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​Rent for New Downtown San Diego Apartments to Start at $500 Per Month

by Joe Little
​10News KGTV
July 6, 2016

​SAN DIEGO - Apartments in a new building in downtown San Diego will soon be available for low-income families, with rent at $500 per month. Wakeland Housing said Atmosphere on 5th Avenue and Beech Street should be completed this spring. There will be 205 new units available in the building.

"We saw the tremendous need for affordable housing," said Wakeland Housing CEO Ken Sauder. "It's emotionally really fulfilling to know that we are building a big structure, that ties into downtown that will house 205 families."

"The sense of accomplishment on something like this, to be honest with you, is much more powerful," said Suffolk Construction Director of Field Operations Drew Peterson.

There are more than 600 people on the waitlist already. Some people are homeless, while others are disabled.

Sauder said it underscores the need for affordable housing. The San Diego City Council has declared an affordable housing crisis every two weeks for the past 12 years.

"The real question is what can we do as a community to create more affordable housing?" Sauder asked.

Sauder said the San Diego Housing Commission website is the best resource to find affordable housing in the city of San Diego.