by Gregorio “Goyo” Ortiz-Muñoz
In the United States, where there is no overarching social contract or encoded public responsibility, the care and development of the built environment fall primarily to market-driven entities. Community-based organizations (CBOs) are the linchpin for addressing related challenges, stepping in where government and private developers fall short. CBOs' deep investment in local communities, their culture, and their long-term well-being positions them uniquely to foster growth and stability. Casa Familiar (Casa)—a CBO in San Diego that has evolved into a hub for innovative community development, particularly for affordable housing—is a prime example of such an organization.
Casa Familiar is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that was founded in 1973, with a mission to enhance the quality of life for people living in the underserved and underrepresented communities of San Ysidro, CA—the first US neighborhood on the western edge of the San Diego/Tijuana border. Its early work focused on immigration and youth and senior services. Due to expanding needs in the community, compounded by long-term underinvestment, however, Casa was forced, over time, to reorient to a more circumstantially responsive model.
Since the 2008 housing bubble burst, Casa has confronted an increasing gap between its activities, its capacities, and the needs of its community. Rising home costs, gentrification, and a lack of affordable housing have overwhelmed the region. The majority of developers, facilitated by status quo government models and policies, prioritize financial returns, making affordable housing a low priority:
Data Source: Housing Element Implementation and APR Data Dashboard
A critical turning point for Casa, in this context, was a capital development project and collaboration with estudio teddy cruz. Living Rooms at the Border, in a community-driven design process, aimed to turn three residential lots and a small 1930s church in the heart of San Ysidro, into a collective resource. The project envisioned the redevelopment of the church as a community black box theater and informal civic center, as well as the reconstruction of the surrounding land as new affordable housing.
This aggressive community development endeavor faced significant hurdles. The project, conceived in 2002, was not completed until 2020. The shortage and obscurity of fundraising options—from redevelopment financing to philanthropic donations—put the project on hold for years. It was not until Casa learned about the New Markets Tax Credit Program, a federal tax credit program in the form of a 20% grant that supports real estate projects in underinvested communities, that Living Rooms became more than aspirational.
Through the Living Rooms experience, Casa recognized it had to expand its role, from that of community advocate to community developer. Casa started by aligning with affordable housing developers that needed a local partner with a 5% investment share in order to qualify for state and federal incentives. These arrangements gave Casa housing development experience, as well as economic returns through the refinancing or selling of the properties.
Casa, since, has worked toward an even more powerful approach to developing affordable housing, wherein the community directly benefits from its economic investment. Its model overcomes an affordable housing catch-22… To qualify for affordable housing in San Diego County in 2024, the Average Middle Income (AMI) for a family of four is $119,500. If a family living in restricted housing increases their income, they jeopardize their access to subsidized housing. For CBOs, community health is linked to home ownership and the accompanying investments in long-term, regional well-being. In San Ysidro, home ownership is in the low 30%, in comparison with the rest of San Diego County at almost 50%. The options for homeownership for the average San Ysidro resident are bleak.
Casa sees the possibility of breaking the status quo in affordability not by thinking of affordable housing, but by creating an avenue for low-income residents to afford to purchase a home. The idea is to build using standard affordable housing financing for new construction. Due to the high cost of new construction, affordable housing only pencils out because of heavy government subsidies that make the proforma work. The financial convention utilizes tax credits and federal and state incentives to construct new affordable housing units. After a 15-year period during which these units are maintained as affordable rentals, Casa plans to sell them to the current residents, ensuring long-term affordability through the establishment of a Community Land Trust (CLT). (Concepts such as community land trusts and housing co-ops are increasingly embraced by government institutions seeking proven models to ensure long-term affordability for working families.) By creating a 99-year lease agreement that separates the land's value from the construction, Casa can keep the housing affordable even as property values rise. In the 15-year probation period, residents will benefit from financial literacy classes, home mortgaging training, and any necessary tools to transfer ownership to residents. All of these skills are part of Casa Familiar’s ongoing programs.
This model can be replicated, but it is crucial to recognize that not all CBOs have access to the land resources or financial stability that Casa has established over its 50-year lifespan. To qualify for and effectively manage tax credits and other financial incentives, CBOs must possess strong expertise in development finance—a skill set that commands high compensation in the private sector. For CBOs without this expertise in-house, partnering with an experienced affordable housing developer is advisable. Still, it is essential that the CBO, as the trusted and committed community leader, maintains a lead role in the partnership. Casa’s experience underscores the need for expanded training and educational programs focused on affordable housing development within CBOs, knowledge building that empowers them to engage as equal partners with developers or even to lead development in their communities.
Casa’s journey also illustrates a shift in focus from direct services to community development. This shift was not a departure from their original mission, but rather an expansion to include housing as a critical component of community empowerment. The organization’s early work in creating spaces like Living Rooms at the Border emphasized the importance of density and mixed-use development in fostering community. Over time, as the housing crisis in San Diego intensified, Casa recognized the need to focus more on homeownership and wealth building for low-income residents to combat displacement and build long-term community resilience.
Government and housing policy play an essential role in Casa’s efforts. Although state and local governments have supported development with limited incentives, the process remains mired in bureaucracy and fierce competition. With affordable housing funding still scarce, and housing needs on a sharp increase, significant policy shifts and increased investment are necessary to enable CBOs to create more equitable communities. Financial institutions, meanwhile, are just beginning to recognize the credibility and deep community commitment that CBOs bring to development. As a result, access to skills training, housing development cohorts, and diversified capital are beginning to turn into housing initiatives led locally in under-resourced communities.
In conclusion, organizations like Casa Familiar play a crucial role in addressing gaps left by traditional development approaches. Through innovative models, deep-rooted community commitment, and the ability to navigate complex systems, they are making significant strides toward solving the affordable housing crisis. However, for these efforts to be both sustainable and scalable, broader recognition of the value of community-based development is essential, along with a concerted effort to equip CBOs with the necessary tools and resources for success. As part of this push for policy change and a spread of strategic initiatives, Casa turns now to collaborations with groups like the California Community Land Trust (CLT) Network in a growing partnership to foster innovation in and support a grassroots movement for community-based development.
Note: This essay describes conditions for CBOs at the end of 2024. Since the 2025 changes in the US federal government, CBOs are navigating increasingly challenging and unpredictable circumstances.
Gregorio “Goyo” Ortiz-Muñoz, is the Community Development Choreographer at Casa Familiar, a community-based organization in San Ysidro, a community of San Diego on the US/Mexico border.
In his community advocate role, Goyo works at the intersection of local government agencies and the community of San Ysidro. His job is to coordinate and gather support for and advance a community land trust housing development. As the project manager for a cultural corridor, then, he seeks creative ways to deploy Casa Familiar’s services through an equitable vision for San Ysidro’s development.
Casa Familiar has a holistic approach toward development and coordinating environmental, transportation, and economic justice. This involves direct collaboration with artists, city officials, local residents, and the San Ysidro community at large. Casa’s facilities serve as both anchors and links between local government agencies and community voices. Goyo engages both groups in order to propose and develop mutually beneficial and creative solutions to San Ysidro’s community needs.
Goyo is a true border citizen—having been born and raised in Tijuana, and having spent his life moving back and forth between Tijuana and San Diego/Los Angeles. His interests revolve around conditions of temporality, transformation, and adaptation in the built environment. He has a background in architecture and urban planning. He has worked in architectural design and with development firms in California and the northeast United States. As well, he has served as an adjunct professor at several universities in the San Diego/Tijuana region.