CARLSBAD – A Carlsbad construction company that started as a two-person operation more than 40 years ago has become one of the primary builders of affordable housing in San Diego County.
John Ahlswede founded Sun Country Builders in 1979 after getting his start in the construction industry as a laborer pouring concrete, a job he took as an alternative to working in his father’s wholesale nursery business.
The company has since evolved to be one of the most prolific affordable housing builders in San Diego County, having built or renovated more than 113 projects with more than 8,000 housing units.
Among Sun Country’s clients are BRIDGE Housing Corp., Community Housing Works, Wakeland Housing & Development Corp., and San Diego Interfaith Housing Foundation.
Recent projects include the $75.2 million City Heights Place and City Heights Plaza by Wakeland Housing and Price Philanthropies, the $53 million Amanecer apartment complex by Community HousingWorks in Linda Vista.