Developers Line Up for San Diego Unified School District Projects
2019 Rendering of Bricker Education Center by AVRP
San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) is moving forward with its transformative plan to combat California’s severe housing crisis by leveraging district-owned land for affordable housing, an initiative that has garnered significant interest from developers. The district recently closed its request for proposals (RFP) for five sites across its properties, receiving a robust 15 submissions covering all locations.
In University Heights, this includes the Brucker Education Center on Normal Street, which has been extensively covered in UH News (previous stories can be viewed at www.uhsd.org/edcenter).
San Diego Unified is not new to this endeavor. In 2018, the district partnered to develop Livia at Scripps Ranch, which opened last year. Over 50 district employees now reside in its 53 low-income units, part of the building’s 264 total units. The complex also features a promised Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM) lab for local students.
The new projects will follow a similar model, with the district retaining land ownership and developers leasing the property. Importantly, the recent RFP for the five new sites included specific required amenities designed to benefit both future residents and the surrounding communities. Developers proposing projects at the Brucker Education Center site must preserve two historical buildings and include specific community amenities with a focus on creating the most affordable housing possible.
Board President Cody Petterson told Voice of San Diego in a recent story that some surrounding communities have been “understandably nervous” about these projects, but expressed confidence that the community-focused amenities, many developed through public workshops, will win them over.
A committee comprising district staff and real estate experts is currently reviewing the 15 proposals. A representative from CCUH has been invited to participate on this committee to provide community input. The committee’s workand recommendations are confidential, so no information can be reported until the Board of Education authorizes it.
Recommendations are expected to be presented to the board by December, prioritizing proposals that “best respond to the district’s needs, workforce housing goals, and community requests” as defined in the RFP.