San Francisco's New Affordable Housing Development, Courtesy of Habitat for Humanity
One of the most expensive cities in the U.S. is getting eight new affordable homes, thanks to a new San Francisco project from Habitat for Humanity that broke ground today. The project comes at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted some of the most deep-rooted injustices in the U.S., with housing inequity chief among them. Its end result will see eight townhouse-style dwellings constructed under the guidance of Habitat's Greater San Francisco chapter, in partnership with Kerman Morris Architects.
"As we work to recover from this pandemic, now is the time to build more housing of all types and do all we can to make San Francisco a more affordable place to live,” said Mayor London Breed in an announcement for the project, for which House Beautiful will serve as a national media sponsor.
The homes will be located on Amber Drive in the Diamond Heights neighborhood, on a parcel of land that was donated by Mischa and Brigitte Seligman, in memory of Mischa’s mother, Maria Kolisch. Maria was one of the first residents in the neighborhood, whose many parks and city views (thanks to its hilly terrain) and proximity to downtown areas make it a beloved area.
"My mother did a lot of work in San Francisco and she had a lot of friends—it was her community," Mischa tells House Beautiful. "It gave her so much joy, and she wanted to give something back. I completely agreed and knew that Habitat San Francisco was the best organization."
Residents for the homes will be determined via a lottery, opening this September. As part of Habitat's unique mission, the selected residents will invest 500 hours—alongside Habitat volunteers—in the building of their own homes, which they will move into with a 0% down, 0% interest mortgage from the not-for-profit. Each family's housing costs will be capped at 30% of their respective incomes.
“It is so important for our city that working families can continue to live here in the place they know and love, so it’s great to see these affordable homes being built in Diamond Heights,” said Betsy Eddy, Diamond Heights Community Association Co-President.
"Home and living quarters are the most important part of a happy life," says Mischa. "A decent roof over their heads is a first priority for family stability."
Ultimately, Mischa says, he hopes the homes provide something that has eluded many families struggling financially both before and during the pandemic: "an ability to not worry about housing and be able to concentrate on other aspects of their lives being productive and happy."
Stay tuned for project updates from House Beautiful!
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