This agreement will deliver a 100% affordable community, which is part of a larger joint development with hotel, market rate housing, parks, and commercial/retail uses that will improve the transit experience in Chula Vista
San Diego – The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) Board of Directors last week approved a disposition and development agreement (DDA) with Eden Housing, Inc.'s Bayview Family Housing LP to bring a new 7-story affordable housing development to Chula Vista—helping meet the growing demand for affordable homes in San Diego.
"This project demonstrates how MTS can use its land to deliver real community benefits beyond the transit service we already provide", said Stephen Whitburn, MTS Board Chair and San Diego City Councilmember. "By partnering with the City of Chula Vista and Eden Housing, we're expanding housing options while strengthening access to reliable transit. This investment helps residents get where they need to go and supports a more sustainable region."
Located steps away from the E Street Transit Center, the development will offer residents direct access to the UC San Diego Blue Line and numerous bus routes, connecting them to recreational, educational, medical, and employment opportunities throughout the region.
The project at the E Street Transit Center is part of a master planned joint transit-oriented development (TOD) effort between MTS and the City of Chula Vista, who have been partnering since 2018 on the TOD project. Bayview Point LLC, the master developer, has been under an exclusive negotiating agreement with the City and MTS since 2022.
"Chula Vista has long prioritized transit-oriented growth, and this development at the E Street Transit Center reflects that vision," said Cesar Fernandez, MTS Board Member and Deputy Mayor of Chula Vista. "The E Street Transit Center is the northern gateway for Trolley access to the newly opened Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center and the new parks, walking trails, and restaurants along the Chula Vista Bayfront. Activating the transit center builds on regional and public investments in the Bayfront by creating additional opportunities for residents to live, work, and connect to the rest of the region."
The TOD will be built on 10 acres of land owned by MTS and the City of Chula Vista. The Eden Housing portion of the project approved by MTS includes 101 affordable housing units with 105 parking spaces on the MTS-owned property. The transit center will retain a total of 240 commuter parking spaces for MTS's exclusive use. Portions of the project still under negotiation between the City of Chula Vista, MTS, and the master developer include a 300-room companion hotel for the Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center, 300 market-rate housing units, commercial space, and community park space.
Under the agreement, the Eden Housing project will be constructed at no cost to MTS. The ground lease will be for 99 years. The project is expected to increase transit ridership to and from the E Street Transit Center with important connections to the new convention center, the U.S.-Mexico border and downtown San Diego. The construction start date is expected to be in three years, once funding is secured. Construction is expected to be completed within 30 months of breaking ground.
Details about the project are available in the April 16 MTS Board of Directors meeting agenda (page 592).
About MTS
The Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) operates 93 bus routes and four Trolley lines in 10 cities and unincorporated areas of San Diego. MTS is a leader in advancing initiatives to create a greener, cleaner and better-connected transit system in San Diego. Each weekday, more than 250,000 passenger trips are taken throughout the MTS system, taking people to work, school, health appointments and other essential trips. In FY 2025, MTS served more than 81 million riders. For service schedule updates, news, alerts and more information on how you can use public transportation, go to www.sdmts.com.
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