Living Rooms at the border was a $9.3-million project which stemmed from the vision of our core values as a community-based organization. Architecturally, Living Rooms took into consideration optimizing natural light and the use of solar energy. Living Rooms includes 10 units of affordable housing, studios for artists, and immigration services, in addition, it transformed a historic church (originally Our Lady of Mount Carmel), that was over 100 years old into a into a black box theater for the community.

The San Ysidro port of entry is the fourth largest international land crossing in the world! Each day it is approximated that 120,000 vehicles travel between the U.S. and Mexico. With the increase in awareness about pollution and the effects on the planet and on our community members, Casa was the first agency to install air quality monitors in strategic areas around San Ysidro to begin to capture data on how the busiest port of entry in the U.S. is affecting our environment and our health.

Casitas de las Florecitas was the first project of its kind in San Ysidro. This project involved building affordable housing, but not as rentals, but as a means to ownership. With grants and funding from various agencies and programs, Las Florecitas are single family, three-bedroom, detached homes that had income requirements to purchase, and have deeds that restrict the amount of profit one can achieve if they choose to sell. The idea is to keep these units affordable regardless of market conditions.