By Joshua Sabatini
San Francisco Examiner

The plan to rebuild San Francisco’s most troubled and decrepit public housing sites is moving forward with nine developers applying to rebuild the sites. The idea of creating a local version of the federal Hope IV program — which provides funds to local housing authorities to rebuild dilapidated housing projects was planted during the tenure of former Mayor Willie Brown. Mayor Gavin Newsom, however, has championed the idea of rebuilding public housing units within new mixed-income developments and last year allocated $5 million within The City’s budget to help pay for $95 million in bonds that would fund initial rebuilds. Read more »

By Cecilia M. Vega, Matthew Yi,Kelly Zito, Chronicle Staff Writers
San Francisco Chronicle

San Francisco has emerged relatively unscathed from the mortgage crises sweeping the nation, but a coalition of city leaders is predicting that reality may soon change. To deal with it, the group called on major subprime lenders Thursday to change the way they do business with homeowners on the brink of foreclosure. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom said that predatory lending practices have been unconscionable and that major lenders should step up their outreach to at-risk homeowners. The number of foreclosures in San Francisco makes up just 2 percent of foreclosures in the Bay Area, city leaders estimate, and Newsom said city residents have "been fortunate to date."

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By Regina Davis, Executive Director
San Francisco Housing Development Corporation

Can changes in buildings and land use make a significant positive impact on people living in public housing? The HOPE SF program included in Mayor Newsom’s proposed budget takes up the challenge of initiating radical change for families living in public housing sites in San Francisco’s southeast neighborhoods. HOPE SF proposes a $100 million investment, $5 million from the City budget and $95 million from a proposed bond, to significantly change public housing by rebuilding 2,500 apartments for public housing residents and building 3,500 new market-rate and affordable homes on seven public housing sites. The City expects to leverage federal and private funds for the majority of its costs.    Read more »

By Donna Calame, Executive Director
San Francisco: In-Home Supportive Services Public Authority

In my experience, most people – including policy and decision makers – are not much aware of long term care (LTC) issues until they, or a close family member or friend, have faced the need for assistance from some one else in order to conduct their lives.  If we are lucky enough to live a long life, most of us will face some incapacity for self-care: we will not be able to shop or cook for ourselves; we will not be able to get out of bed without assistance or dress ourselves; some one else will have to assist us with bathing and hygiene; transport outside of our homes will be limited.  When that happens, where do we want to live?  Who do we want to help us?  And who answers those questions?  Do we maintain as much control as our mental and physical capacities allow over our life circumstances?  Or does someone else, including decisions made in institutional settings, make those decisions for us? Read more »

By Phil Ting and Luis Granados
San Francisco Examiner
Originally Published Apr 20, 2007

Recent headlines about predatory loan practices and the fallout of the subprime mortgage market have drawn attention to the impact of mortgage defaults and foreclosures on the housing market and the economy.  But they often fail to highlight the real consequences — the displacement of working families who are forced to abandon their dreams of homeownership and financial stability, and the subsequent weakening of our communities. San Francisco is no exception, and that’s why the City must begin to develop comprehensive policies that protect consumers and hold lending institutions accountable. Read more »

By Adrienne J. Tissier
San Mateo County Supervisor
San Francisco Examiner
Originally Published  April 2, 2007

Unlike the cure for the common cold, solutions to a significant cause of global warming are commonly known. In fact, more than a few middle-schoolers understand that reducing the number of personal automobiles on the road, reducing the length of time such cars are driven, will in-turn reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The solutions to global warming are found in modern urban planning and zoning and three little words: Transit Oriented Development. Build well-designed, affordable housing within walking distance of efficient mass transit, and the air-fouling traffic jams will unclog themselves. Better yet, build well-designed, affordable housing within walking distance of jobs, schools and retail, and car use will plummet. Read more »