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PRESS ROOM: Mayor London Breed Celebrates Groundbreaking of 100% Affordable and Supportive Housing Development in Soma

“We’ve got to prioritize preventing low-income families from becoming homeless, or being priced out of San Francisco, just as much as supporting people who are experiencing homelessness,” said MHC President Doug Shoemaker. “This development gives us the unique opportunity to do both at once.”

Published

2 years ago

September 18, 2022

Oakland Post

“Projects like this are key to the City’s work to provide permanent housing and care needed to truly transform the lives of people experiencing homelessness,” said Mayor London Breed.

More than 200 new homes for low-income residents and previously unhoused families to be built on lot that previously served as one of City’s first COVID testing sites

San Francisco, CA — Mayor London N. Breed announced the groundbreaking of a new 100% affordable housing development on 7th and Brannan Streets in the South of Market neighborhood. The 221 new homes located at 600 7th Street will provide permanent supportive housing for families and individuals who have experienced homelessness, and low-income families. Prior to construction beginning when the site was still an empty lot, it was home to one of San Francisco’s first COVID-19 testing sites that opened in April 2020 and served as a critical resource early during the City’s pandemic response.

The new homes at 7th and Brannan support the City’s need to add thousands more units of housing per year and builds on Mayor Breed’s Homelessness Recovery Plan, which included the largest expansion of permanent supportive housing in 20 years. Additional amenities at 7th and Brannan will include two courtyards, community rooms, bike storage, maintenance rooms, and laundry facilities.

“Projects like this are key to the City’s work to provide permanent housing and care needed to truly transform the lives of people experiencing homelessness,” said Mayor London Breed. “7th and Brannan is just one example of what we are doing to improve this neighborhood. With eight affordable housing projects currently under construction in District 6 alone, and another eight slated to break ground over the next three years, we are making a difference for San Franciscans. We need to do more to build projects like this across our entire city if we are going to meet our housing goals.”

“The 7th and Brannan development is a perfect example of what we need to do as a city to ensure residents aren’t priced out of San Francisco during this housing crisis,” said District 6 Supervisor Matt Dorsey. “To reach our housing goal of 82,000 additional units by 2030, the City needs to push for more affordable housing, not just within District 6, but across all neighborhoods, and I look forward to working with my colleagues at the Board of Supervisors to see this through.”

Residents at 7th and Brannan will also have access to multiple transit options. The development site is across the street from a MUNI bus stop, a 10-minute walk to the San Francisco Caltrain and a 20-minute walk to the Civic Center BART stations. The development will also include more than 5,000 square feet of community-serving commercial space facing Brannan Street.

The project developer, Mercy Housing California (MHC), is committed to working with the City to create permanently affordable family rental housing which includes units serving households who have experienced homelessness, as well as ground-floor commercial use serving San Francisco’s South of Market neighborhood. MHC owns 160 rental properties across 36 California counties, serving low and very-low-income working families, seniors, people who have experienced homelessness, people living with HIV/AIDS, and people with disabilities.

The new development at 7th and Brannan is funded by a mix of federal tax credits, as well as substantial support from the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development for the development of permanent supportive housing for people in need of mental health services and are experiencing homelessness, chronic homelessness, or at risk of chronic homelessness.

7th and Brannan will be managed by Mercy Housing Management Group, with supportive housing services provided by Episcopal Community Services of San Francisco. The property was designed by Santos Prescott + Associates and the construction is a joint venture between Suffolk Construction and local firm Guzman Construction Group. The building is expected to welcome its first residents in summer 2024.

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Oakland Post: Week of December 18 – 24, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of December 18 – 24, 2024

Published

23 hours ago

December 20, 2024

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

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‘Donald Trump Is Not a God:’ Rep. Bennie Thompson Blasts Trump’s Call to Jail Him

“Donald Trump is not a god,” U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., told The Grio during a recent interview, reacting to Trump’s unsupported claims that the congressman, along with other committee members like vice chair and former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, destroyed evidence throughout the investigation.

Published

3 days ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

Congressman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss. Courtesy photo.

By Post Staff

U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., said he not intimidated by President-elect Donald Trump, who, during an interview on “Meet the Press,” called for the congressman to be jailed for his role as chairman of the special congressional committee investigating Trump’s role in the Jan. 6, 2021, mob attack on the U.S. Capitol.

“Donald Trump is not a god,” Thompson told The Grio during a recent interview, reacting to Trump’s unsupported claims that the congressman, along with other committee members like vice chair and former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, destroyed evidence throughout the investigation.

“He can’t prove it, nor has there been any other proof offered, which tells me that he really doesn’t know what he’s talking about,” said the 76-year-old lawmaker, who maintained that he and the bipartisan Jan. 6 Select Committee – which referred Trump for criminal prosecution – were exercising their constitutional and legislative duties.

“When someone disagrees with you, that doesn’t make it illegal; that doesn’t even make it wrong,” Thompson said, “The greatness of this country is that everyone can have their own opinion about any subject, and so for an incoming president who disagrees with the work of Congress to say ‘because I disagree, I want them jailed,’ is absolutely unbelievable.”

When asked by The Grio if he is concerned about his physical safety amid continued public ridicule from Trump, whose supporters have already proven to be violent, Thompson said, “I think every member of Congress here has to have some degree of concern, because you just never know.”

This story is based on a report from The Grio.

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City of Oakland Celebrates Reopening of Main Library

“Libraries are such critical facilities for all Oaklanders, whether it’s children coming to story-time, adults reading the newspapers or borrowing the latest novels, and people engaging with a range of services and programs that the library hosts,” said Council President and District 2 Councilmember Nikki Fortunato Bas. “Such library services and programs are only possible when the facility’s electricity, heating, roof, and lighting are fixed and running efficiently. I’m proud to join this re-opening of our Main Public Library.”

Published

3 days ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

Left to Right- Jamie Turbak, Director of Library Services, LaTonda Simmons, Assistant City Administrator, Nikki Bas, President Oakland City Council, Shen Thao, Mayor of Oakland, Carroll Fife, Oakland City Councilmember District 3, Harold Duffey, Assistant City Administrator, Sean Maher, Projects Coordinator. Photo by Kevin Hicks.

The branch had been closed since May for critical infrastructure upgrades

Special to the Post

The City of Oakland leadership and community partners gathered to celebrate the reopening of the Main Library after completion of critical infrastructure upgrades to enhance the library’s facilities and provide a better experience for patrons.

Renovations include new roof installation, skylight repair, critical electrical system upgrades, new boiler control system installation, auditorium heating and cooling system installation, and improvements to lighting, flooring and ceilings throughout the building.

“This is truly something to celebrate, the reopening of our wonderful Main Library! I congratulate the staff and our partners for this important project to make the Main Library a more comfortable place for everyone for years to come, said Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao. “Thank you to Oakland voters and the California State Library for making these crucial improvements possible.”

“Public libraries are a wonderful resource for our residents, offering a safe space for learning and being,” said District 3 Councilmember Carroll Fife. “It is critical to improve and modernize our libraries so more members of our community can utilize and enjoy them. I’m excited that the necessary renovations to the Main Library have been completed successfully and thank everyone involved, particularly the City team, who helped secured the necessary grant funds for this work.”

“I am proud of the City staff and project partners who kept this important project on schedule and under budget,” said Assistant City Administrator G. Harold Duffey. “The library is an incredibly important resource for our community members, and this project is an investment into the library’s future.”

“December 2nd was a momentous occasion for Oakland Public Library as we proudly reopened the doors of the Main Library following extensive infrastructure repairs,” said Director of Library Services Jamie Turbak. “Closing the Main Library for six months was no easy decision, as it serves as the central hub for our library system and is truly the heart of Oakland. Yet, this renovation was essential, representing more than just physical upgrades—it reflects our ongoing commitment to creating a safe, welcoming space for everyone.”

The City Administrator Jestin Johnson also attended the press conference and signalled his support for the completion of the record-setting completion of the renovations. Gay Plair Cobb, a newly appointed Library Commissioner said the Library represents the soul and brains of our community.

The Oakland Public Library secured funding for these crititcal repairs through a variety of sources. The California State Library’s Building Forward Library Facilities Improvement Program awarded the Main Branch $4.2 million. To comply with the grant terms, the City of Oakland provided matching funds through Measures KK, as approved by the Oakland City Council in October 2023.

The Main Library will host an Open House to celebrate the reopening on February 22, 2025, 10 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

About the Oakland Public Library

The Oakland Public Library is a part of the City of Oakland in California and has been in existence since 1878. Locations include 16 neighborhood branches, a Main Library, a Second Start Adult Literacy Program, the Oakland Tool Lending Library, and the African American Museum and Library at Oakland (AAMLO). The Oakland Public Library empowers all people to explore, connect, and grow. Oaklandlibrary.org