Paradise Creek apartments shaped by community, for community
NATIONAL CITY, April 18, 2017 – Today, community members in National City cheered for a milestone that Environmental Health Coalition (EHC) says sets the precedent for San Diego and other cities nationwide. As the Paradise Creek Apartments, an affordable housing project, had the grand opening of its first phase this morning, EHC commended developers and decision makers for following through to bring housing shaped by community vision to Westside National City.
“For more than a decade, National City residents have expressed the need for sustainable, affordable housing that doesn’t damage Paradise Creek, is within walking distance of a trolley station and prioritizes local residents before people from other neighborhoods,” says Carolina Martinez, associate director of EHC. “Community involvement has guided this project to reflect the needs of the people who live here and those are the people that deserve these homes.”
According to Martinez, new housing complexes across the country, and in San Diego, are often rented to people from other neighborhoods, displacing the residents who live there. Last year, National City adopted a policy to ensure that 100 percent of tenants for the Paradise Creek Apartments come from National City – changing the definition of what it means to be a community development in San Diego County.
“Historically, when new developments come into our community, they’re not accessible for families like mine, even though National City has been my home for a long time,” says Alicia Sanchez, resident of National City. “Our neighborhood needs more housing that prioritizes the people who already live here and want to stay in our community, where they’ve built their lives.”
The 201-unit complex was developed by Related California and Community HousingWorks and has earned recognition across the country, receiving a national award from the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Transportation and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. As of today, the first phase of construction is complete with the second phase planned for completion in mid-2018.
For more information on Environmental Health Coalition and its efforts to bring environmental justice to National City, please visit www.environmentalhealth.org.
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ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH COALITION: Founded in 1980, Environmental Health Coalition (EHC) builds grassroots campaigns to confront the unjust consequences of toxic pollution, discriminatory land use and unsustainable energy policies. Visit us online at http://www.environmentalhealth.org.