Qualcomm co-founder Irwin Jacobs pledges $50 million to build over 500 affordable homes for homeless people in San Diego, including 150 units for seniors

San Diego is set to get more than 500 affordable homes for people experiencing homelessness following a major financial commitment from Qualcomm co-founder Irwin Jacobs. As reported by KPBS, in September 2026, Jacobs pledged $50 million to Father Joe’s Villages, marking the largest donation in the organisation’s history. The funding will support a $300 million-plus redevelopment project in downtown San Diego, featuring three residential towers, 77 shelter rooms and dedicated accommodation for older residents. With 150 homes planned for seniors, the development will also include support programmes covering assisted living, healthcare and hospice care, with completion targeted for 2032.Irwin Jacobs makes his largest donation to Father Joe’s VillagesThe $50 million pledge is the largest single donation Father Joe’s Villages has received in its history. Jacobs, who co-founded telecommunications company Qualcomm, announced the commitment in September 2026 as the organisation prepared for a major expansion of its housing facilities.The money will contribute towards the development of the Joan and Irwin Jacobs Family Campus, a proposed residential and support complex at the organisation's existing headquarters in downtown San Diego. According to KPBS reports, the project is expected to cost more than $300 million.Deacon Jim Vargas, the organisation's president and chief executive, said the contribution would help move the project beyond its early planning stages. The funds are also expected to establish resources for predevelopment work and construction deposits, allowing the organisation to advance the project more quickly.Three residential towers planned for downtown San DiegoThe proposed campus will be built on the site of the existing Joan Kroc Center, near the intersection of Imperial Avenue and 15th Street. Rather than retaining the current building, the organisation plans to demolish it and replace it with three residential towers. Each tower is expected to stand approximately 10 storeys tall. Together, the buildings are planned to provide more than 500 affordable housing units, alongside 77 rooms for shelter accommodation.The development is intended to serve people who need longer-term affordable homes as well as those requiring temporary shelter. Its location will also allow residents to access the support services already associated with Father Joe’s Villages.The existing Joan Kroc Center has operated as a place of temporary accommodation and assistance for people experiencing homelessness for decades. Its facilities include housing and support services, while healthcare provision, including dental and behavioural health services, is available nearby.Why 150 homes will be reserved for older residentsAn important part of the proposed development concerns people aged 55 and above. Of the more than 500 affordable units planned for the campus, 150 are expected to be reserved for senior residents. The decision reflects the age profile of homelessness in the San Diego area. According to the latest local count cited by Father Joe’s Villages, approximately one in three people experiencing homelessness were aged 55 or older.For this group, housing difficulties can overlap with health problems, limited income and the need for ongoing assistance. People who have spent years without permanent accommodation may also require services that go beyond providing a room or an apartment.Vargas explained that the organisation wanted to address needs that are not always covered by conventional homelessness programmes. These include assisted living arrangements, hospice care and support for people nearing the end of their lives.The proposed senior care programme is also expected to include case management and employment services. Such assistance would allow the organisation to address practical challenges faced by older residents, including access to healthcare and help managing their daily circumstances.The donation will support services beyond housingJacobs's contribution is not intended to fund residential construction alone. Part of the commitment will also help Father Joe’s Villages develop programmes for senior residents who need additional care.The organisation has identified assisted living and hospice services as areas requiring attention. Older people living on the streets may have health conditions that have gone untreated or deteriorated over time. Some may need end-of-life support that traditional emergency shelter facilities are not equipped to provide. This creates a different set of requirements for organisations working with homelessness. Providing accommodation can address an immediate need, but older residents may also require medical assistance, care coordination and support with everyday activities.San Diego officials point to growing housing pressureThe proposed campus comes at a time when local officials are facing continued demand for affordable accommodation. County Supervisor Paloma Aguirre, whose district includes the area where the redevelopment is planned, spoke about the difficulties residents are experiencing as living costs rise. She said concerns about housing insecurity are increasingly being raised by constituents, including people living on fixed incomes who face the possibility of losing their housing or struggling to maintain access to healthcare.San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria also addressed the project at a press conference announcing the donation. He said the average review period for affordable housing developments in the city had fallen to nine days, compared with a process that previously could take years.The city is working to speed up the necessary approvals for the Father Joe’s Villages redevelopment. Aguirre said efforts to shorten the permitting process were intended to prevent administrative delays from affecting the construction schedule.Construction is expected to begin in 2028The redevelopment will require changes for people currently staying at the Joan Kroc Center. Father Joe’s Villages expects to relocate temporary residents in early 2028 so the existing building can be cleared ahead of construction. Those residents are expected to move to the organisation's Tucson Campus on Fifth Avenue and Ash Street. Vargas said they would continue receiving the same services during the relocation period and would be brought back once the new facilities are ready.The organisation's current schedule calls for construction of the first tower to begin in 2028. Work on the second is expected to start towards the end of that year, followed by the third tower in 2029. The full Joan and Irwin Jacobs Family Campus is targeted for completion in 2032. These dates remain part of the project's current plan and may depend on fundraising, approvals and construction progress.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.