Casa Familiar pitches rent‑to‑own community land trust for Lamb’s Players Theater site

Casa Familiar told the National City Council workshop that its "Comunidad" proposal for the Lamb’s Players Theater site would create a long-term pathway to homeownership by combining an initial rental phase under low-income housing tax credits with an eventual conversion to ownership overseen by a community land trust.

"Comunidad delivers permanently affordable homeownership through a community land trust," Carla Samayoa of Casa Familiar said during public comment, outlining a 60‑unit proposal targeted to households earning 30–60% of area median income. Casa Familiar described services — financial coaching, down‑payment assistance and homebuyer education — to prepare residents for conversion when the team anticipates the LIHTC compliance period ends.

Staff and the consultant recommended Casa Familiar as the preferred proposer for Site 5, citing innovation and the potential to produce a substantial number of homeownership units. But staff flagged technical and regulatory uncertainty: LIHTC rules historically impose long compliance periods, and converting tax‑credit rental units to for‑sale product requires careful layering of state funding and approvals.

Georgette Gomez of Casa Familiar said the organization is coordinating with the state housing department (HCD) and other partners to test the permitted 15‑year conversion pathway in LIHTC rules and to create a community land trust structure to oversee long‑term affordability. "We can discuss the formation of the trust; in Avanzando [San Ysidro] the trust is made up of community members and Casa representatives," she said.

Council members requested an expanded pro forma that includes the ownership conversion phase, legal analysis of LIHTC conversion mechanics and an explanation of enforcement mechanisms to ensure conversion is feasible and protects affordability. Staff confirmed they will ask Casa Familiar to supply expanded financials and legal pathway documentation as part of ENA due diligence.

Casa Familiar also said it has experience operating a "black box" theater and plans to include publicly accessible cultural and open‑space amenities in the Plaza Boulevard frontage; the team proposed a community pocket park and a stage for outdoor performances.

Next step: staff requested an expanded pro forma and legal/regulatory analysis from Casa Familiar to return in the ENA phase; staff flagged August as the earliest practical return for additional materials.