If you tell us your household size and income, we can show you listings you may qualify for. The agency would post a $30 million shortfall, a staggering figure that imperiled housing stability for the 12,000 households who relied on federally funded rental assistance programs, like Section 8 vouchers. SFHA provides public housing buildings throughout S.F. It’s not unusual for housing authorities to ask HUD to cover a budget shortfall at the end of the year. HUD made no attempt to audit the agency to prevent the agency getting federal trouble status. Part of the reason for Hartley’s panic was that if Section 8 households started missing rent payments, it would have cut revenue that’s essential to keeping dozens of affordable housing buildings operating. in partnership with San Francisco Digital Services Mayor's Office of Civic Innovation Extensive financial mismanagement and reports of squalid living conditions in public housing projects eventually compelled then-Mayor Ed Lee to shift the management of those buildings to nonprofits. HUD had already labeled the Housing Authority a “troubled” agency in 2013 after a string of scandals. It also mandated that the city accelerate its plans to shift management of the last two public housing projects — Sunnydale and Potrero — to nonprofits, as San Francisco has done with the rest of its affordable housing portfolio. Fill out an application at 440 Turk St. To apply for low-income public housing walk in to pick up an application or print out an application from the website. OpenData. As the City begins assuming the Housing Authority’s essential functions, Mayor Breed and City leaders are committed to ensuring that San Francisco’s 14,000 residents who rely on Housing Authority subsidies are well served and keep their housing. The view of the Potrero Hill neighborhood seen from the roof of BRIDGE Housing at 1011 Connecticut Street on Thursday, Dec. 19, 2019, in San Francisco, Calif. In this program, which is administered by the Housing Authority and funded by HUD, a private landlord owns and manages the units and part of the rent is paid for by the Housing Authority, so that tenants pay only an amount that they can afford (between 30-40% of their income). The agency is responsible for the management of public housing and Section 8 vouchers for primarily low-income housing. The San Francisco Housing Authority does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, marital status, familial status, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, ancestry, or sexual orientation in the access to, admission into or employment in housing programs or activities. Much of the agency’s past woes trace back to its former director, Henry Alvarez, who was fired in 2013 after three employee lawsuits accusing him of retaliation and discrimination, dozens of bullying and intimidation complaints, and allegations he steered contracts to friends and political allies. Cantonese, Korean, Mandarin, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese. The Housing Authority, which tens of thousands of vulnerable San Franciscans rely on for affordable housing assistance, was facing a huge budget shortfall. Expand. The HOPE SF initiative seeks to transform four of San Francisco’s most distressed public housing sites into vibrant, thriving communities through holistic revitalization. The public comment period is from December 4, 2020 at 12:00 Noon (Central Time) to January 4, 2021 at 12:00 Noon (Central Time). 7,500. But calculating the size of an annual shortfall requires meticulous financial record-keeping, which the Housing Authority chronically lacked. The Housing Authority does not discriminate on the basis of income so individuals receiving GA, Cal Works/TANF or SSI can be eligible for help. DAHLIA San Francisco Housing Portal. HABC is currently one of the largest housing authorities in the country. For more than a year, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and a specialized accounting firm had been scouring the Housing Authority’s books. Mayor's Office of Housing and Community Development. Photo: Photos by Santiago Mejia / The Chronicle. … Continue Reading In the notice, … The city of San Francisco will take over the San Francisco Housing Authority after the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development sent notice to The City Thursday that the housing authority is in default. San Francisco's Housing Authority, which oversees 6,400 apartments that house 35,000 residents, is now officially "troubled," according to a just-released report by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development. The SF Housing Authority is dedicated to deliver safe and decent housing for low income households and integrate economic opportunity for residents. The shortfall might have marked the nadir for the long-beleaguered Housing Authority, which has spent much of 2019 clawing back from the disaster, with some modest success. Some units have rent indexed to income (rent is 30% of the tenant’s gross income). It was October 2018, and Hartley, then the director of San Francisco’s Office of Housing and Community Development, was en route to a city event to celebrate an affordable housing program. The phone rang, and Hartley picked it up. San Francisco Housing Authority serves San Francisco County. “The only way they had been paying in the prior months was by gobbling up future month’s payments. The San Francisco Housing Authority (SFHA) continues working diligently to ensure that we provide essential services while following the San Francisco Department of Public Health's directive to limit any exposure to COVID-19. Until it reopens, no applications will be accepted for vouchers. “The San Francisco Housing Authority is transforming,” said Tonia Lediju, the agency’s acting director. Convinced that it could no longer be entrusted to handle its own bookkeeping, HUD ordered the Housing Authority in March to submit to a takeover by the city. Maintains low-cost permanent housing units in San Francisco. The homes are being demolished on Thursday, Dec. 19, 2019, in San Francisco, Calif. The Authority moved away from the designing and building of homes to concentrate on the production of land lots and the provision of financing in 1997. “The city of San Francisco has become a collaborative partner in assisting the Housing Authority to create better communities for public-housing residents to live in,” said Ed Cabrera, a HUD spokesman. DAHLIA: San Francisco Housing Portal is a project of the Mayor's Office of Housing and Community Development. However the waiting list for the program is closed and has been for some time. SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – San Francisco Mayor London Breed has named a new leader to help transition the embattled San Francisco Housing Authority as the city prepares to … The SFHA is not part of the City and County of San Francisco and these are provided by the Enterprise GIS department as a convenience. SF Housing Authority contracts questioned HOUSING AUTHORITY Lawsuit raises suspicions over awarding of contracts. San Francisco Housing Authority (SFHA) properties, according to SFHA.org, the official site of the SFHA. SF Housing Authority Workers Mobilize to Reach A Deal Post July 30, 2019 In March of this year the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) directed the City of San Francisco take over the long-embattled SF Housing Authority. Coronavirus live updates: U.S. single-day record death toll, over 3,000,... 42,000 gallons of gasoline leak under canal in Walnut Creek; residents furious, Black S.F. SF Housing Authority Parcels Based on . Menu; Rent; Buy; My Favorites; Get Assistance; Sign In; Rent affordable housing. Lediju said she also walked into a backlog of between 800 and 1,000 apartments that needed to be inspected to ensure their eligibility for the Section 8 program. Wheelchair accessible. After spending years as a poorly managed, scandal-plagued agency, the Housing Authority has made strides, city and federal officials say, toward righting what was once a sinking ship. MOHCD supports residents with affordable housing opportunities and essential services to build strong communities. Visit SF.gov to see more COVID-19 changes. Unfortunately the waiting list for most units and programs is extremely long. Find matching listings. The SF housing authority management misused funds to cause SFHA employees to eventually loose their jobs at the SFHA. In-person visits and events are cancelled, including open houses and info sessions. But they’re usually manageable amounts that HUD can easily cover at year’s end. A building’s waiting list, if open, may be a few months to many years long. She also said she’s trained her attention on making the Housing Authority a responsive, responsible agency. Dominic Fracassa is an assistant metro editor overseeing breaking news and criminal justice in San Francisco. The SF Housing Authority established in 1938 is the oldest housing authority in California and has grown to include over 40 developments throughout San Francisco. employees file racial discrimination lawsuit against city. The block of her former home is being demolished and developed with hundreds of apartments, as part of the Potrero HOPE SF project. In the past, she said, “we didn’t manage our books well. Craigslist has listings for housing in the City Of San Francisco area. The agency would post a $30 million shortfall, Weekend forecast: Wind gusts expected, but high humidity to help Bay Area dodge fire danger, Large fire breaks out at San Jose roofing business, Tsunami threat to Alaskan coast following 7.5 magnitude quake has passed; California coast not in danger, Lake Tahoe is shutting down to tourists on Friday, Video shows familiar, frustrating San Francisco scene: Car after car with smashed windows, Coronavirus live updates: U.S. single-day record death toll, over 3,000, surpasses lives lost on D-Day, 9-11, Charts show how bad the COVID surge has been in Bay Area counties since Thanksgiving, ‘Best day ever at Mavericks’: Kai Lenny, top big-wave surfers savor all-time swell, Bay Area playgrounds can reopen after California changes stay-home order. To view the Houston Housing Authority's Moving To Work (MTW) Draft Plan and Application for Public Comment please click here. To ensure that there was no interruption in housing voucher payments, Hartley arranged a $20 million loan from the city. Changes when applying for SF affordable housing due to COVID-19. The area is being developed as part of the Potrero HOPE SF project that will add hundreds of affordable housing units. Castro homeless woman known for wandering into traffic is dead. The SFHA is not part of the City and County of San Francisco and these are provided by the Enterprise GIS department as a convenience. In all subsidized units, the tenant's rent is 30% of individual's adjusted annual income, no matter how low that may be. For those two dozen employees to avoid a gap in employment that could affect their retiree medical benefits, officials placed an initiative on the March 2020 ballot, Proposition C. It’s a City Charter amendment that would allow the workers to bridge their benefits to their new positions. City of San Francisco helped push for the destruction of the agency by hiring I qualify candidates. Today (2014), it owns and manages over 5,000 units of public housing. The agency had a long history of alarmingly poor bookkeeping, and financial analysts wanted a clear picture of the authority’s red ink. In all subsidized units, the tenant's rent is 30% of individual's adjusted annual income, no matter how low that may be. Email: dfracassa@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dominicfracassa. “We care so much about our residents, and we want them to have excellent customer service and beautiful spaces to live and raise their families.”, Dominic Fracassa is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. English ; Español; 中文 Chinese; Filipino; Sign up to provide feedback on City websites. SFHA began operations in 1938 as part of a national effort to alleviate the country’s Depression-era housing crisis. HUD officials said that, to date, the transition has gone smoothly. The 2021 PIT count for San Francisco will be held January 28, 2021 from 9:00pm to 12:00am. Beleaguered SF Housing Authority clawing back from financial abyss Dominic Fracassa Dec. 30, 2019 Updated: Dec. 30, 2019 4 a.m. Facebook Twitter Email LinkedIn Reddit Pinterest Particularly in places with soaring housing costs — like San Francisco — the department tends to underestimate how much money to send, which leads to the shortfalls. He previously covered San Francisco City Hall as a staff writer. 1938 was the year that San Francisco, along with all other major cities, established its own municipal housing authority. HUD kicked in the remaining $10 million. Beleaguered SF Housing Authority clawing back from financial abyss, Here's what you need to know to start your day. That could have endangered billions of dollars of affordable housing mortgage loans and investments, Hartley said. Subsidized housing units ( hotel rooms or apartments) are obtained in SF through waiting lists. The San Francisco Housing Authority (SFHA) manages public housing units in San Francisco. 13,000. From left: Lenia Brown, 2, flips through a book as her sister Ziani Brown, 8, is homeschooled by her grandmother Leola Brown, 69, at their home at BRIDGE Housing on Thursday, Dec. 19, 2019, in San Francisco, Calif. Leola lived across the street at 26th and Wisconsin streets for more than four decades before moving into BRIDGE Housing with her three grandchildren. SF Housing Authority budget nightmare crashes promising homeless relief program The agency spins its wheels and leaves the city’s Moving On Initiative with nowhere to … “We’re making progress, and I don’t believe we’re the same agency we were five months ago,” Lediju said. That morning, Smith had been briefed on the audit’s results. San Francisco Housing Authority is a Public Housing Agency that participates in the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV), Public Housing, Section 8 Project-Based Voucher (PBV), and Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) programs. The 1937 U.S. Housing Act provided the necessary institutional and financial background whereby cities would fulfill the role of steward and guardian to projects financed by a federal government comparatively beneficial in welfare funds. She was appointed by Mayor London Breed in July after Smith retired in the wake of discovering the deficit. She recalled thinking, “This is insane. Why couldn't S.F. The block of her former home is being demolished and developed with hundreds of apartments, as part of the Potrero HOPE SF project. We have to have excellent financial reporting to run the program and provide the vouchers needed to house our families.”. A portrait of Tonia Lediju, the acting director of the housing authority, outside the Bridge Housing at 1101 Connecticut Street on Thursday, Dec. 19, 2019, in San Francisco, Calif. Leola Brown, 69, closes her apartment door at BRIDGE Housing on Thursday, Dec. 19, 2019, in San Francisco, Calif. Brown lived across the street at 26th and Wisconsin streets for more than four decades before moving into BRIDGE Housing. San Francisco Housing Authority (SFHA) properties, according to SFHA.org, the official site of the SFHA. By May 2021, the Sunnydale and Potrero housing complexes must be managed by a private entity. AN FRANCISCO HOUSING AUTHORITY CONTACT LIST » ABOUT US » SFHA Personnel. HOPE SF will: Transform 2,500 severely deteriorated public housing sites into sustainable, mixed-income communities with neighborhood retail, community centers, parks, and playgrounds. This is a disaster of epic proportions.”. Though the worst seems to finally be over, the Housing Authority still expects a shortfall of $7 million to $8 million this year, though Lediju said that that no vouchers would be jeopardized. 2021 Point-in-Time Count. Following $30 million shortfall, SF Housing Authority lands in default. The block of her former home is being demolished and developed with hundreds of apartments, as part of the Potrero HOPE SF project. The effects of the shortfall are still being felt. Share on Facebook ; Tweet this story; 0. After the US Department of Housing and Urban Development threatened to take over SF Housing Authority, the City of San Francisco decided to take … Kate Hartley was in the back of a cab when she got the call. Mayor's Office of Housing and Community Development 1 South Van Ness, 5th Fl. save her? Hartley struggled to wrap her mind around the astonishing figure. HABC has approximately 7,500 units in its public housing inventory. Learn about the City's housing services for low income households. In 1966, Housing Authority was declared a Commercial Statutory Authority and is now required to provide returns to Government. Based on SF Housing Authority Parcels. HUD also ordered the agency to outsource its core functions — including administering and tracking housing vouchers — to third parties. This can’t possibly be. This program provides vouchers, which allow an individual to locate an apartment or studio in the private market with the Housing Authority paying part of the rent. From left: Leola Brown, 69, with her grandchildren Ziani Brown, 8, and Lenia Brown, 2, get ready for their day at their home at BRIDGE Housing on Thursday, Dec. 19, 2019, in San Francisco, Calif. Leola lived across the street at 26th and Wisconsin streets for more than four decades before moving into BRIDGE Housing. San Francisco Housing Authority (SFHA) 1815 Egbert, 94124 (Section 8 office) Maintains low-cost permanent housing units in San Francisco. Smith did not respond to a request for comment. HUD calculates how much money to send to each housing authorities based on the previous year’s budget, plus a little extra to cover inflation. To pay in July, they used proceeds reserved for August and September,” Hartley said. By Daniel Montes:: Bay City News March 10, 2019. San Francisco, CA 94103 | Tel: (415) 701-5500 | Fax: (415) 701-5501 | TDD (415) 701-5503 Housing hotline: (415) 701-5613 | sfhousinginfo@sfgov.org - Service 24x7 | SFGov privacy Policy | City Employee Policies On the other end was Barbara Smith, then the head of the San Francisco Housing Authority. To continue to serve you, we, like other City and County of San Francisco departments, have taken the following immediate actions: The Housing Authority of Baltimore City (HABC) was established in 1937 to provide federally-funded public housing programs and related services for Baltimore's low-income residents. The San Francisco Housing Authority is a local public housing authority for the City and County of San Francisco that was established in 1938 after the Housing Act of 1937 was enacted by the U.S. Federal Government. “As the current leader here, my job is to ensure that we give unparalleled customer service,” she said. https://sfhomeless.wikia.org/wiki/San_Francisco_Housing_Authority_(SFHA)?oldid=16396, 415-554-1200 , 415-715-3280 (Section 8 office) , 415-554-1242 (FAX). Browse photos and maps and search by location, price, and amenities. Publishing to the public requires approval. Find the perfect place. 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