The Metropolitan Transit System is now dedicated to improving the housing crisis in San Diego. The MTS board has released their approval of a new apartment complex that will give housing to approximately one thousand residents around the Grantville Trolley Station. As of right now, MTS is responsible for running 95 bus routes and three trolley lines, providing transportation to over 300,000 people every day.
Affirmed Housing, a program working to improve the housing crisis, is partnering with MTS to build 156 rooms that San Diego State University students can occupy. In addition, Greystar, a leader in rental housing, intends to build 254 rooms that SDSU students can utilize. Furthermore, MTS is actively trying to develop partnerships with other organizations to turn its park and ride locations into affordable living options. Currently, MTS is targeting the transit centers of 12th & Imperial, El Cajon, H Street, and E Street to convert into transit housing. Ultimately, the redeveloping of all four transit centers would create around 1,570 units.
MTS CEO, Paul Jablonski, expressed the commitment MTS has to taking successful park and ride locations and turning them into more transit-involved projects. Moreover, Jablonski explained how the partnerships will help bring awareness to the housing crisis and help achieve their climate-related agendas.
Construction of the apartments will begin in June 2020 with students being able to utilize them beginning in June of 2022. These apartments will give another suitable option for people to finding affordable housing in San Diego. Likewise, by creating living options near the transit system, it will create also an incentive for people to use the transit system.
Photo by Josh Esh
