What appeared to be a fairy tale ending for affordable housing in the Mission District may still come unraveled, with nearby residents now fighting the project because they think the new tenants might be too low-income and troubled for their tastes.
You may recall the ugly, years-long battle over a proposed, upscale 16th and Mission Streets condo project that opponents gave the unflattering nickname “Monster in the Mission.” Those opponents won in the end, after voicing objections over the massive, market-rate project, getting the developer to sell the property that used to include a Walgreens by the 16th and Mission BART station, and abandon the project. The property was then sold to the city for use as affordable housing, and we learned about two years ago the project would be 100% affordable housing to the tune of 350 new homes.
Affordable housing advocates have celebrated their win by giving this project the new nickname “La Maravilla,” or “Marvel in the Mission.” Nonprofit developers Mission Housing Development Corporation and the Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA) proudly announced in June that the new La Maravilla "will serve families, seniors, and formerly homeless individuals.”
Though in an ironic and unexpected turn, the spectre of “formerly homeless individuals” now has people fighting the project that was previously shot down because it was perceived as too high-income. The Chronicle reports that some Mission residents are appealing the affordable housing at 16th and Mission because they fear it will bring more blight to an already very blighted corner.
“Mission Street, between 14th and 16th streets, is a complete and utter disaster,” the appeal’s author and Mission resident Ali Gilmore told the Chronicle. “There’s absolutely no enforcement of anything on that block that this building is going on."
If you thought the state’s new streamlined housing approvals were supposed to prevent these kinds of appeals, you’d be wrong on this one. MEDA and the Mission Housing Development Corporation have separated the project site into three parcels, which as proposed will have three separate buildings, varying between nine and 16 stories tall. But that separation into three addresses made the parcel subject to the state’s Subdivision Map Act, which has a loophole allowing people to appeal projects at newly created addresses.
So this one is being appealed, and for reasons that might sound awfully NIMBY. But the owner of the nearby restaurant Kitava emphasized how that neighborhood has, well, a lot to deal with already.
“One of the things we always see on reviews for this place is ‘five stars, amazing food — sketchy location,’” that owner Neil Mitchell told the Chronicle. “Obviously, there are people in need and we want to help meet those needs. How can we do that while at the same time providing clean and safe streets for our businesses and residents?”
The appeal will be heard at Tuesday's SF Board of Supervisors meeting. If the appeal is successful, that could threaten the proposed subdivision into three different addresses, which would invalidate the project’s current funding plan, and possibly thwart — or at least further delay — this 100% affordable housing project.
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