San Francisco, CA — Mayor London N. Breed today celebrated the grand opening of a 100% affordable housing development in the Mission District at Casa de la Mision. Located at 3001 24^th Street, the building will house 44 seniors who previously experienced homelessness referred through the San Francisco Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing’s Coordinated Entry system. It is the fourth of seven new 100% affordable housing developments in the Mission to open its doors and welcome residents in the last 18 months, following over a decade in which no new affordable housing was built in the neighborhood.

“It is an honor to celebrate the grand opening of Casa de la Mision and welcome 44 of our city’s seniors into their new homes,” said Mayor London Breed. “Providing safe and affordable housing, especially for our seniors and people exiting homelessness, is more critical now than ever before. As we look beyond the pandemic and to our economic recovery, investing in projects like this will help us serve our most vulnerable residents and build a more equitable city for all San Franciscans.”

Mission Neighborhood Centers first proposed affordable housing at their 24^th and Harrison site in 2011, when they applied with Mercy Housing California in response to the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development’s (MOHCD) Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for Supportive Housing for Seniors and/or Persons with Disabilities. Mission Neighborhood Centers sold the property to the Mercy Housing California limited partnership in 2019 and has relocated its programs to other sites.

“Mission Neighborhood Centers celebrates the success of the partnership with the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development and with Mercy Housing, which is providing many of our community’s low-income seniors with an affordable and safe place to live”, said Richard Ybarra, CEO of Mission Neighborhood Centers.

The Mercy Housing California limited partnership will own the development, and Mercy Housing will provide supportive services to the residents at the property. Mercy Housing’s Resident Services program will provide opportunities for wrap-around case management, direct one-on-one services, on-site group education classes, and resources and referrals for tenants to access community-based programs and services.

"Mercy Housing California is proud to stand with the Mission District in the struggle to provide housing for seniors who have been priced out of their community," said Doug Shoemaker, President of Mercy Housing California

Built with seniors in mind, amenities at Casa de la Mision include a resident lobby, management offices, a meeting room, and a shared community room on the ground floor. The remaining ground floor resident area is dedicated to a landscaped courtyard. The top floor of the development features an outdoor rooftop terrace and a communal laundry room. Initial plans for the retail space include a sublease to the San Francisco Bike Coalition for a new bicycle repair shop.

“Thanks to the ground-breaking partnership between Mission Neighborhood Centers and Mercy Housing, Casa de la Mision will provide safe and stable housing for our community's most fragile residents in the center of the Calle 24 Latino Cultural District. Welcome home, to our newest neighbors! This inspiring accomplishment makes me hungry for more, and I am committed to continue to work with community-based organizations and advocates to ensure we take advantage of every possible opportunity to create more affordable housing in District 9,” said District 9 Supervisor Hillary Ronen.

The 5-story building was designed by HKIT Architects in partnership with YA Studios. Construction started in January 2020, and the building was 100% occupied by Summer 2021. All residential units will be supported through a City-funded Local Operating Subsidy Program contract which ensures households pay only 30% of their income in rent.

“Casa de la Mision offers an exciting opportunity to end homelessness for 44 older adults in our community.  This housing moves us closer to our goals of opening 1500 new units of Permanent Supportive Housing for people exiting homelessness,” said Shireen McSpadden, Executive Director of the San Francisco Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing.   

Casa de la Mision cost $30.5 million to construct, the bulk of which was being funded by 9% investor tax credit equity. Mercy Housing received a $5 million donation from the Bettye Poetz Ferguson Foundation for low-income senior housing, which completed the project financing. This generous donation meant that the City’s original $500,000 predevelopment loan could be repaid, and no City capital financing was required.   

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