Robert Bettinger gestures toward a frame holding old photos of himself.

Robert Bettinger has more stories than can fit in a single news article. He's 87 and gay. He served in the Army in Japan after World War II. He’s an ordained Episcopal priest, and lobbied for that church’s move toward greater acceptance of gays and lesbians. He married a woman and raised children before coming out in 1975 and moving to San Francisco. There, he said, he met Harvey Milk and served on then-Mayor Dianne Feinstein’s gay advisory committee. Bettinger also had two partners die of AIDS. These kinds of experiences are shared by many in Bettinger’s generation. That’s one reason why he’s so supportive of North Park Seniors, the forthcoming affordable housing development designed for LGBT seniors. He said they need to be among their peers. READ MORE

A new low-income housing development will break ground in North Park next week. But this one is different. It's designed for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender seniors. It's the first project of its kind in San Diego. KPBS metro reporter Andrew Bowen says it's meant to serve a community that's in serious need. Watch Video