southern California. SDCHC has been an active co-developer of affordable housing in the San Diego region. Together, the two organizations have previously partnered with the City of Oceanside on affordable housing initiatives.

No construction completion date or total development cost was disclosed at the time of the groundbreaking.