Commission-owned apartments/houses

The Housing Commission’s Public Housing program is one of the agency’s main reduced-rent housing programs for assisting low-income families, seniors and persons with disabilities. (See photo gallery.) The other main program is the Commission’s “Section 8 Rental Assistance” program, in which participating households are given vouchers that are used to help pay their rent to private landlords.
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Important news for current participants: In accordance with the federal Violence Against Women Act of 2005, the Housing Commission may not deny, remove or terminate assistance to a victim of domestic violence, dating violence or stalking (as long as the participant is otherwise compliant with all program obligations). If you or a member of your family has been victim of a such a situation, please help us protect your rights by filling out and signing a HUD Certification of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence or Stalking Form. Submit the completed form to property management staff.

Click here for the County of San Diego's Office of Violence Prevention's phone list of resources. For other comprehensive resources, please visit the County of San Diego's Office of Violence Prevention web page.

Unlike the Rental Assistance program, the Housing Commission serves as the landlord and property manager for the complexes it owns and manages.

Advantages to living in publicly owned housing include opportunities to participate in the Family Self-Sufficiency Program (career development program for adults), and some complexes have Learning Opportunity Centers (computer labs and other programs for youth and adults).

Approximately 1,800 families are currently assisted through this program. Unfortunately, due to the high demand for rental housing assistance in San Diego, there is a long waiting list for this program – up to five years, or sometimes more.

The publicly owned housing program serves those who work and/or live in the City of San Diego who are low-income families, persons with disabilities, seniors (62-years or older) or meet criteria for the “San Diego area homeless” category. (Homeless status must be verifiable through a local social service provider and/or the police department.)

To be eligible, total household income may not exceed program limits. Note, earnings of all household members will be checked through an Income Verification System.

Click here for the online application for publicly owned housing (and Rental Assistance). The application is also available at our main office (1122 Broadway, Suite 300, San Diego CA 92101).

You may also request that an application be mailed to you (this takes two to three weeks) by writing to us (Waiting List Department, San Diego Housing Commission, 1122 Broadway, Suite 300, San Diego CA 92101) or e-mailing us at eligibility@sdhc.org. When writing to request an application, please include your name, Social Security number and current mailing address.

To be placed on the waiting list, submit a correctly completed application. Mail applications to the following address or drop them off at the main office (1122 Broadway, Suite 300, San Diego CA 92101).

Once your name has reached the “top” of the waiting list, a pre-screening appointment will be scheduled.

While on the waiting list, you are responsible for letting us know within two weeks if you move or if your family size changes (because you might qualify for a place with fewer or additional bedrooms). If we do not know your address, we cannot contact you when a voucher or publicly owned housing apartment becomes available. Important: you will need to reapply if you do not update us on your mailing information.