Martin Reeder, Community Development Director
Ronny Soriano, Acting Assistant Community Development Director
The Community Development Director and Assistant Director oversee and manage the divisions listed below, ensuring they align with the city's goals.
National City Housing Authority*
The National City Housing Authority ("NCHA"), also known as the Community Development Commission-Housing Authority ("CDC-HA") of the City of National City, following the dissolution of the redevelopment agency in 2012, is the successor in interest to the Community Development Commission for all purposes. The NCHA/CDC-HA is a separate entity from the City of National City, and is under the umbrella as a division of the Community Development Department within the City of National City.
The CDC-HA of the City of National City is the "Successor Agency" to the National City Community Development Commission ("CDC") Redevelopment Agency. The CDC-HA was established due to the state of California law eliminating redevelopment throughout the state in February 2012. The redevelopment “Dissolution Act”, Assembly Bill X1 26 (as amended in Assembly Bill 1484), required the establishment of successor agencies to wind down the remaining business of redevelopment agencies. AB 26 required that each successor agency have an oversight board (“Oversight Board”). As of June 21, 2018 regular meetings of the Oversight Board to the Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency of the City of National City were cancelled. The Countywide Redevelopment Successor Agency Oversight Board began regular meetings on July 1, 2018 (learn more here).
The NCHA is one of five Public Housing Authorities ("PHA") in the County of San Diego. NCHA administers the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher ("HCV") Program, commonly referred to as "Section 8" for eligible low-income households and seniors who live or work in National City. It is a federally funded program under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development ("HUD") which enables participants to obtain decent, safe, and sanitary housing.
Primary objectives include:
- To provide housing for all income levels with an emphasis on expanding housing opportunities to very low, low, and moderate-income families, accessible housing for special needs populations including larger families, seniors, and people with disabilities.
- To preserve, revitalize, and develop National City’s neighborhoods. To accomplish this goal the CDC-HA will aim to (1) Increase the availability quality housing and improve neighborhood infrastructure; (2) Administer programs that expand economic prosperity and self-sufficiency for residents and businesses; (3) Aggressively pursue grants and support programs that improve the quality of life for residents; (4) Use real estate assets to create additional housing and economic development opportunities so that National City thrives for generations to come.
CDC-HA Budget: The Housing Authority does not use the City of National City's General Fund for its PHA HCV Program, to fulfill its objectives, or fund its staff. Instead the Housing Authority supplements the General Fund by covering the salaries of multiple full-time employees. Moreover the Housing Authority generates revenue through cost recovery efforts (reference the fee schedule here), leases, and economic development opportunities.
Angelita Palma, Community Development Manager
HUD CPD Programs | Successor Agency | City Real-Estate & Asset Management
Focusing on community planning and development to improve the social, economic, and environmental well-being of communities through strategic planning and development initiatives. The Community Development Manager and her team work together with elected officials, City staff, and the community local governments, and other stakeholders to create a shared vision for the future and implement strategies to achieve it.
Responsibilities of the Community Development Manager include:
³The Community Development Manager also oversees the Successor Agency to the Community Development Commission as the National City Redevelopment Agency (“Successor Agency”) which is responsible for community development projects for the City of National City and the acquisition and disposition of the Long Range Property Management Plan (“LRPMP”) as required by AB1484 and approved by the CA Department of Finance on December 15, 2015.
²In an emergency, the Community Development Manager and her staff will facilitate and administrator emergency service programs with direction from the City's Emergency Services Manager. Additionally, the Community Development Manager may work directly with neighboring jurisdictions, state and federal officials, as well as community-based organizations, to deploy emergency assistance.
Recent examples of emergency service operations provided by the Community Development Manager and staff included the COVID-19 pandemic and recovery efforts, which still continue to present day and the January 21-23, 2024, FEMA and Cal OES declared state of emergency for the San Diego County severe winter storms and the subsequent recovery efforts.
Marta Rios, Housing Programs Manager
Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher ("HCV") Program
The NCHA HCV Program consists of a total of 1163 vouchers, of which 32 are designated as Emergency Housing Vouchers ("EHV"). With over an $20M budget and 14 dedicated staff members, the NCHA Program is a HUD high-performing Public Housing Authority ("PHA"). The purpose of the HCV Program is to provide rental assistance to eligible families. The rules and regulations of the HCV program are determined by HUD. A PHA, such as the NCHA, is afforded choices in the operation of the program. These program choices are included in the PHA’s Administrative Plan, approved by the NCHA PHA Board of Commissioners and accepted by HUD.
In partnership with the Housing Authority of the County of San Diego ("HACSD"), the NCHA provided consent per CDC-HA Resolution 2024-91 to HACSD, as required by CA Health and Safety Code section 34312.5, for 24 Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing ("VASH") Program HCV for tenant-based and project-based rental assistance for veterans experiencing homelessness are allocated to the Union Tower affordable housing development project located at 2312 F Avenue in National City.
