55 laguna rally/press conference for Affordable Housing
Monday, January 7, 5:30pm
Tommi Avicolli Mecca (via list)
queer affordable housing activist
tommi avicolli mecca

Hi everyone:
First of all: Please feel free to pass this email along to your contacts.

There's going to be a press conference/rally on Monday, January 7,
5:30pm, outside the LGBT center. We are meeting there because it is
close to 55 Laguna, the site of a proposed housing project on the
outskirts of the Castro.

As many of you probably already know, the project (which is on the old
UC site) will involve the building of over 400 units, 88 of which are
being designated for Open House, an LGBT senior "assisted-living"
complex. None of the Open House units will be affordable. As
assisted-living, they are claiming exemption from the city's
affordable housing requirements. The folks at Open House say that they
are committed to providing affordable units, but at present don't have
funding for it. The rest of the project will only have 15% affordable
units at 50% of AMI (area median income, which for a single person is
around $38,000). To spell out why that is NOT a good deal: A person
would have to earn $38,000 a year to QUALIFY for the "affordable"
units. This is not affordable to the people in SF who really need housing.

Some of us in the LGBT and non-LGBT community are calling for more
affordable housing at 55 Laguna. We are not opposed to housing at 55
Laguna. We are certainly not opposed to LGBT senior housing. We would
like to see more affordable units at a lower AMI level. That means
units for people who are earning minimum wage, as well as people on
SSI and other fixed incomes. Also people with AIDS who don't earn
anywhere near $38,000 a year. We want a DIVERSE community at 55 Laguna
and that means people of various income levels. A vital component of
diversity is inclusion of people of all income levels.

The city must not let public land be used for housing that will not be
income inclusive, and that will not meet SF's greatest need:
Affordable housing and as much of it as we can get. We can do better
than what's being proposed right now at 55 Laguna. We must do better.

Join us in calling for more affordable housing at 55 Laguna! Monday,
January 7, 5:30pm, outside of the LGBT Center, Market and Octavia.
Thank you.