[But they look so happy in the rendering. Photo: Mithune.com]
It's a case of do we want the bad news first, or the good news; only we already got the bad news. And we're about to get more. The city's housing office, under federal audit, scored just 54 out of 100: anything under 60 is considered "troubled." The audit itself came in the wake of fatal fires in Bayview Hunter's Point projects, lawsuits, and money mismanagement. Now the good news (sort of): Phase One of the HOPE SF Hunters View public housing project is complete. 25 San Francisco families--14 former Hunters View public housing families and 11 new families-- are now housed in what Mayor Lee's office hyperbolized in a recent press release as "one of the most ambitious, nationally-recognized public housing revitalization initiatives."
HOPE SF, meant to revitalize distressed neighborhoods, is actually the brainchild of former mayor and now Marin resident, Gavin Newsom. To date, San Francisco's $95M backing (which augments dwindling Federal funds) is the largest in public housing in history. Hunters View, formerly a 1950s era block style 256-unit building, is morphing into "a mixed-income community" of up to 750 apartments with courtyard and multi-story units.
However, residents of already completed Hunters View units aren't exactly thrilled by their new homes; at least according to The Examiner. Tessie Ester, vice president of the Hunters View Tenants' Association, made her complaints known to Mayor Lee himself yesterday, when the official entourage arrived at the public housing for a press conference and photo op celebrating Phase One completion. Among her gripes: the units are smaller than the originals, they don't feature washer/dryers, the doors leak cold air, and the building's heating system doesn't work properly.
· Mayor Lee and Supervisor Cohen Celebrate Completion of Phase One of Hunters View Public Housing Rebuild Project [Official Press Release]
· Residents Gripe about Heat and Leaks in Brand New Hunters Point Public Housing [Examiner]
· Question Authority [CurbedSF]
Loading comments...