The Duboce, at 181 Sanchez Street in San Francisco’s popular Duboce Triangle neighborhood, offers a brand-new development loaded with amenities. Ten of the units were on-site affordable housing, per the City of San Francisco’s mandate. At $1,133 for a one-bedroom and $1,264 for a two-bedroom, these below-market-rate (BMR) apartments rented for a fraction of the full price. MEDA worked with a number of determined clients to help them fill out applications, ensuring their finances were in order if they won the lottery.
The exciting news is that three of these applicants now have keys to their new homes. Showcasing the breadth of diversity for which San Francisco is renowned, these new residents include a 22nd and Mission streets fire survivor, a single father-artist whose daughter attends Fairmount Elementary School and a Mission resident who had attended a Mission Neighborhood Health Center presentation by MEDA. These families won the lottery using different certificates of preference for the BMR program: one for Displaced Tenant Housing Preference; and two for Neighborhood Resident Housing Preference.
“We want to see more Latinos getting into BMR rentals. We were successful in that goal at The Duboce because we got three of the 10 available BMR units for people of color. More Latinos have been applying, which is good news,” explains MEDA Community Planning Manager Dairo Romero, who has been leading the workshops. The goal is to dispel myths around affordable housing and to make sure San Francisco’s Latino community is aware of the large number of BMR apartments in the pipeline.
Such affordable-housing outreach has scaled because of a City grant to build capacity to educate Latinos citywide, especially in the Excelsior, Visitacion Valley and the Bayview. Community leaders and promotoras (community outreach workers) have been trained in the process of helping people apply for BMR rentals.
MEDA’s goal is not just affordable housing, but safe, secure and quality housing. The Duboce definitely fits the bill. There is an expansive roof deck. An interior courtyard. Even a fire pit.
Additionally, The Duboce is centrally located near plenty of transportation options, from busses to Muni light rail. Plus, the location is a short distance from the Mission Street family-serving commercial corridor — important for low-income residents needing access to culturally relevant shopping, arts organizations and nonprofit service providers.
“MEDA will continue to do its outreach. Vivienda económica is for all in San Francisco,” concludes Romero.
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Are you looking for affordable housing in San Francisco? Contact MEDA’s Housing Opportunities team at (415) 282-3334 ext. 126; homeownership@medasf.org.
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