SAN DIEGO – Construction of a new 100-unit affordable housing development by a San Ysidro trolley station is slated to get underway in early 2024 after being approved Thursday by the Metropolitan Transit System Board of Directors.
The multi-family apartment complex near the Beyer Boulevard Trolley Station will feature studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, according to MTS. It is the organization’s first development in San Ysidro and comes amid a recent push to build affordable housing near public transit.
Terms of the MTS deal with Affirmed Housing Group include a 99-year lease of the land, which currently is an MTS parking lot, the public transit service provider said in a news release.
“Building affordable housing near mass transit is critical to helping families succeed,” MTS Board Chair Nathan Fletcher said. “This development is yet another example of MTS taking leadership to address the region’s housing shortage, climate action goals, and provide working-class families more opportunities to thrive.”
Once construction is underway, it is expected to take nearly two years to complete the project. Apartments in the Beyer Boulevard development will be made available to families who make between 30-60 percent of the area’s median income, MTS said.
In a statement, Jimmy Silverwood, executive vice president for Affirmed Housing, called the Beyer project “an inclusive, transit-oriented development.”
A rendering shows a new 100-unit multi-family housing development scheduled for construction in 2024 near the Beyer Boulevard Trolley Station in San Ysidro, Calif. (Photos provided by San Diego MTS) 
A rendering shows a new 100-unit multi-family housing development scheduled for construction in 2024 near the Beyer Boulevard Trolley Station in San Ysidro, Calif. (Photos provided by San Diego MTS) 
A rendering shows a new 100-unit multi-family housing development scheduled for construction in 2024 near the Beyer Boulevard Trolley Station in San Ysidro, Calif. (Photos provided by San Diego MTS)
“In addition to providing beautiful, quality housing that residents can be proud to live in – coupled with extra support to help residents live their best lives – Beyer’s proximity to reliable transportation and substantial off-site amenities fosters more sustainable living and vibrancy within the local community,” Silverwood said. “MTS’ leadership in addressing key social issues that impact the region has been exemplary, and we are proud to be their partner on Beyer’s development, as well as others.”
Thus far, MTS has announced two other complexes in development: near the Grantville Trolley Station and the Palm Avenue Trolley Station. As many as 1,390 other units are estimated to be developed in the future near other transit centers, including Rancho Bernardo, 12th and Imperial, El Cajon and E Street.
