KMA is proud to have participated in a Technical Assistance Panel (TAP) that included a two-day deep dive into the affordable housing challenges facing Borrego Springs, one of San Diego County’s most remote and distinctive desert communities.

Held April 20–21, 2026, in partnership with the Wellsprings Community Foundation, the panel brought together leaders in housing finance, development, planning, and community services to explore how this tight-knit desert community could expand its affordable housing stock and secure its long-term vitality. Borrego Springs is located hours from an urban core and is challenged by extreme heat with limited access to transit, retail, and medical services, constraining development of new housing.

Specifically, the panel evaluated a 22-acre donated site: 16 acres planned for senior and workforce housing, 4 acres already donated to San Diego County for a new fire station, and 2 acres reserved for a future medical clinic. KMA Principal Michael Tactay, who served as Project Chair, noted that the rural setting introduced a unique set of challenges around development potential, making this TAP experience so compelling. He credited the panel with tackling a diverse range of complex issues spanning urban design, finance and community services and believes the panel produced a clear, actionable report that the Client will find genuinely useful.

KMA Manager Reena Arvizu also served on the panel, drawing on the site tour and stakeholder interviews to help shape the panel’s understanding of the community’s needs. As Reena emphasized, hearing directly from local organizations and longtime residents “revealed the community’s deep philanthropic spirit” – insight that grounded the panel’s recommendations.

This engagement continues a long tradition at KMA. Past principals have served as ULI members and TAP volunteers for years, lending their economic and financial expertise to communities across the region – from downtown corridors to coastal communities and now, the remote desert backcountry. It’s a reminder that the fundamentals of housing feasibility and community investment KMA works through every day apply just as much in Borrego Springs as they do in the heart of San Diego!

The full TAP report, including the panel’s recommendations, is available through ULI San Diego–Tijuana.