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 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 »