Christopher Gil
Associate Director of Marketing and Communications
Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA)
(415) 282-3334 ext. 152
cgil@medasf.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 10, 2019
Mayor London Breed and Community Members Celebrate the Groundbreaking of Casa Adelante – 1990 Folsom New Affordable Housing in the Mission
New 100 percent affordable housing project will create 143 affordable apartments
for low-income families
San Francisco — Mayor London N. Breed, Supervisor Hillary Ronen and community leaders today celebrated the groundbreaking of Casa Adelante – 1990 Folsom, a nine-story building in the Mission District that will provide 143 permanently affordable apartments for low-income families, including 25 percent for which families choosing to relocate from HOPE SF sites will have top waitlist preference.
Located on the site of a former bakery, Casa Adelante – 1990 Folsom respects the history of the site and brings new life to an industrial area of the neighborhood. This vacant and underutilized property will be transformed into a beautifully designed, mixed-use development with space for the arts, nonprofits and early child care and education.
“When voters passed the Affordable Housing Bond in 2015, this was the exact type of project we were looking to create for our low-income families,” said Mayor Breed. “We desperately need more affordable housing, and the $500 million Affordable Housing Bond I introduced this week will allow us to begin construction on new projects for low-income residents that are ready to be built today, continue rebuilding our public housing throughout the City, and keep current tenants housed.”
Based on feedback from the community, over half of the units will be two- and three-bedroom apartments for families. The ground floor will feature Mission-based arts and cultural organizations Galería de la Raza and HOMEY, plus a licensed child care center operated by the Felton Institute.
“This exciting project marks our 5th affordable housing groundbreaking in my district this year,” said Supervisor Ronen. “1990 Folsom is not only providing affordable housing, it also includes a space for essential needs of this community — affordable childcare, grassroots youth leadership through HOMEY, and a permanent space for Galeria de la Raza, a cultural anchor of the Mission. I am committed to keeping the pressure on so we can celebrate many more groundbreakings like this one.”
The Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA) and Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation (TNDC) are partners in this development. MEDA and TNDC enlisted Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects (LMS Architects) to bring this project to life.
“As cultural bearers it is our duty to protect our traditions, rituals, sites, and to honor the social fabric and people that have contributed to the art and social movements of the Mission District. The Casa Adelante – 1990 Folsom project is located within a blueprint of growth. It is a unique opportunity, where joint investment between City, community developers and ground-floor users can successfully realize this one-of-a-kind historic placekeeping venture. For Galería it is a ‘renacimiento’ that offers us a permanent home where we will have the ability to build and sustain our assets for generations to come,” said Galería de la Raza Executive Director Ani Rivera.
“1990 Folsom will not only provide affordable housing to 143 families in our community, but it will also house Mission-rooted organizations like HOMEY, which have struggled to find permanent space for almost 20 years. Without a doubt, we will be the new hub on the 16th Street corridor and we are proud to collaborate with Galería, MEDA, TNDC, LMS Architects, and so many others to make this possible,” said HOMEY’s Executive Director Roberto Eligio Alfaro.
“Felton is pleased to partner with TNDC, MEDA, and LMS Architects to bring the highest-quality Early Care and Education (ECE) services to the Mission via this dynamic development. The ECE program at the ground floor of 1990 Folsom will ensure that excellent education is available to many future generations. The site is designed to provide the best physical environment for our children to learn and prosper; it continues Felton’s 130-year tradition of innovation and comprehensive social service,” said Felton Institute President and CEO Al Gilbert.
“Casa Adelante – 1990 Folsom is the third to close of the five affordable-housing developments in our organization’s pipeline. We are upending the narrative in the Mission, as there are solutions and options for affordable housing. MEDA is honored that in conjunction with our co-developer TNDC and our valued City partners, our families have affordable and stable housing,” said MEDA Director of Community Real Estate Karoleen Feng.
“TNDC was founded in 1981 with the goal of protecting the Tenderloin from the seemingly inevitable gentrification and displacement that threaten the neighborhood. Today, we are proud to work with partners in other San Francisco communities, like MEDA in the Mission, to reduce the rate of displacement of people with low incomes and people of color,” said TNDC Chief Executive Officer Don Falk.
The affordable-housing development has been made possible by financing from the San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development, San Francisco Housing Authority, Bank of America, Barings, California Debt Limit Allocation Committee, California Tax Credit Allocation Committee, Nibbi Brothers General Contractors, Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects and U.S. Bank.
Casa Adelante – 1990 Folsom has an expected move-in date of Q1 2021.
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About Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA)
Rooted in the Mission and focused on San Francisco, MEDA’s mission is to strengthen low- and moderate-income Latino families by promoting economic equity and social justice through asset building and community development. medasf.org
About Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation (TNDC)
TNDC develops community and provides affordable housing and services for people with low incomes in the Tenderloin and throughout San Francisco to promote equitable access to opportunity and resources. tndc.org
About Galería de la Raza
Founded in 1970, the Galería is a nonprofit community-based arts organization whose mission is to foster public awareness and appreciation of Xicano/Latino art and serve as a laboratory where artists can both explore contemporary issues in art, culture and civic society, and advance intercultural dialogue. To implement our mission, the Galería supports Latino artists in the visual, literary, media and performing art fields whose works explore new aesthetic possibilities for socially committed art. galeriadelaraza.org
About HOMEY
The mission of HOMEY is to transform the lives of high-risk youth and inspire them to not only choose a path of education, self-sufficiency and non-violence, but also strive towards physical, mental and emotional health. We do this through the youth development practices of cultural and artistic expression, skill building, relationship building, youth participation in decision-making, and community involvement. Homey-sf.org
About Felton Institute
Felton Institute responds to human needs by providing cutting edge, evidence-based mental health and social services that transform lives. With more than 17 sites in San Francisco, San Mateo, Alameda, Kern, Monterey and Marin counties, Felton provides programs for men, women and children of all ages and from all backgrounds, serving more than 16,000 people annually. felton.org
Thank you for your interest. Please contact MEDA’s Housing Opportunities team at (415) 282-3334 ext. 126; homeownership@medasf.org. Also, MEDA has free walk-in appointments every Wednesday from 1 p.m.-3:30 p.m., so feel free to stop by.