HUNTERS VIEW

HOPE SF begins with Hunters View. As the first HOPE SF development, Hunters View is poised to establish the programmatic goals and innovative implementation strategies that will characterize the HOPE SF initiative. A partnership comprised of the San Francisco Housing Authority, Redevelopment Agency, Mayor's Office of Housing, and private developers has been engaged in pre-development planning and community engagement since 2005. Demolition will begin on the first phase of the site in 2009, commencing $100 million dollars in infrastructure and construction investment over the next two years, and $450 million for the entire development by 2015.

Project Background

Constructed in 1956 on the site of former WWII naval barracks, Hunters View as it exists today is 267 public housing units in fifty barrack-style buildings spread over a twenty acre site. The project displays many of the classic shortcomings of distressed public housing in the United States: poor site planning, indefensible open space, isolation from the surrounding community, and chronic underfunding of operations and maintenance. Yet the site, existing community, and surrounding neighborhood offer tremendous opportunity for transformation.

Development Plan

HOPE SF principles insure that site transformation only takes place through the preservation, participation, and benefit of the existing Hunters View community. Planning collaboratively with residents, the project team will phase the redevelopment of the site into a neighborhood of superior urban design and community engagement. Development plan highlights are:

• Nearly 800 mixed income homes where 267 currently exist
• No loss of public housing or affordability
• New affordable rental, low and moderate income homeownership and market rate homes
• New community amenities including Head Start, neighborhood re- tail, community center, parks, and playgrounds.

Phased Development

Historically, one of the greatest criticisms of HOPE VI and other large-scale redevelopment has been displacement; not only of individual households, but entire communities that evolved over decades. The phased development plan allows residents to remain within their existing community during development and to take advantage of economic opportunities and other resources throughout the process.

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Financing

Financing of Hunters View is triggered by capturing the latent value of the existing underutilized site. The proposed development plan, designed at density levels consistent with much of San Francisco, allows for an additional 500 homes beyond the existing public housing. Hunters View will be financed through:

• Market-rate home sales that cross-subsidize the cost of public housing reconstruction
• Affordable housing funds, including tax credit equity, local redevelopment funds, and conventional debt
• Substantial and innovative local government investment to finance a significant portion of the public housing reconstruction
• To the extent available, funding from the State of California for both new affordable housing and infrastructure improvements
• To the extent available, federal support, in both capital and operating funds, as the final piece of the financing plan

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Community Support Services

With systemic social problems rooted in more than poor housing conditions, the issues at Hunters View will not be resolved simply through the rebuilding of dilapidated buildings. By stabilizing the existing community, and engaging households in appropriately tailored services before, during and after development, HOPE SF offers existing residents every opportunity to grow and transform their lives. The Hunters View services models incorporates:

• Resident engagement throughout the entire development process
• Phased service programs specific to pre-development, construction and post-completion periods
• Collaboration across City agencies, service providers and development team
• Community builders on-site focused on building capacity and independence of the Hunters View residents
• Service connectors focused on needs of individual households, linking them with appropriate service and tracking their progress

As a national model, HOPE SF addresses these key issues through:

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Sustainability

• Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design - Neighborhood Development (LEED ND) pilot project, offering a new framework for designing and building environmentally sensitive neighborhoods on a broad scale
• Partnering with Enterprise Green Communities and using newly-developed methods of achieving healthy homes for residents and neighbors
• Setting new standards in resource sustainability including: water conservation, renewable energy, energy efficiency, healthy environments and recycling

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FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT THE SAN FRANCISCO MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HOUSING AT 415.701.5500

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