“Quiet tranquility” might be the best way to describe Casa Aldea at University City Village. It is a San Diego 55+ apartment experience unlike any other. Casa Aldea is nestled into lush native landscapes. There are also walking trails and 16 acres of natural beauty.
We combined timeless influences with modern comforts. Our one two and three-story 55+ apartment community offers active enjoyment. It also provides rest and relaxation.
Enjoy the sun-drenched charm and relaxed elegance. Casa Aldea at University City Village is illuminated with landscaping of native plants. Unique gardens and a heated saltwater hydrotherapy whirlpool await you.
We offer one- and two-bedroom units that will delight your senses. Choose from our garden-style one-story casitas. Or perhaps a two-story veranda building is more your style. Maybe you prefer a two- or three-story hacienda building. You will love your new home.
Ease your mind with a relaxing dip in our saltwater pool. Relax in our heated spa after a long day. Need some quiet time? Visit our library to snuggle up with your favorite book. You can also kick back by the outdoor fireplace. Casa Aldea at University City Village is true Southern California living at its finest.
But let’s shift our focus to another aspect of university housing in San Diego. San Diego State University unveiled plans to build a village of dormitory towers. It will house 5220 students in the College Area. This neighborhood is currently occupied by suburban homes.
The multi-phase project is one of the largest residential sites in the 23-campus California State University system. It will increase SDSU’s housing capacity to 13000.
This project called Peninsula will feature five 13-story apartment towers. There will also be a 9-story apartment building. Another 9-story dormitory will be built next to University Towers. Once completed the new development will raise SDSU’s total housing capacity to 13K students.
University officials stress that the project aims to meet existing student housing demand. It doesn’t aim to drive new enrollment. The project is a necessary response to the region’s housing crisis and student demand. It will provide students with financially accessible and sustainable housing options.
The Peninsula project site has drawn some criticism because of fire safety concerns. A recent wildfire came within 10 feet of homes. It also caused significant traffic congestion. SDSU stated that the new housing complex will incorporate Type I-B fire-resistant construction. New fire access roads and a 100-foot fire buffer zone will be added.
SDSU’s project follows UC San Diego’s aggressive housing expansion. UCSD now has the second-largest student housing capacity in the nation. It is behind UCLA with 22K beds. UCSD delivered two new student housing towers at Pepper Canyon West in 2024. These stand 22 and 23 stories tall. Looking ahead UCSD has proposed a $2B housing village. It will feature six new towers and 6K beds by 2030. Demand for student housing remains high.
Finding affordable rentals near SDSU and UCSD remains a challenge for students. The average rent in the La Jolla/University City submarket is $3.3K. The vacancy rate is 4%. Across the San Diego metro area average rents stood at $2.8K in Q4. Though rents have plateaued near record highs affordability remains a significant issue for students and local renters.
There was also a proposed College Avenue Apartments project. It is essentially a dormitory in an apartment building’s clothing. It was sited on 1.51 acres of land owned by San Diego State University. The City of San Diego issued the necessary permits to move forward with the project. It happened despite numerous objections from the local planning group and College Area Residents. The residents accused the city and San Diego State of trying to disguise the project as an apartment building.