Two New Openings Bring More Affordable Housing to Mt. Etna Campus

A celebration was held in the Clairemont Mesa neighborhood today for the grand opening of two new affordable housing developments located on Mt. Etna Drive, near the intersection of Genessee Avenue and Balboa Avenue.

The two new multi-story buildings, named Modica and Taormina, are the second and third buildings to open on the Mt. Etna Campus. The first building, the Paul Downey Senior Residence, opened in January for low-income seniors.

A fourth building is scheduled to open in early 2026 for low-income families, completing the intergenerational Mt. Etna campus built on County surplus land. Combined, the four buildings will add 404 homes to the community that will remain affordable for the next 55 years.

Modica and Taormina feature 228 one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom apartment homes plus two manager units. Between them, 73 of the apartments are dedicated to permanent supportive housing. Mt. Etna is also pedestrian friendly and within walking distance of grocery stores, schools, parks, restaurants, retail, medical facilities and public transportation.

"When we support affordable housing in our communities, we are creating a safe and stable living environment for all residents, said Kimberly Giardina, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for the County's Health and Human Services Agency. "Everyone deserves a place to call home."

The Mt. Etna campus is a testament to the success of public private partnerships and a regional commitment to build more affordable housing. The County invested $15 million in funding for the Mt Etna campus and provided the parcel of land, which formerly housed the County Crime Lab, valued at $21 million.

All four phases of the Mt. Etna campus are being developed by Chelsea Investment Corp. with supportive services provided by Serving Seniors.

More about the Mt. Etna interest list is available online.

Since 2017, the County has invested more than $327 million into affordable housing, using excess land, its Innovative Housing Trust Fund, and other state, federal, and local funding sources administered by the County. Those funds have helped open doors to over 2,900 homes, 1,800 new units just for seniors, with 3,000 more on the way.