San Francisco Celebrates Opening of 100% Affordable Housing in the Mission District

San Francisco, CA, April 16, 2021---BRIDGE Housing and Mission Housing Development Corporation yesterday celebrated the ribbon-cutting of new affordable apartments for families at La Fénix at 1950, a 157-unit property built on a former San Francisco Unified School District site in the heart of San Francisco’s Mission District.

This virtual event was livestreamed and can be viewed at www.facebook.com/MissionHousing.

The homes are affordable to households with incomes between 45% and 60% AMI, with 40 apartments set aside for formerly homeless families. Built with families in mind, amenities at La Fénix include a rooftop playground, landscaped courtyards, a spacious community room with a kitchen and a communal laundry room. Neighborhood-serving spaces include a childcare center operated by Mission Neighborhood Centers, art studios and a gallery operated by Acción Latina, as well as a bicycle repair shop operated by PODER. A quarter of the homes at La Fénix are for residents of the surrounding the neighborhood.

Located near BART and several Muni lines, this transit-oriented housing development will help advance the City’s climate goals by promoting the use of public transportation. Residents of La Fenix receive transit passes, and project funding has been directed for pedestrian and bike improvements.

“We’re thrilled to bring 100% affordable family homes and new spaces for community services to the neighborhood,” said Smitha Seshadri, Executive Vice President of BRIDGE Housing. “Collaborative developments like La Fénix will help the Mission maintain its rich history of vibrancy and diversity.”

“Mission Housing is proud and honored, along with BRIDGE Housing, to bring 157 units of new, 100 percent affordable family housing to the Mission,” said Sam Moss, Executive Director of Mission Housing Development Corporation. “We hope La Fénix will be a beacon of hope and support for the Mission District and all of San Francisco’s low-income community.”

“La Fenix exemplifies the goals of the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program (AHSC) to create new, affordable housing connected to jobs and vital services by accessible transit and active transportation options,” said Louise Bedsworth, Executive Director of California Strategic Growth Council, which awarded $15M through its AHSC program to La Fenix. “Congratulations to Mission Housing, BRIDGE Housing and all the project partners. And to the families moving into La Fenix: Welcome home.”

Financial partners included the San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development; Wells Fargo; BNY Mellon; California Community Reinvestment Corporation; California Tax Credit Allocation Committee; California Debt Limit Allocation Committee; the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco; and California Strategic Growth Council’s Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program, administered in partnership with the California Department of Housing and Community Development and funded by California Climate Investments – cap-and-trade dollars at work!

1950 Mission was once a San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) facility with temporary classroom buildings and surface parking. In 2007, the SFUSD Board of Education designated the site as surplus property, and the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development (MOHCD) ultimately purchased it to develop affordable housing. The site was initially transformed into the City’s first interim-use navigation center to serve people experiencing homelessness, then MOHCD selected Mission Housing and BRIDGE Housing to develop, own and operate permanent affordable housing development at the location.

The property was designed by local architects David Baker Architects and Cervantes Design Associates and built by Swinerton Builders. Construction started in January 2019 and was completed in January 2021.

For more information about BRIDGE Housing, visit www.bridgehousing.com. To learn more about Mission Housing, visit www.missionhousing.org.

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BRIDGE Housing