I'm writing to express support for the proposed Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation (TNDC) project at 2550 Irving Street in the Sunset District of San Francisco. This is an important opportunity to bring 100% affordable housing for low-income families and essential workers to a high-resource neighborhood. The Sunset has lost a disproportionately high number of affordable rental homes, with too few new units being built despite being home to many working and growing families, and will benefit greatly from doing its part to alleviate San Francisco's housing accessibility and affordability crisis.

2550 Irving Street is located in the Irving NCD zoning district. For this project, TNDC will use either California Assembly Bill 1763 or the local 100% affordable housing bonus program, as either of those allows unlimited density and 3 additional stories (for a total of 7), with slightly different conditions. The project may also use California Senate Bill 35, which requires local entities to streamline projects that are at least 50% affordable in cities like San Francisco that are not on track to hit their below-market-rate Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) numbers. Pro-housing organization SF YIMBY proudly championed the passage of these bills and passionately supports projects that take advantage of them.

100% renewable energy through CleanPowerSF, green spaces including a rear courtyard, and ample bicycle parking are all excellent elements of this forward-thinking project. TNDC is to be commended for keeping costs and climate impact low by maintaining a low parking to dwelling unit ratio of 11 parking spaces. With 2,250 square feet of ground floor community spaces, this project will go far to support and enrich the Sunset neighborhood. The architect has pointed out the rich history of 7-story/70-feet-tall historic apartment buildings in SF - including the Sunset. There is precedence for buildings of this scale in the neighborhood.

Mayor London Breed and the Mayor's Office of Housing and Community Development (MOHCD) have made it clear that, as San Francisco emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic, housing projects like these will be a critical component to economic recovery, providing good-paying jobs for workers and stable housing for residents. Supervisor Gordon Mar has stated, “This project will expand access and opportunities for families priced out of our neighborhood, where we have seen an underinvestment in affordable housing. Along with the City’s first affordable housing project for educators in the Mid-Sunset, this project will help us develop greater capacity in the westside to create housing that serves priority community needs.”

Consistent with TNDC's mission and MOHCD policy, many of the apartments will be reserved for households who live in the Sunset or have been displaced from housing in San Francisco, expanding access and opportunities for families and children. San Francisco must expedite the creation of housing like this in out-of-reach neighborhoods like the Sunset in order to keep families living and thriving in the city and set priorities for progress toward abundant citywide housing production, public transportation, and local businesses and services.

Overall, there are many more community voices in support of this project than in opposition. That is why I urge you to support 7 full stories, the maximum allowable height and density at 2550 Irving Street, in order to respond to the district's shortage of accessible, affordable homes and provide more families with much-needed, strategically-located and well-designed housing. Thank you for your consideration.