BCNA, area groups urge moderate-income, senior housing

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OFFICIAL BCNA NEWS

The Port, in partnership with the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development (MOHCD), is proposing to build affordable housing on the lot located at Broadway & Front Streets.  At a recent public meeting, the MOHCD recently outlined its objectives for the project.  Subsequently, BCNA and seven other neighborhood organizations released a joint letter urging the MOHCD to take a different approach toward the project.

 –Bob Harrer, BCNA president

July 18, 2014

Mr. Olson Lee

Director,

Mayor’s Office of Housing and

Community Development (MOHCD)

1 South Van Ness Avenue, 5th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94103

Re: Affordable Housing Project on SWL 322-1

Dear Mr. Lee:

We are writing to express our deep concern with the objectives drafted by your agency for the proposed affordable housing project on SWL 322-1 (Broadway and Front).  As presented at the recent NEWAG[1] meeting, the “Development Program Objectives” totally ignore the crying need for housing middle-class households in this city.  Consider the following:

  • The middle class is shrinking precipitously in San Francisco.  As cited in the San Francisco Chronicle[2] “The middle class
..has shrunk from 45 percent of the city’s population in 1990 to 34 percent in 2012.  Both ends of the spectrum have grown.”
  • The greatest shortfall in new housing in the City is for moderate-income households.  Only 27.5% of the new housing needs for moderate-income households are being built or entitled, as of the first quarter 2014.  This is far below the amount of new housing being provided for low-income households (57%) and above-moderate households (212%)[3].  Moderate-income households are included in the statutory definition of affordable housing.
  • The other two affordable housing developments nearby on Broadway already serve low-income households.  The Port’s proposed project would be the third such development in 3 blocks.

We recognize the cost of housing is not the sole reason for the decline in middle-class residents in the City.  But it is a huge factor.  Sadly, the situation is many city employees such as teachers and health care workers cannot afford to live in the city that employs them.  And your agency has the power to address that issue.  Consequently, we call upon you and your agency to show some creativity, innovation and imagination.  We – the people listed below – urge you and your agency to seriously consider the neighborhood’s concerns and find a way to develop a project for moderate-income (and senior) households at SWL 322-1.

[1] Northeast Waterfront Advisory Group, which met on July 2,2014

[2] San Francisco Chronicle, May 18, 2014, “Income Inequality on par with developing nations”

[3] Residential Pipeline Entitled Housing Units 2007 to 2014 Q1, San Francisco Planning Department

Sincerely,

Bob Harrer

President, Barbary Coast Neighborhood Association

 

Lee Radner

Chair, Friends of Golden Gateway

 

Bill Hannan

President, Golden Gateway Tenants Association

 

Jonee Levy

Board Chair, Next Village SF

 

Kathleen Dooley

President, North Beach Business Association

 

Susan McCullough

North Beach Neighbors Board of Directors – Planning and Zoning Chair

 

Stephanie Greenburg

President, SoTel Neighbors

 

Jon Golinger

Chair, Waterfront Committee, Telegraph Hill Dwellers

 

CC:

The Honorable David Chiu

Monique Moyer

Carol Parlette

Ann Romero

Jonathan Stern

Diana Taylor

Ricky Tijani

Teresa Yanga